Spain Flashcards
1
Q
Cava
A
- name adopted in the 1970’s when they had to drop Champana
- with phyloxera in the 1880’s the powerful red wines were uprooted and re-planted with the classic white cava grapes
- Cava DO not restricted to a limited area however the EU requires cava be made from grapes grown in a particular region
- REstricted to Catalonia, Valencia, Aragon, Navarra, Rioja, Basque for use of Cava on label
- 95% made in Catalunya (31 million gallons a year) 1/3 of Champagne
- DO in 1986
2
Q
Location
A
- catalunya, parts of Rioja, Aragon and Valencia
3
Q
Climate
A
- warm mediterranean
- dry summers
- mostly mild wet winters
- autumn and spring seasons range from mostly dry and hot to wet
- advantages for viticulture are sunshine more reliable and generous
- less risk of rainfall in the growing season and of exceissive rainfall during ripening and harvest
- risk of fungal diseases is therefore low
- low humidity to high temps during ripening periods allow for growers to seek out sites where these risks can be minimized, like cooler coastal regions or higher elevations
- climate also lends towards improvements in vineyard management like drip irrigation, canopy management
4
Q
Grapes
A
- macabeo
- parellada
- xarel-lo
- chardonnay
- trepat
- grenache
- PN
5
Q
Macabeo
A
- neutral grape of moderate brut style
- used for it’s fruit to help lift the cava blend
- gives it freshness
- Friexenet has used this varietal successfully in Mexico
- second most planted grape
- buds and ripens too late to be grown much further north but is quite productive
- grown in catalunya
- white grape
- used as a lightener of rose’s (up to 30%)
- vine is really good at tolerating hot, dry conditions
- typically makes up about 50% of the blend
- late bud break helps with vineyards prone to spring frosts
6
Q
Parellada
A
- major white grape in catalonia
- said to impart a distinctive aroma and soften Xarel-lo
- seems opposite is true, it’s base is so flabby, it needs to be propped up by Xarel-lo
- the least planted of the three spanish grapes in penedes
- can produce aromatic high quality wines when grown on poor spoils and in cooler conditions
- large loose bunches, buds early and ripens late
- best planted at higher elevations
- has low body
7
Q
Xarel-lo
A
- fine white grape
- in catalunya
- produces powerful, ageworhty wines
- most commonly found in penedes
- needs careful pruning and the wine can be very strong flavored
- rather vegetal smell is what often distinguishes so many cavas from traditional method
- the best of the spanish traditional grapes
- brings strength and body
- high in anti-oxident resveratrol
- performs best at lower elevations
- earthy aroma
8
Q
Chardonay
A
- officially authorized in 1986
- problem is it’s too ripe giving the wines an unpleasant heaviness
- should be restricted to specific clones and in specific regions however it’s too popular now to go back
- PN on the other hand could possibly achieve this
9
Q
Pinot noir
A
- along with Trepat (rose only), grenache, and monastrell
10
Q
Vinification
A
- to qualify for the DO, must adhere to the local, sometimes less rigorous version of the traditional method
- must spend at least 9 months on the lees before disgorgement
- must attain at least 4 atm and alc strength of 10.8-12.8
- yields are set to 1 hl of must per 150kg of grapes
- remuage carried out by gyropallate (504 bottles) at 3 days instead of 6 weeks
- quality producers not happy with the mass market image so in 2014 a number of producers left the Cava DO for Penedes DO
- there’s also a new classification for single vineyard cava, Cava Del Paraje Calificado (also 2014)
11
Q
Classifications
A
- NV (min 9 months on lees)
- Vintage (min 9 months on lees)
- Reserva (min 15 months on lees)
- Gran Reserva (min 30 months on lees)
- Rosado (no blending, sangrado method only)
12
Q
Trade Structures
A
- Consejo Regulador
- decentralized agency of the ministry of agricuture food and environment
- made up of vine growers, winemakers and representatives of the cava region and ministry
- it’s main goals are to guide, monitor and control the production, process, and quality of the wines covered
- ensure the prestige of the denomination Cava and pursue it’s improper employment
- promote Cava for the expansion and improvement of it’s markets
- develop legal-institutional defense functions of the denominations
13
Q
Penedes
A
- largest and most important DO in Catalunya
- 60’s and 70’s saw improvements in the winery including temperature controls and stainless steel
- also, the importation and experimentation of foreign varieties planted along side the native grapes
- Split into Bajo, Medio and Superior zones
- Medio is the most production region providing much of the base wine for the spartkling wine industry (all three grapes plus some Chardonnay)
- Superior is where Parellada is grown the most and it’s the coolest part
- best for white grapes
14
Q
Catalunia
A
- spains frist nationwide cover all DO created in 1999
- goal was to catch the scattered vineyards not covered by the regions other 11 DO’s
- climate is strongly mediterranean
- warm coastal areas w/ moderate rainfall
- inland is more arid but there are cooler zones along the foothills and elevated sites where the Cava grapes are grown
15
Q
Codorniu
A
- founded in 1870’s by Jose Raventos
- one of the worlds largest sparkline wine producers of teh traditional method
- Brands Codorniu, Masia Bach, Raimat
- Cava responsible for more than half their turnover and is strong in the spanish market
- claim is to have founded the Cava industry as well as being pioneers to using PN and CH along with traditional grapes
- First CH sparkling was in 1984 caed Anna de Coroniu
- CH now a part of most their sparklings
- Have properties all over teh workd including COdorniu Napa (now Artesa) as well as sparkling interest in Argentina
- First champagne in 1872
