Spain Flashcards
(101 cards)
Who brought grapes to Iberia?
Phoenicians around 1000 BC
How long did the Reconquista last?
Roughly 8 centuries
When did the Reconquista end?
1479 when Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon unified Spain with their marriage and expelled the remaining Moors
What is Sack?
English name for a sherry like beverage generally believed to be a precursor of sherry
May have been a vin santo like beverage diluted with fresh grape must though
Were Spanish colonies permitted to produce their own wine?
No - helped bolster the production at home in spain
Who was the first to use Barriques in wine production in Spain? Where were they from and where did they learn the practices?
Manuel Esteban Quintano Quintano - a priest
From Rioja
Studied in BDX
Who popularized the use of Barriques in Spain?
Luciano de Murrieta Garcia-Lemoine (Marques de Murrieta)
Camilo Hurtado de Amezaga y Balmaseda (Marques de Riscal)
Both spent time in exile in Bordeaux learning the elevage during the Carlist Wars
When did Phylloxera hit spain?
Late 1880’s
Effects of Spanish Civil War on viticulture in Spain?
Poverty hit rural winegrowing areas
Production centralized under Co-ops
Quantity over Quality
Who is Miguel Torres?
Winemaker who in the 1960’s brought more modern winemaking practices to his family winery in Catalonia
Emile Peynaud effects on Spanish wine?
French Enologist who worked as a consultant for Marques de Riscal in 1972
Identified Rueda as a good region for Verdejo to create a more modern (read: non-oxidative) white wine - also suggested Sauvignon Blanc
When did Spain join the EU?
1986
When did Francisco Franco rule Spain?
1939 until his death in 1975
What region was generally left untouched by the Franco regimes policies?
Sherry
Name a producer who didn’t follow the status quo (bulk production) in Spain during the Franco years.
Tempos Vega Sicilia
Where does Spain rank in wine production?
Third behind France and Italy
How many hectares of vines are planted in Spain (2018 figures)
969,000 hectares
What country has more vineyard area planted than Spain?
No one
What % of world vineyard acreage is in Spain?
13%
What % of Spanish wine is for bulk produciton?
> 50%
Name 3 reasons why Spain’s vineyards do not produce as much wine/hectare compared to France/Italy.
Low Yields
Wide Vineyard spacing (historically not planted in rows but more random)
Distillation of grapes for Brandy production
What forms the border between Spain and France?
Pyrenees Mountains
What countries border Spain?
France
Portugal
Andorra
What is the latitude range for mainland Spain?
36-44 N
