Class 10 M2- Spain, Australia and New Zealand Flashcards
(37 cards)
What can you tell me about grape varieties in Spain?
Over 400 varieties planted throughout the country. 80% of Spain’s wine production is only from 20 grapes.
What are the most planted red grapes of Spain?
Tempranillo (tinto fino), Garnacha (grenache), Monastrell (Mouverde)
What are Spain’s most common white wines?
Albarino from Galicia, Palomino, Airen, and Macabeo
What are three cava wines from Spain?
Parellada, Xarel-lo, and Carinena
How many quality wine areas are identified across Spain?
77 quality wine areas. Spanish wine laws created the Denominacion de Origne (DO) system in 1932 and were revised in 1970.
What are Spain’s classification?
The tier classification include - Vino de Mesa (VdM), Vinos de la Tierra (VdIT) Similar to France’s vin de pays system .
DOP Wine.
DO - denominacion de origen. Mainstream quality wine regions regulated by Consejo Regulador.
Denominacion de Origen Calificada (DOCa/DOQ) consistent quality, step abou DO level.
DO Vino de Pago - individual single estates with international repuatation.
What are the most planted grape variety in Spain?
Airen - a white grape that is know for its hardiness and resistance to drop. Found throughout central Spain. SErved as the base for Spanish brandy.
The second most widely planted grape variety is Tempranillo (best in the north, Rioja and Ribero del Duero). Garnacha is also very popular (best in the east Priorat and Penedes).
Spanish Red Grapes
Tempranillo (in Ribera del Duero and Rioja) - Bobal in Valencia.
Old - Garnache (Grenache in Fr). Monastrel (Mouverde Fr and Mataro Po)
What is the main grape of the Priorat in Spain?
Garnacha.
Priorat wines can resemble (GSMs - Granache, Syrah, and Mouverde) from the Rhone.
What are the three regions for exports in Spain?
Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Priorat.
What are the labelling categories in Spain?
Crianza - red wines are aged for 2 years with at least 6 months in oak. Crianza whites and roses must be aged for at least 1 year with at least 6 montsh in oak.
Reserva red wines are aged for at least 3 yeras with at least 1 year in oak. Reserva whites and roses must be aged for at least 2 years with at least 6 months in oak.
Gran reserva - wines typically appear in above average vintages with the red wines requiring at least 5 years aging, 18 months in which in oak and a minimum of 36 months in the bottle. Gran reserva whites and roses must be aged for at least 5 years with at least 6 months in oak.
What are the Level-1 areas in Spain?
1) Green Spain (the northwest coast) where the major grape is albarino.
2) Duero River Valley - Ribero del Duero major red grape tempraillo. Major white is Verdejo.
3) Ebro River Valley - Rioja and Navarro - major grape is tempranillo.
4) The Meseta - Dry central plateau. LA Mancha. Main grape is Airen.
5) Catalonia Coast - Mediterranean Coast. Major areas are Priorat and Penedes. This is Cava country. Reds are Garnacha-based blends (some GSMs).
6) Andalusia Coast -the southern coast. Sherry is the most important wine here.
What are Spain’s major wine regions to know?
(1) Rioja and Ribera del Duero. Tempranillo.
(2) Jerez known for Sherry
(3) Priorat and Penedes (GSM Blends)
(4) Rias Baixas (northwest region of Galicia) - know for its white wines made from Albraino.
(5) Catalonia - which includes the Cava
What can you tell me about the climate of Spain?
-Inland near the Meseta Central - the summers are hot with temperatures reaching 104 F - and drought conditions are present.
-Many regions receive less than 12 inches of rain.
-Winter tempratures can reach -8 F.
In the south, regions of Andalusia that produce sherry and Malagna have some of the hottest parts of Spain.
Regions with lower altitude vineyards (along the southern Mediterranean coast ) are suitable for producing grapes of high alcohol levels and low acidity.
What can you tell me about Spanish’s northwest “green” spain?
Galicia - very unlike the rest of Spain - where lush green valleys are plentiful and the common cuisine includes lots of fresh fish. Albraino is the champion native grape (90%) of the sub-region called Rias Baixas which skirts the coast.
This area specializes with white wines (Albarino) - zesty wines. Aromatic but not as muscat or gwertz. In reds, it specialices in red wines made with Mencia.
Granitic soils and about 70 inches of rain.
What can you tell me about the Northwest Spain region?
Galicia (Rias Baixas DO)
Grape - Albarino (same ass vino verde)
Climate - cool maritime
Soils - granite, alluvial, slate, sand
Five sub zones: val do salnes, o rosal, condado do tea, soutomaior, Ribeira do Ulla.
Close to the coast.
What can you tell me about mecnia?
MEncia - (north west region), red grape, medium-bodied that produces high quality wines with floral and red fruit flavors.
What can you tell me about North Central Spain?
Duero River Valley! This region is notable for the rich white verdejo of rued and the red wines of Toro, Ribera del Duero, and Leon.
This is were one of the most popular wineries in Spain is: Vega Sicilia.
What can you tell me about tinta del toro?
IT has been long considered a mutant of tempranillo.
What other region is in North Central Spain (besides Ribera del Duero)?
Ebro Valley. This area has more unpredictable weather. Navarra, on the northside, has less predictable weather and more cool years which leads to more pronounced vintage variation.
Ebro Valley also has the sub regions of Rioja and Navarra, with Tempranillo being the king.
From North Central Spain - Duero vs. Ebro River valley?
From Duero, weather is dryer so wines are consistent, while the Ebro has cool wet years (closer to the coast) when the wine can be much lower quality. So, if you don’t know the vintage, pick the Tempranillo from the Duero.
What can you tell me about Navarra in Spain?
Traditionally known from rose wines. Growing production of quality reds based on Garnacha, Tempranillo, Cab, and Merlot.
White wines based on Virua (Rioja’s MAcabeo) and other grapes.
What can you tell me about Spain’s mediterranean coast region?
The coast is a very diverse macro-region that contains the sub-regions of Valencia, Catalonia, and Murcia.
Catalonia is know for Cava and a highly acclaimed red wine sub-zone - Priorat. Valencia and Murcia are warmer growing regions that produce a bulk of value wines from deep red Monastrell to aromatic white Malvasia and the widely panted Airen.
What else can you tell me about Priorat?
Dominant vineyard plantings in Priorat are Garnacha (aka Grenache) and Carinena (Carignan). These two grape varieties provide the backbone of nearly all Priorat reds.
and while young vineyards of Carinena aren’t known for quality winemaking, many o the carinena bish vines in Priorat are 90-plus years old, which concentrates the crop load and makes for very intensely flavored mostly red-fruit driven wines.
