Spain

Question 1

Spain has the largest planted acreage of any wine producing country, but is _____ in global production.

Answer 1

Third, behind Italy and France

Question 2

Spain Location

Answer 2

Eastern majority of the Iberian Peninsula. with Portugal on it’s western border. The Atlantic ocean is to the north and northwest. The Mediterranean Sea is to the south and east.

Question 3

Spain Climate

Answer 3

A variety of climates depending on the location, from cool maritime in the north to arid warm in the center of the country and to the south.

Question 4

Spain Topography

Answer 4

Very mountainous with an interior, raised plateau called the Meseta

Question 5

Spain Grape varieties

Answer 5

Tempranillo is the best known grape variety

Question 6

What is vino?

Answer 6

Wines without geographic indication

Question 7

What is IGP?

Answer 7

Vino de la Tierra (VdIT) Noting a specific location yet with few requirements in terms of grape variety, yields or aging.

Question 8

What is VCIG?

Answer 8

Vino de calidad con Indicación Geográfica - This catagory is used as a gateway for current VdIT regions to gain DO status.

Question 9

What is DO?

Answer 9

Denominación de Origen - Each DO has a regulatory body that is responsible for creating and defining wine law and regulations for it

Question 10

What is DOCa?

Answer 10

Denominación de Origen Calificada - A step above the DO category recognizing the top quality wine regions in Spain.

Question 11

What are the two DOCa wine regions?

Answer 11

Rioja

Priorat

Question 12

What is Vinos de Pagos?

Answer 12

A single estate wine designation that can be situated outside of the DO system. The wine from a DO Pago must be made and bottled at that domain or estate.

Question 13

Rías Baixas DO Location

Answer 13

Borders Portugal in the northwest corner of Spain. The area is called “Green Spain” because of it’s relatively high rainfall and lush vegetation.

Question 14

Rías Baixas DO Climate

Answer 14

Due to the proximity to the Atlantic and the numerous rivers that flow through the region, the climate is humid and maritime

Question 15

Rías Baixas DO Soil

Answer 15

Granite, alluvial and slate

Question 16

Rías Baixas DO Grape Varieties

Answer 16

Albariño represents 90% of plantings in this area. Wines must be 100% Albariño if labeled with a grape variety.

Question 17

Rías Baixas DO Vinification

Answer 17

Stainless-steel fermentation

Dry, crisp, aromatic white wine

Question 18

Rioja DOCa Location

Answer 18

North-central Spain protected by the Pyrenees Mountains to the northeast and the Cantabrian Mountains to the northwest

Question 19

Rioja DOCa Climate

Answer 19

Continental in a rain shadow

Question 20

What are the three sub-regions of Rioja?

Answer 20

Rioja Alavesa
Rioja Alta
Rioja Baja

Question 21

Rioja DOCa Grape Varieties

Answer 21

Viura (White)
Tempranillo (Red)
Garnacha (Red)

Question 22

Rioja DOCa vinification

Answer 22

American oak traditionally but modern producers are using more French oak as well.

Question 23

What is the aging requirement for Crianza?

Answer 23

Two years total aging

Question 24

What is the aging requirement for Reserva?

Answer 24

Three years total with one year in oak

Question 25

What is the aging requirement for Gran Reserva?

Answer 25

At least two years in oak and three years in the bottle

Question 26

What are the regions of the Duero River Valley?

Answer 26

Ribera del Duero Rueda Toro

Question 27

Ribera del Duero DO Climate

Answer 27

Continental with a challenging climate of very hot summers and cold winters with extreme diurnal shifts

Question 28

Ribera del Duero DO Topography

Answer 28

On the high central plateau (Meseta) at 2,500 feet these are the highest elevation vineyards in Spain

Question 29

Ribera del Duero Grape Variety

Answer 29

Tempranillo Known locally as "Tinto Fino"

Question 30

Ribera del Duero Viticulture

Answer 30

The high elevation and intense diurnal shifts allow the grapes to get very ripe while preserving natural acidity in spite of the hot summers

Question 31

Ribera del Duero Vinification

Answer 31

Red wines only with a small production of rosé

Question 32

Toro DO Climate

Answer 32

Continental with extremely hot and dry summers

Question 33

Toro DO Grape Varieties

Answer 33

Tempranillo - Known locally as "Tinto de Toro"

Question 34

Toro DO Vinification

Answer 34

Toro is known for rich, intense red wines

Question 35

Rueda DO Climate

Answer 35

Continental

Question 36

Rueda DO Grape Varieties

Answer 36

Verdejo (White) | Sauvignon Blanc

Question 37

Rueda DO Vinification

Answer 37

Rueda is best known for crisp, dry white wines

Question 38

What are the regions of Northeastern Spain?

Answer 38

Penedès DO/Cava DO | Priorat DO

Question 39

Penedès DO/Cava DO Location

Answer 39

Near Barcelona reaching up into the Pyrenees Mountain at the French border

Question 40

Penedès DO/Cava DO Climate

Answer 40

Meditterranean

Question 41

Penedès DO/Cava DO Grape Varieties

Answer 41

Macabeo (White) Xarel-lo (White) Parellada (White)

Question 42

Penedès DO/Cava DO Vinification

Answer 42

Sparkling wines made by the traditional method

Question 43

Priorat DOCa Location

Answer 43

A very rugged area just a few miles from the Mediterranean Sea but completely isolated and surrounded by mountains

Question 44

Priorat DOCa Climate

Answer 44

Hot and dry

Question 45

Priorat DOCa Soil

Answer 45

Stony schist soils, with the best vineyards situated on llicorella, a mix of black slate and quartzite

Question 46

Priorat DOCa Grape Varieties

Answer 46

Garnacha (Grenache) | Cariñena (Carignan)

Question 47

Priorat DOCa Viticulture

Answer 47

Low yields due to the climate. Vines must dig deep for the water due to the nature of the soil

Question 48

Priorat DOCa Vinification

Answer 48

Intense, concentrated, dry red wines

Question 49

In which DO will you find the wines made from the Albariño grape?

Answer 49

Rías Baixas