SPAIN Flashcards

1
Q

What factors influence the climate of Spain?

A

Atlantic Ocean

The Mediterrean Sea

The mountains such as

Cantabrian,
Pyrenees,
Massif Sentral

The great rivers like

Tejo,
Ebro,
Guadalquivir (?),
Duero

Average elevation in Spain is appr. 600 m. asl, so altitude is an influencing factor in Spanish winemaking

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2
Q

How is the quality structure in Spain arranged?

A

Like a pyramid, from top to bottom:

DOP
Denominación de Origen Protegida is the highest quality, consisting of following four categories:

DOCa (Rioja, Priorat) - most strict
Denominación de Origen Calificada
DO - strict
Denominación de Origen
VP - not fully recognised in ES
Vino de Pago
VC-
Vino de Calidad con Indicación geográfica

IGP - connected to a defined geographical area
Indicación Geografica Protegida

VT - country wine
Vino de la Tierra

VdM - tablewine
Vino de Mesa

Vinos de Pagos (Vineyard level)
DOCa Denominación de Origen e Calificada (only Rioja, Priorat)
DO Denominación de Origén (Quality stamp)
Vinos de la Tierra (Simple table wine)

NB: Quality does NOT equal aging requirements,

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3
Q

Name the wine districts of Spain and their location

A

Pénedes, Catalunya

Priorat, Catalunya

Valencia, Mediterrean coast

Valdepenas ?

Jumila, SW of Valencia

Andalucia, South tip of Spain

Castilla-La Mancha, Innland

Extremadura, Innland not far from border to Portugal

Rias Baixas, NE Coast by Atalantic Ocean

Bierzo, NE of Rias Baixas, innland - rainshadow from Cantabrian mtn

Toro, by the Duero river, innland - rainshadow from Cantabrian mtn

Rueda ?

Ribera del Duero, by the Duero river, innland rainshadow from Cantabrian
mtn

Rioja, by the Ebro river, innland - rainshadow from Cantabrian mtn

Navarra, N of Rioja, by the Ebro river, innland - rainshadow from Cantabrian mtn

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4
Q

Name the principal varietals used and their synonyms

A

Pénedes
Parellada, Macabeo, Xarel-lo

Priorat
Parellada, Macabeo, Xarel-lo

Valencia: Grenache?
Jumila:
Jerez: Palomino Fino
La Mancha:
Extremadura:
Rias Baixas: Albarino
Bierzo:
Toro: Tinto de Toro (Tempranillo)
Ribera del Duero: Tinto del País (Tempranillo)
Rioja: Tempranillo
Navarra: Tempranillo

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5
Q

Explain the wine aging regime of Spain and the terms used

A

Joven
Crianza
Reserva
Gran Reserva

Spain, in general
Joven - no aging required
Crianza - 2 years
Reserva - 3 years
Gran Reserva - 5 years

Ribera del Duero
Joven - no aging required
Crianza - 2 years
Reserva - 3 years
Gran Reserva - 5 years

Rioja:
Joven - no aging required
Crianza - 2 years
Reserva - 3 years
Gran Reserva - 5 years

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6
Q

What are the principal grapes and wines of Rías Baixas?

A

Whites permitted:

Albarino +

Loureiro
Rias Baixas O Rosal
Treixadua

Few red wines on
Mencia

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7
Q

What are the principal grapes and wines of Navarra?

A

Garnacha Tinta +

TEM
CBS
MER

White on
Viura +

CHA
Malvasia

Medium dark reds, high in alcohol =
Côtes du Rhônes wines

Vinos de Pagos:
Senoriza Arinza
Prado Irache
Bodgas Otazu

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8
Q

What are the principal grapes and wines of Rioja?

A

TEM +

Garnacha
Graciano
Mazuelo

Maturana Tinta
Maturana Parda
Monastrell
CBS

Reds are oustanding quality
Oak casks, today both
American and French oak use

White grapes
Viura (Macabéo) +

Max 50 % of white blend:
Garnacha Blanca
CHA
SVB
Verdejo

Dry or medium sweet, fresh in style today

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9
Q

What are the principal grapes and wines of Toro?

A

Mainly red wines based on

GAR
Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo)

Whites on
Verdejo
Malvasia

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10
Q

What are the principal grapes and wines of Ribera del Duero?

A

Altitude of 700-800 m

Tinto del País (Tempranillo)
CBS
MER

Crianza
2 years maturation
1 year oak

Reserva + Gran Reserva
as for rest of Spain

Vega Sicilia made area famous
Dominio de Pingus
Pesquera

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11
Q

What are the principal grapes and wines of Penedes?

A

80 % white wines

Wide range of varietals, many indigenous

Ull de LLebre (Tempranillo)
Monastrell (Mourvédre)
Carinena (Carignan)
Macabéo (Viura)
Xarel-lo
Parellada +

CBS
MER
CHA
RIE
GEW

Miguel Torres introduced to Penedés

hygienic, controlled cool fermentation,
new grape varieties
different vine densities

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12
Q

What are the principal grapes and wines of Rueda?

A

One of the best wine producing region in Spain

730 m altitude

White:
Verdejo (min 50%) +
Viura (Macabeo)
SVB

Rueda Superiore
85 % min. Verdejo

Rueda red on:
TEM
CBS
MER
GAR

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13
Q

What are the principal grapes and wines of Priorat?

A

90 % is red wine

GAR
Carinena +

CBS
SYR
MER
TEM

dark, high-alcohol red wines, highly priced and of very high quality

Slightly maderized sweet, bitter dessert is produced, together with new, vibrant DVN

“Old vines” =
planted before 1945

Priorat DOQ - “normal vin” fra regionen
Priorat Vi de Vila DOQ - village vin
Priorat Vi de Paratge DOQ - 15 years old vines used
Priorat Vina classificada DOQ (Premier cru) - 20 year old vines used
Priorat Gran Vina classificada DOQ (Grand cru) - single vineyard, 35 years old vines used

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14
Q

What are the principal wines of Valdepenas?

A

White, stony soil with chalky subsoil, which retains water

Cencibel (Tempranillo)
Airén +

Macabéo
CHA
Verdejo
SVB
Moscatel

GAR
CBS
MER
SYR
Petit Verdot

Reds
high in ABV

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15
Q

What wine styles are dominant in Spain and what varietals are used?

A

All styles

White (Rias Baixas, Penedés)
Red (Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Priorat)
Sparkling (Penedés)
Sweet (Priorat)
Dry, oxidized style (Andalusia)

Many indigeous varietals (Priorat, Rueda)
and many imported grapes (Rioja, Penedés)

Varietals are
Tempranillo
CBS
Airén (brandy)
Albarino
Verdejo
Viura (Macabéo)
Palomino Fino

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16
Q

Explain Cava wine production

A

Traditional method

Harvesting-Pressing-1st fermentation- Basewine-Coupage(blending)-liqueur de tirage - 2nd fermentation (en rima) min. 12 months - riddling - degorgement - liqueur d`Expedition - cork and muselet

Coupage is blending

En rima is when
bottles are stored horisontally during 2nd fermentation (before riddling)

En punta is when
the riddling is finished and the bottle is turned upside-down

17
Q

What terms are used on the labels?

A

Vino - wine

Año - year

Blanco - white

Tinto - red

Rosado - rosé

Seco - dry

Dulce - sweet

Bodega - winery

Vina - vineyard

Vino Generoso - a fortified wine

Vendimia - Harvest (vintage)

Cosecha - vintage year

Embotellado en la propiedad - estate bottled

Clarete - light red or rosé wine

Joven - young wine (little or no oak)
Roble - young wine with little time in oak

Noble - wine with 18 months in oak

Anejo - wine with 24 months in oak

Viejo - wine with 36 months in oak with
oxidative character flavours

18
Q

What are the specific aging requirements for Rioja Wines?

A

Labelterms:
“Rioja Blanca” =
single varietal (Viura)

“Rioja” =
Blend from several zones

“Vinedos Singula” =
Wine from a single vineyard

Rioja Generico =
Under 15 months old

Rioja Crianza =
2 years min. aging - white 1 year
1 year in barrel - white 6 months

Rioja Reserva =
3 years min. aging - white 2 years
1 year in barrel - white 6 months
6 months in bottle

Rioja Gran Reserva =
Only made in exceptional years
5 years min aging - white 4 years
2 years in barrel - white 6 months
2 years in bottle - white 2 years

Espumosos de Calidad de Rioja (sparkling)
2 years on the lees, while
Gran Anada
3 years min. on the lees
Vintage espumosos mus be
hand-harvested

Barricas are oak and hold 225L

19
Q

Explain main features of the DOCa´s of Spain

A

DOCa (DOQ in Catalan)
Denominación de Origen Calificada
Highest classification
Rioja (in Alto Ebro region) (1992?)
Priorat (2003)

Have to meet requirements of DO +

Ten years, minimum, since recognition as DO

Bottles sold from registered warehouse located in geographical area

Control system; quality, quantity incl
organoleptic controls

Only VP is allowed in same winery

Have a carthographic delimitation, by municipalities, of the land suitable for producing wines entiteld DOCa

20
Q

What are the sub-districts of Rias Baixas?

A

Condado do Tea
O Rosal
Soutomaior
Ribeira do Ulla
Val do Salnés

21
Q

What are the sub-districts of Navarra?

A

Baja Montana

Ribera Alta
Ribera Baja

Tierra Estella
Valdizarbe

22
Q

What are the sub-districts of Penedes?

A

Divided in three sub-districts based on height

Baix-Penedés
low
up to 250 m

Medio/Mitja-Penedés
middle
250-500 m

Alt/Superior-Penedés
high
500-800 m

23
Q

What are the sub-districts of Priorat?

A

Slate soil known as
Llicorella (lakrids)

Priorat DOQ is formed around 12 towns:

Bellmunt del Priorat
Gratallops
el Lloar
la Morera de Montsant
Porrera
Poboleda
Scala Dei
Torroja del Priorat
la Vilella Alta
la Vilella Baixa

and the grape growing zones of

Masos de Falset
Solanes del Molar