Green Spain Flashcards
(143 cards)
1
Q
Which autonomous regions make up Green Spain?
A
4: Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and País Vasco**
2
Q
Where was Franco born?
A
Ferrol, Galicia, home of the 20th century Spanish Navy [Although Galicia fell under Franco’s control early in the Civil War, he was fiercely resisted in nearby Pais Vasco, e.g. Guernica]
3
Q
What is the etymology of Galicia?
A
The native name for the land is “Galiza,” a word believed to reference the ancient Celtic mother goddess, Cailleach. (The Latin name was “Calaicia.”)
4
Q
When did Celts arrive in Galicia?
A
in the 6th century BCE
5
Q
What is the capital of Galicia?
A
Santiago de Compostela** [not Vigo which is 3 times larger]
6
Q
When did the Romans conquer Galicia?
A
In 137 BCE, the Romans invaded northwestern Spain and defeated the local Gallaeci tribe (an ancient Celtic tribe)
7
Q
When was Galicia incorporated into the Roman Empire?
A
In the late first century BCE, during the time of Augustus, ‘Gallaecia’ was incorporated into the Roman Empire.
8
Q
Throughout the Middle Ages and into the 18th century, what was Galicia’s historic center of wine production?
A
Ribeiro** [not Rias Baixas, the modern wine hub]
9
Q
During the 1980’s Galicia underwent an important shift in the focus of its wine production towards indigenous grapes. Which three main varieties were these?
A
Albariño, Godello, and Mencía** [does not include Treixadura which is probably Portugese in origin]
10
Q
What are the borders of Galicia?
A
bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, Portugal to the south, and the regions of Castilla y León and Asturias to the east**
11
Q
What is the largest city in Galacia?
A
Vigo [not the capital]
12
Q
What was the effect of the Spanish Civil War in Galicia?
A
SWS: “minimal” as the area quickly became under Nationalist control [Some academics argue that the effect of the war in this region was far greater than often acknowledged as evidenced by unmarked mass graves.]
13
Q
At the beginning of the 20th century, new plantings of which non-traditional grapes dominated in Galacia?
A
Palomino and Garnacha Tintorera were used for replanting after phylloxera [contrast to Andalucia where native local grapes were planted after phylloxera]
14
Q
What is vino tostado de Ribeiro?
A
sweet fortified white wine from Ribeiro produced in the Middle Ages from sun dried grapes and consumed mostly by pilgrims; during the 17th and 18th centuries it was exported to England and other parts of Europe**
15
Q
What are Rías?
A
submerged river valleys** [the preferred usage of ria by geologists is to refer solely to drowned unglaciated river valleys as ria is sometimes loosely translated to fjord which is actually glaciated]
16
Q
What is the climate in Galicia?
A
maritime, temperate**
17
Q
What is the annual rainfall in Galicia?
A
39 (to 55) inches, high** (especially in winter)
18
Q
What are Galicia’s two most important rivers?
A
the Miño River and the Sil River**
19
Q
What are Galicia’s three most important topographic features?
A
Macizo Galaico (aka Galician Massif,) Miño River, Sil River**
20
Q
What is the height of pergolas in Galicia?
A
5-7 feet**
21
Q
What is main component of Galician soil?
A
granite [‘Galicia loves Granite’, but slate soils inland are also important]**
22
Q
What are the four primary grape varieties in Galicia?
A
Albariño, Mencia, Treixadura, Godello**
23
Q
What are the sub-zones of Rías Baixas?
A
5, non-contiguous; Val do Salnés, Condado do Tea, O Rosal, Soutomaior, and Ribeira do Ulla** [from N to S: RVSCO, but Soutomaior and Ribeira do Ulla are very, very small and were added to DO later]
24
Q
What sub-zone of Rías Baixas is the most inland?
A
Condado do Tea**
25
What sub-zone of Rías Baixas is the most mountainous?
Condado do Tea**
26
What sub-zone of Rías Baixas is the smallest?
Soutomaior** [s>smallest]
27
What is the only sub-zone of Rías Baixas whose sole production is varietal Albariño?
Soutomaior** [s>single variety]
28
What sub-zone of Rías Baixas is the warmest?
Condado do Tea** [correction from first edition]
29
What sub-zone of Rías Baixas is considered the birthplace of Albariño?
Val do Salnés**
30
What river is associated with Val do Salnés?
Umia River**
31
What sub-zone of Rías Baixas is the flattest?
Val do Salnés**
32
What sub-zone of Rías Baixas is closest to the Atlantic Coast
2 sub-zones border ocean, Val do Salnés and O Rosal**
33
What is the oldest sub-zone of Rías Baixas?
Val do Salnés**
34
What is the northernmost sub-zone of Rías Baixas?
Ribeira do Ulla**
35
What sub-zone of Rías Baixas is known for red wines?
Ribeira do Ulla [R>red]**
36
What river is associated with Ribeira do Ulla?
Ulla [!]
37
What subzone of Rías Baixas is associated with Ria de Vigo?
Soutomaior [closest subzone to the city of Vigo]
38
What sub-zone of Rías Baixas is associated with the Miño River?
2, Condado do Tea, O Rosal**
39
What are the need to know (NTK) appellations in Galicia?
3, DO Rías Baixas, DO Ribeira Sacra, DO Ribeiro** (DO Valdeorras and DO Monterrei are the others, not testable, but significant)
40
What is etymology of Valdeorras?
The name of the region dates back to the Romans who arrived in search of mineral and metal ores. Valdeorras means “Valley of Gold.” The Romans planted grapes while searching for precious metals to mine.
41
What is breakdown of red/white wine in Valdeorras?
Majority blanco, 55%; the rest Tinto, 45% [all Galician DO's are majority blanco except Ribeira Sacra]
42
What is the dominant red grape in Valdeorras?
Mencia **
43
What is the dominant white grape in Valdeorras?
Godello **
[This is where the grape was rescued.]
44
What is etymology of Ribeira Sacra?
In 1124, the term Rovoyra Sacrata ("sacred oak grove") appeared in a constitutional document which was later transcribed in 1608 by a Benedictine monk who translated this term as "ribeira sacra" (sacred riverbank) which is descriptive of the numerous chapels and monasteries lining the Miño and Sil rivers.
45
When did the Moors gain control of Galicia?
Never. Ironically, Galicia has one of the highest admixtures of north African DNA (11%) in all of Iberia, perhaps driven by later migratory flows from Portugal.
46
What was the relationship between the Romans and the Basques?
Basques were strong allies with the Romans, with Basques allowed to maintain their language and customs; in the same fashion there was very little admixture of Roman and Basque DNA suggesting a separation of cultures.
47
Which areas of Ribeira Sacra are characterized by an extremely wet climate?
those along the Miño River, the Chantada and Ribeiras do Miño sub-zones
48
What is the soil type of Ribeira Sacra?
slate along Miño River, granite along Sil and Bibei rivers
49
What is the climate in Ribeira Sacra?
predominantly maritime; maritime along Miño River, continental in Sil Valley**
50
What is Ribeira Sacra Summum?
special designation created by DO for wines produced from a minimum of 85% preferred varietals (and red wines with a minimum of 60% Mencía)**
51
What is breakdown of red/white wine in Ribeira Sacra?
95% red, 5% white
52
What is the major grape in Ribeira Sacra? significant minor grapes?
Mencía; Godello and Garnacha Tintorera (aka Alicante Bouschet)
53
What is the oldest DO in Galicia?
Ribeiro**
54
How does the productivity of the Mencía grape compare between Spain and Portugal?
more productive in Portugal [but 3 times more vineyard area in Spain is growing Mencía]
55
What is the challenge of making wine from Mencía?
timing picking of fruit to achieve balance between maturation and acidity
56
What are the rivers in Ribeiro?
The vineyards of Ribeiro border the Miño**, Avia, and Arnoia rivers. [Do not confuse Arnoia river and the Catalonian city San Sadurní de Anoia at the center of Cava area.]
57
What is a colleiteiro?
a boutique winery in Ribeiro DO in which no more than 60,000 liters of wine are produced annually. The winery owners must manage the entire production cycle, using only grapes grown on their estates.
58
What is breakdown of red/white wine in Ribeiro?
92% white, 8% red ** [practically an inversion of Ribeira Sacra]
59
What is breakdown of red/white wine in DO Monterrei?
Majority blanco (63%), the rest Tinto (37%)
60
What is the predominant soil in Ribeiro?
granite (~70%) [similar to Galacia, but more clay than sand]
61
What is distinctive about the climate in Ribeiro?
extreme temperatures, but still maritime**
62
What is the rainfall in Ribeiro?
moderate
63
What is the signature grape in Ribeiro?
Treixadura (mostly blends)**
64
What are the characteristics of Treixadura?
vigorous, thin skin, aromatic, low acid [typical blending partners contribute good acidity]
65
What is the origin of Treixadura?
most likely Portugese (Trajadura,) related to Arinto and Loureiro, but not Galacian grapes
66
Which two autonomous regions are located in the Cantabrian Range?
aka Cordillera Cantábrica is located in Asturias and Cantabria. [Do not confuse this with Sierra Cantabria which is a famous label in Rioja or the mountain range (Sierra de Cantabria, foothills of Pyrenees) in the province of Álava]
67
What is the significance of the battle of Covadonga?
In 722, a battle in Asturias between Moors and Christians that hallmarked the beginning of the Reconquista.
68
What is the significance of June 19, 1959 in Asturias?
A hailstorm dropped balls of ice as large as eggs for an hour, destroying the current crop and damaging the vines so severely, there was no grape harvest at all for three years.
69
What is the significance of Oviedo?
Oviedo is the capital city of Asturias [not the province’s largest city, Gijón]
70
What is the significance of Gijón?
the largest city of Asturias [not the capital, Oviedo]
71
What is the significance of Santander?
the capital city and largest city of Cantabria
72
What is the natural border of Asturias/Cantabria and Castilla y León?
Cordillera Cantábrica
73
What is the predominant soil in Asturias/Cantabria?
slate and limestone
74
What is the foehn effect?
warm winds on the leeward side on mountains [the side sheltered from the prevailing wind) of the mountain that cause the growing season to be extended to produce best vineyards]**
75
What is the world famous museum in Green Spain?
Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao
76
What are the geographic borders Pais Vasco?
N: Bay of Biscay, S: Rioja, West: Cantabria and Castilla y León, East: France and Navarra
77
How many Basque provinces are there?
Seven: three are in France, one is in Navarra and three are in Pais Vasco - Álava, Vizcaya, Guipúzcoa [FYI, Lapurdi, Nafarroa Behera and Zuberoa, are the French provinces.]
78
What is climate in Pais Vasco?
Varies by province: Maritime in Guipúzcoa and Vizcaya, continental in Álava
79
What is the natural southern border of Pais Vasco?
Ebro River
80
What two autonomous regions share a border with Pais Vasco along the Ebro River?
Rioja and Castilla y León [Difficult question! Navarro borders Pais Vasco and Ebro River, but not at a juncture of the two]
81
What is the largest province in Pais Vasco?
Álava (part of Rioja DOCa is in Álava) [careful! DO Arabako Txakolina is smallest DO]
82
What is the language of the Basques?
Euskera, a language isolate, it is believed to be one of the few surviving pre-Indo-European languages in Europe, and is the only one in Western Europe.
83
What is the largest city in País Vasco?
Bilbao (also the major airport, but not the capital as there is no official capital)
84
What soil types are present within País Vasco?
In the east, Guipúzcoa has sandy topsoil with alluvial clay subsoils. Adjacent Vizcaya has shallow, slightly acidic clay-loam textured topsoil with limestone subsoil. The northern part of Álava is predominantly limestone. Soils in the Basque DOs are rich in organic matter.
85
What are the distinct topographic areas of País Vasco?
the Atlantic Basin, the inner mountain ranges (Montes Vascos), and the Ebro River Basin.
86
The Montes Vascos/Basque Mountains belong to what mountain range?
comprise the eastern section of the Cordillera Cantábrica. [Geologically distinct from the Pyrenees??]
87
What is the etymology of txakoli?
is believed to originate from the Basque word “etxakoa,” meaning "made at home"
88
What are typical tasting notes for white txakoli?
a pale-yellow, high-acid wine with aromas of citrus and white flowers
89
What is the red/white mix of wine in the three Basque DOs?
wine produced within the three Basque DOs is mostly white (95%) and the majority of this is made with the indigenous Hondarrabi Zuri 'variety.' Zuri translates as "white."
90
What red grapes are grown in Pais Vasco?
the sole red grape grown in the region is Hondarribi Beltza (Beltza translates as “black”)**
91
Where is Hondarribia?
a town in the province of Guipúzcoa, Pais Vasco.
92
What is the genetic link between Hondarribia Zuri and Hondarribia Beltza?
none, name reflects common location not a genetic link
93
What is origin of Hondarribia Zuri?
this "grape" is not well defined as a single variety, reference samples include French grapes Courbu Blanc and Crouchen as well as American hybrid Noah
94
What is the wettest DO of Spain?
DO Getariako Txakolina, in the Guipúzcoa province, Pais Vasco**
95
What are the DO's in Pais Vasco?
3, DO Arabako Txakolina, DO Bizkaiko Txakolina, DO Getariako Txakolina
96
What is the smallest DO in Pais Vasco?
Arabako Txakolina**
97
What is the driest DO in Pais Vasco?
Arabako Txakolina is the driest of all the País Vasco wine regions, and vineyards are planted via the espaldera training method.
98
What training method is used in DO Bizkaiko Txakolina?
plots tend to be small and vines are trained in the parral system as rainfall is significant (47 inches)
99
What are Basque DOs located on the coast?
2, DO Bizkaiko Txakolina and DO Getariako Txakolina**
100
What are the soils DO Bizkaiko Txakolina?
in DO Bizkaiko Txakolina soils are clay-loams
101
What are the soils DO Arabako Txakolina?
limestone** [similar to calcareous clay in Rioja Alavesa]
102
When is the foehn effect strongest?
September [similar to cierzo wind]
103
What province is associated with DO Getariako Txakolina?
DO Getariako Txakolina/Chacolí de Getaria lies within Guipúzcoa province. When Getaria gained DO status in 1989 it encompassed only the area near the coast; but in 2007, the DO boundary was expanded to include the entire province.
104
What is Spain’s smallest province?
Guipúzcoa in Pais Vasco** [not the smallest DO]
105
What is Pais Vasco's easternmost DO?
DO Getariako Txakolina**
106
Which DO in Pais Vasco has the highest rainfall?
DO Getariako Txakolina** (63 inches)
107
Which DO in Pais Vasco is associated with rose (rosado) production?
DO Getariako Txakolina**
108
Which DO in Pais Vasco is associated with sparkling wine (espumoso) production?
DO Arabako Txakolina [ironically the high quality Artadi Izar-Leku is from Gipuzkoa (Getariako)]
109
What is the Galician word for bodega?
adega
110
Who is Martin Codax?
a 13th century Galician poet and troubadour who drank a lot of wine and whose name was given to a complex modern organization of over 200 partners owning over 200 hectares of vineyard divided into nearly 1200 separate blocks [basically a modern winery, but no winemaker of that name!]
111
Compare the cost of parral vs espaldera training.
Parral is about 3x more expensive to develop than espaldera. The parral system is very expensive to prune. Some estimate that one can farm espaldera at half the cost of parral.
112
What is the pronunciation of Vizcaya
"bizcaya," (the Basques do not have different sounds for "b" and "v.")
113
What are distinctive characteristics of DO Getariako Txakolina?
Wettest region in Spain, most eastern DO in Pais Vasco, associated with rosé wine, in smallest province in Spain, town of San Sebastian.
114
What area in Spain is known as the land of 1000 rivers?
Galicia
115
What was the traditional way to serve wine in Galicia?
Historically, wine in Galicia was poured from a cask into a ceramic bowl, called a "cunca" for drinking.**
116
Which culture brought viticulture to Galicia?
Romans**
117
When and why did the Ribeiro wine region go into decline?
late 18th century due to competition from Portugal in the form of dry red wines; situation later worsened by fungal diseases and phylloxera from the new world in the mid-19th century.
118
The Macizo Galaico is the western end of what mountain range?
Cordillera Cantabrica
119
What are the subcomponents of the Macizo Galaico?
Serra do Eixe, Serra da Lastra, Serra do Courel (situated around DO Valdeorras)
120
What are the characteristics of coastal granite soils in Galacia?
sandy, shallow and slightly acidic (also well draining)
121
What is the most critical effect of pergola vine training.
allows for ventilation of vine canopy (reducing disease pressure)
122
What is southern most DO in Galicia?
DO Monterrei [slightly further south than the O Rosal sub-zone]
123
What is eastern most DO in Galicia?
DO Valdeorras **
124
Which DO's in Galacia produce more red than white wine?
Only DO Ribeira Sacra**
125
What is the meaning of labeling Monterrei Superior?
85% native grapes
126
What river is associated with DO Monterrei?
Támega River
127
What is driest DO in Galicia?
DO Monterrei
128
What sub-zone of Rías Baixas is the coolest?
Val do Salnés**
129
What sub-zone of Rías Baixas is the largest?
Val do Salnés**
130
What sub-zone of Rías Baixas is the second largest?
Condado de Tea
131
Which DO is associated with the Sil River?
actually 3, DO Valdeorras, DO Ribeira Sacra, and DO Bierzo (CyL) **
132
Which DO is associated with the Miño River?
actually 3, DO Rías Baixas, DO Ribeira Sacra, DO Ribeiro **[same as NTK DO's]
133
What is the capital of Pais Vasco?
there is no official capital, Vitoria-Gasteiz is the defacto capital with governmental buildings [erroneously labeled as capital on the SWS map]
134
Compare the slopes of right and left bank of Sil River in Valdeorras.
River banks are gentle on the right and steep on left [the highest point in Galacia, Peña Trevinca, is a few miles south of the left bank of the Sil River]
135
Where are the main vineyards of Asturias?
in the southwest area of the province away from the coast, VT Cangas**
136
What is the level of cloud cover in Cantabria?
one of the cloudiest parts of Spain**
137
Which DO is the largest producer of white wine in Pais Vasco?
DO Txakoli de Bizkaia (The Txokoli Winemakers' Association was formed here in the 1980's.)
138
Why is Guernica famous?
The April 26, 1937 bombing of Guernica was one of the first aerial bombings by Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe, done at Franco's behest. It inspired the iconic painting Guernica by Pablo Picasso.
139
Where is Guernica?
Pais Vasco, between Bilbao and San Sebastian
140
What is the etymology of Ribeiro?
"by the river"
141
What are the Picos de Europa?
They are the highest mountain range in the Cordillera Cantabrica. The range is situated in the Autonomous Communities of Asturias, Cantabria and Castilla y León.
142
What is the etymology of Santiago?
a contraction of “Sanctus Iacobus,” St. James in Latin
143
What is the etymology of Compostela?
Debatable: A probable etymology relates to the local Vulgar Latin "Composita Tella", meaning "burial ground" as a euphemism. A more romantic etymology derives from the purported campus stellae (campo de estrellas) or field of stars, that led a hermit to find St. James tomb in 823.
