Spanish/Portugal Wine Flashcards
(34 cards)
Rías Baixas Albariño
Must be 100% Albariño if on label
Both creamy and fresh at same time
Quince, pink grapefruit and peach
Almost always unpacked
Often use high trellising to counter humidity
Ribeira Sacra DO
Galicia NW Spain, East of Rias Baixas
Reds: Mencia
Whites: Albariño and Godello
Valdeorras DO
Further inland in Galicia E of Sacra
On river Sil valley
Red: Mencia
White: Godello (super rich stylistically)
Two major rivers of Galicia
Sil
Miño (border of Portugal)
Red Varietals of Rioja
Tempernillo (84% of plantings)
Grenacha
Mazuelo (Aka Carignan)
Graciano (aka Monastrell/Tinto Miuda)
White varietals of Rioja
Viura (aka Macabeo)
Malvasia
Grenacha Bianca
Major geographical features of Rioja
Ebro River
Foothills of Cantabrian and Pyrenees mountains
Lagares
Stone troughs that are traditionally used to crush grapes in by foot (Iberian Peninsula)
Viñedo Singular
Single vineyard designation in Rioja
At least 35 years old
Harvested by hand
Lower yields
Rioja aging hierarchy
Joven: none
Crianza: 2 years, 1 in oak
Riserva: 3 years, 1 in oak, 6 months in btl
Gran Riserva: 5 years, 2 in oak, 3 yrs in btl
3 Rioja Subzones with climates
Alta: continental
Alavesa: cool and wet
Oriental: Mediterranean
Iconic Rioja producers
Marqués de Riscal
Marqués de Cáceres
Bodegas López de Heredia
Meseta
Plateau that the Duero crosses
Average of 760-850 meters above sea level
Ribera del Duero DO
Primarily Tempernillo-based blends
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec allowed but not common
Same aging requirements as Rioja
Names for Tempernillo
Tinta de Toro (Toro)
Tinta del País (Ribera del Duero)
Tinta Roriz (Portugal)
Toro DO
Tinta de Toro (Tempernillo)
Really intense, rich, dark, brooding wines
Riserva must age for 12 months in barrel
Rue da DO
Almost all white production
Verdejo with some Sauvignon Blanc
Very fresh style of Verdejo
Bierzo DO
In Leon (NW Spain)
Reds: Mencia
Whites: Godello
Remember: Descendientes de Jose Palacios (iconic producer)
Llicorella Soil
Dark brown slate with Quartzite sprinkles
Important to Priorat because its many faults and cracks allow vine roots to go deep
Gyropalette
Mechanical rémuage
Racks with hundreds of bottles are tilted by computer to concentrate lees
Invented in cava
Cava DO
95% produced in Penedès area
Classic method
Paralleda, Xarello, Macabeo dominate
Allow some Chardonnay, Subirat, Pinot Noir, Trepat, Grenacha, Monastrell
Min 9 months on lees
Cava aging requirements
9 months (Cava de Guarda)
Riserva: 18 months on lees
Gran Riserva: 30 months on lees
Paraje Calificado: 36 months + single vineyard
Priorat DOCa
Mostly Grenacha and Cariñena dominant blends
Some Tempernillo and bordelais varietals allowed
Bush vine (Gobelet) training
No mechanical harvesting
French Oak
Priorat’s Classification System
1) DOQa Priorat
2) VI de Vila (Village level)
3) VI de Paratage (Lieux-Dits/climats) 450 of them
4) Vinya Classificada (Premier Cru) at least 20 yrs old
5) Gran Vinya Classificada (Grand Cru)
