Spain

Question 1

What are the min Cava aging requirements?

Answer 1

Cava- 9 months aging in bottle on lees
Reserva- 15 months on lees in bottle
Gran Reserva- 30 months aging in bottle on lees

Question 2

Name the 3 main DO’s of the Duero Valley (aka Castilla-Leon)

Answer 2

• Toro DO- mostly reds (Tempranillo)
• Rueda DO- mostle whites for Verdejo and Sauv Blanc
• Cigales- mostly red and rose (tempranillo)

Question 3

Ribera del Duero DO (also part of Castilla-Leon 2 of 3 DO’s) rivals Rioja for big reds

• hot region but frost risk
• wines are Tempranillo mixed with Bordeaux grapes
• ** most famous producer is Vega-Sicilia “Unico”- aged over 10 years

Answer 3

jj

Question 4

Catalonia is the largest production region for DO level wine

Answer 4

y

Question 5

Priorat DOCa- one of 2 DOCa

Answer 5

• Rugged mountain region
  -licorice- big , age worthy reds
  Mainly Garnacha, Cariena, Cab, Merlot, Syrah

Question 6

Rioja DOCa 1 of only 2 DOCa

Answer 6

Tempranillo and Garnacha

white grape mainly Viola or Macabeo

Question 7

What is the most widely planted white and red grape in Spain?

Answer 7

tempranillo and airen

Question 8

Sherry- fortification happened after fermentation
Palomino is the main grape
main styles fino (dry and with flor yeast) and oloroso( no flor yeast, and higher alcohol- uses oxidation

Answer 8

y

Question 9

Port- fortification happens in the middle of fermentation creating a sweeter wine.
Comes from Portugal

Answer 9

y

Question 10

Madeira- comes of coast of Portugal- can be both dry and sweet- uses “estufa method) or heating /oxidation of wine

Answer 10

y

Question 11

What is the Solera System?

Answer 11

A system of blending different years of sherry

Question 12

What is the sherry triangle?

Answer 12

North of Cádiz, Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María mark the three corners of the famous ‘sherry triangle’