Castilla y León

Question 1

What is the largest autonomía in Spain by size?

Answer 1

Castilla y León

Question 2

What is the signature architectural landmark of Castilla y León?

Answer 2

Middle-aged castles built to repel the Moors.

Question 3

What is the climate of Castilla y León?

Answer 3

Contintental climate with high diurnal shift, and slight influence from the Atlantic and Mediterranean

Question 4

What are the two major geographical formations of Castilla y León?

Answer 4

Mesita Central (arid plateau)
Surrounding mountains

Question 5

What are the mountains that surround Castilla y León?

Answer 5

Picos de Europa (North)
Sistema Central (South)
Sistema Ibérico (East)

Question 6

What is the river that drains the Mesita Central? Where does it flow to?

Answer 6

Duero River. Westward to the Atlantic through Portugal.

Question 7

What is the Duero River called in Portugal?

Answer 7

Douro River.

Question 8

How many DOs are there in Castilla y León?

Answer 8

Nine.

Question 9

What are the DOs of Castilla y León?

Answer 9

Arlanza, Arribes, Bierzo, Cigales, Ribera del Duero, Rueda, Tierra de León, Tierra del Vino de Zamora, Toro

Question 10

Which DOs of Castilla y León are along the Duero River, from east to west?

Answer 10

Ribera del Duero, Rueda, Toro, Tierra del Vino de Zamora, Arribes

Question 11

Which DO of Castilla y León is on the Portugese border?

Answer 11

Arribes

Question 12

What is the northernmost DO of Castilla y León? Which wine region does it border?

Answer 12

Bierzo. Borders Valdeorras in Galicia.

Question 13

Where is Tierra de León located?

Answer 13

North central Castilla y León. Extending southward from the city of León in the foothills of the Cantrabrian Mountains.

Question 14

What is the river that flows through the Bierzo DO?

Answer 14

Sil River

Question 15

What kind of wine is made in Bierzo DO?

Answer 15

• Light, fresh, elegant reds (~80% of wine production)
• Top variety is Mencía (min 70% in red wines, and min 50% in Rosado)
• Top quality whites are made from Godello and Doña Blanca (most planted white is Palomino)

Question 16

Which estate led the revitalization of the Bierzo wine region? Who founded it and when?

Answer 16

Descendientes de J. Palacios. Founded by Alvaro Palacios and his nephew Ricardo Pérez. 1999.

Question 17

Who are the three “trailblazers” of Bierzo?

Answer 17

Desciendentes de J. Palacios, Dominio de Tares, Pittacum

Question 18

When was Tierra de León upgraded to DO from VdlT?

Answer 18

2007

Question 19

What are the varietal requirements for Tierra de León DO reds?

Answer 19

min 60% Prieto Picudo and/or Mencía

Question 20

What is Tierra de León DO shortened to?

Answer 20

León DO

Question 21

What are the towns in the center of the Ribera del Duero DO?

Answer 21

Aranda del Duero and Peñafiel

Question 22

What is the flagship estate of the Ribera del Duero DO?

Answer 22

Vega Sicilia

Question 23

Who founded Vega Sicilia? When? What varieties did they plant, and what for?

Answer 23

Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves. 1864. Planted BDX, Pinot Noir, and Tinto del País for brandy production.

Question 24

What are the synonyms for Tempranillo in Ribera del Duero?

Answer 24

Tinto Fino and Tinto de País

Question 25

When did Ribera del Duero achieve DO status?

Answer 25

1982

Question 26

What are the specs for Único by Vega Sicilia?

Answer 26

~40 ha make up Único's vineyards ~95% Tinto Fino/ 5% Cabernet Sauvignon -10 year minimum aging (~6 in barrel/ ~4 in bottle) -Aged in new American & French 225L barrique & 20,000 L wooden vats

Question 27

What is Único Reserva Especial?

Answer 27

Multi-vintage blend of the top Único wines. Typically released 10 years after youngest wine's harvest year, and blended with 2 other preceding "quality" vintages.

Question 28

What are the reds produced by Único by DO?

Answer 28

Alion, Valbuena 5°, Único (Ribera del Duero) Pintia (Toro) Macán (Rioja)

Question 29

Which estate pushed Ribera del Duero toward DO status?

Answer 29

Familia Fernández Rivera's Tinto Pesquera. Est 1975.

Question 30

What is Janus?

Answer 30

Great vintage-only wines from Tinto Pesquera's highest elevation vineyard Viña Alta.

Question 31

Who are the four "cult" wine producers of Ribera del Duero?

Answer 31

Vega Sicilia, Tinto Pesquera, Dominio de Pingus, Aalto

Question 32

What is the primary white grape of Ribera del Duero?

Answer 32

Albillo Mayor (min 75% of blend)

Question 33

Which region is best know for it's Verdejo? Who is leader in it's production? When was it's revival?

Answer 33

Rueda. Marqués de Riscal in the 1970s.

Question 34

What are the varietal requirements for Rueda's white wines?

Answer 34

Min 50% principal varieties. Principal: Verdejo, Sauvignon Blanc Authorized: Viura, Palomino Fino, Viognier, Chardonnay

Question 35

What is Rueda Dorado?

Answer 35

Fortified "golden" wine made from Palomino Fino and/or Verdejo. Aged minimum 4 years (with 2 in barrel).

Question 36

What is the traditional aging vessel for Rueda Dorado?

Answer 36

16L glass Damajuanas ("demijohn")

Question 37

What are the varietal requirements for Toro tinto?

Answer 37

min 75% Tinta de Toro or min. 85% Garnacha. | Only Tinta de Toro and Garnacha are authorized varieties.

Question 38

What are the top 3 estates in Toro?

Answer 38

Fariña, Numanthia-Termes, Bodegas Pintia (Vega Sicilia)

Question 39

Which DO does Tierra del Vino de Zamora DO closely resemble in terms of varietal requirements?

Answer 39

Toro DO

Question 40

What is the top estate in Tierra del Vino de Zamora DO? Who owns it?

Answer 40

Dehesa la Granja. Familia Fernández Rivera (of Tinto Pesquera).

Question 41

What are the varietal requirements for Arribes DO tinto?

Answer 41

Recommended: Juan García, Rufete, Tempranillo Authorized: Mencía, Garnacha

Question 42

What is the synonym for Rufete? Where does it originate?

Answer 42

Tinta Pinheira. Originates in eastern Portugal.

Question 43

What is the newest DO in Castilla y León?

Answer 43

Arlanza DO

Question 44

Which wine region surrounds the city of Valladolid?

Answer 44

Cigales DO

Question 45

What is the traditional dish of Castilla y León?

Answer 45

Lechazo. Roast baby lamb. Lamb breed has IGP status.