Green Spain Flashcards
(49 cards)
Main topographical features of Galicia
Miño & Sil Rivers. “country of a thousand rivers”
Rias Baixas sub-zones
Val do Salnés, Condado do Tea, O Rosal, Soutomaior, Ribeira do Ulla
The climate, topography, and soils of Ribeira Sacra
Maritime, extremely wet. Slate along Miño, granite along Sil and Bibei. steep slopes and river valleys. Romans were there. “Sacred Riverbank”. Terraced vineyards - heroic viticulture (also in Priorat and Lanzarote). 95% red.
What is Ribeira Sacra Summum?
Special grape-focused designation created by the DO. Vinos tintos must be produced from a min of 85% preferred varieties with a min of 60% Mencia. Vinos blancos must be 100% preferred varieties.
The grape varieties and principal wine styles of Ribeira Sacra
Mencia is predominant in all zones, planted on steep slopes and river valleys and canyons. Soft tannins, fresh red berries, herbs and smoky minerality. Thin skin. Susceptable to botritis and mildew. Usually stainless…but more neutral oak.
The climate, topography, and soils of Rias Baixas
Rias Baixas: Maritime. shallow, sandy, some granite
The climate, topography, and soils of Ribeiro
Maritime, risk of spring frost. Vineyards border the Miño, Avia and Arnoia rivers. Best vines on hillsides. Water moderating influence. Granite soils.
The grape varieties and principal wine styles of Ribeiro
90% white. Treixadura dominant. Medium-bodied, unoaked. Fresh acidity, notes of lime, stone fruit, hint of cucumber. Ages well. Common blending grape. WAS known for sweet wines drunk by pilgrims - tostado do Ribeiro
The climate, topography, and soils of Valdeorras
Maritime with some continental influences. Shallow slate topsoil atop quartzite and schist. Vineyards flank Sil River. Sil River crosses east to west creating steep slopes on left bank and gentle slopes on right. Vineyards on each side.
The grape varieties and principal wine styles of Valdeorras
Half and half white and red. Some of Green Spain’s best Godello. ripe yellow apple fruit and a hint of thyme. Best have stony minerality. Indigenous to Galicia. High acid. Thick skin. Mencia is the red.
What is Valdeorras Castas Nobles?
Awarded to wines produced with at least 85% of the preferred varieties
The climate, topography, and soils of Asturias
Maritime due to Atlantic Ocean. The Foehn Effect. Cordillera Cantabrica forms natural border. Mountaineous areas of southwestern Asturias where all Asturian Vineyards. Soils are limestone in mountains and give way to slate. Great drainage.
Asturias grape varieties
Mencia, Albarin Tino, Carrasquin. White: Albarin Blanco. This is red wine country.
The climate, topography, and soils of Cantabria
Maritime due to Atlantic Ocean. The Foehn Effect. Cordillera Cantabrica forms natural border. Vines grown along coast and vineyards sweep inland into foothills. Soils are limestone in mountainous areas, valleys are shale and sandstone. Much of soils too fertile and hinder quality grapes (better for apples)
Cantabria grape varieties and regional synonyms
Northern part almost all white - Albariño, Godello, Treixadura, Hondarribi Zuri. Reds are Hondarribi Beltza. Young, fresh wines. Inland red wines dominate - local and intl grapes common.
Main topogrpahical features of Pais Vasco. Soil.
Bay of Biscay, southern border runs along Ebro. Three distinct areas: Atlantic Basin, inner mountain ranges (Montes Vascos - part of Cordillera Cantabrica), Ebro River Basin. Rioja Alavesa is continental. Clay and limestone?
Main factors influencing the Pais Vasco’s climate
Maritime - moving inland more continental with oceanic influences. Most txakoli vineyards run from coastline to interior hillsides. Getaria the wettest of all Spanish wine regions.
Dominant soil types of Pais Vasco
Guipuzcoa has sandy topsoil with alluvial clay subsoils. Viscaya has shallow slightly acidic clay-loam topsoil with limestone subsoil. Alava more alluvial with gravelly clay (but where the DO is is largely limestone. Soils are rich in organic matter.
Dominant soil types of Galicia
Coast: granite, and then sandy. Inland: granite and then clay
Pais Vasco grape varieties
hondarrribi zuri vast majority. Produces crisp high acid pale-yellow wine with aromas of citrus and white flowers.. Prone to wind damage. hondarribi zuri and hondarribi beltza (tinto) - the only two designated for txakoli. Some sauv blanc, reisling and chard
Main vine training systems in Pais Vasco
Parral system for airflow and mild mitigation. Labor intensive so some have switched to espadlera.
Traditional and modern winemaking practices of Pais Vasco
Txakoli: traditionally destemmed grapes that first macerate on skins and then undergo 2-3 wk fermentation. Then bottled or left on lees for a few weeks. Now people experiement with more lees agin, concrete vessels, barrel ferment, carbonic mac.
The climate, topography, and soils of Txakoli de Alava
northwestern tip of Alava. Driest and most continental of all Pais Vasco wine regions. Limestone with stone and clay. Maritime.
Txakoli de Alava grape varieties
Mostly blanco - hondarribi zuri. Wines generally richer, riper and fuller bodied than the two northern growing areas.
