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33 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Spain Wine Classifications: 4 levels of PDO(DOP) |
Denominacion de Origen (DO) - Currently 69 DO's. - Meet a certain minimum criteria.
Denominacion de Origen Calificada (DOCa) - DO's of 10 years standing may apply for DOCa status. - Only 2 DOCa currently: Rioja and Priorat (Priorat use Catalan terminology of denominacio d'Origen Qualificada - DOQ).
Vinos de Pago (VP) - Single estates with high reputation. - Focuses on international grape varieties but can also be rewarded to people operating in DO regulations.
Vinos de Calidad con Indicacion Geografica (VCIG) - Stepping stone between VdIT and DO wines. - Rules are less stringent than DO and DOCa. - Once VCIG has been held for 5 years, DO status can be applied for. |
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1 level of PGI (IGP) wines |
Vino de la Tierra (VdIT) - 46 of this level but only 2 are of importance. - Vino de la tierra de Castilla and Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon. - Typically, most VdIT wines get promoted to VCIG or DO status. |
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Aging System: Typical for Spanish wine. Ribera del Duero and Rioja are slightly different.
Joven- |
- May or may not have spent time in oak. - Ready for immediate release after being bottled. |
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Crianza- |
Red Wine: - 24 months of ageing with a minimum of 6 (12 in Rioja and Ribera) months in small oak barrels.
White and Rose Wine: - Minimum of 18 months ageing with no required time in oak. |
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Reserva- Generally wines from better vintages |
Red Wine: - 36 months ageing with at least 12 months in oak and the rest in bottle.
White and Rose Wine: - Ageing for 18 months with 6 months in small oak barrels. |
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Gran Reserva- Produced from exceptional vintages |
Red Wine: - 60 months ageing with 18 (24 in Rioja and Ribera) months in small oak barrels and the rest in the bottle.
White and Rose Wine: - 48 months ageing, 6 (12 in Rioja) months in oak barrel and the rest in bottle. |
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Geography and Climate |
- Meseta is central plateau in Spain.
- 3 broad climatic zones - North-West Spain has a maritime climate zone: - Summer temperatures average at 24C with mild winters.
- East coast (Catalan- Levante) has Mediterranean climate. - Warm summers with mild winters.
-Meseta is cut off from influence of the sea so has Continental climate. - Winter temperatures fall below freezing and summer temperatures in excess of 30C. - Low rainfall. |
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Black Grape Varieties:
Tempranillo |
- Thick skinned - Low in acidity - Sufficient warmth to reach physiological ripeness. - Fresh strawberry flavours. |
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Garnacha Tinto |
- Grenache - High in alcohol - Matures early - Widely used for Rose - Important in the region Priorat |
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Monastrell |
- Spanish for Mourvedre - Thick skinned - Drought tolerant - Hot, sunny conditions to ripen - Dark, spicy wines. - High tannin levels - High alcohol - Medium - low acidity - Used in Catalan for Cava. |
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Graciano |
- Used in finest Rioja wines. - Powerful aromas - High tannin - High acidity |
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Carinena (Mazuelo in Rioja) |
- Carignan - High acidity - High tannin - High colour |
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Mencia |
- Grows in cooler conditions - Medium-high acidity - Hints of herbaceousness |
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White Grape Varieties
Verdejo |
- Used to make Sherry style wines due to susceptability to oak. - Light bodied - Melon and peach flavours - Fuller body when contact with skins. |
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Albarino |
- Thick skinned so can resist fungus. - Aromatic, peach and apricot flavours - High acidity - Can be made into fuller bodied and richer style |
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Airen |
- Most widely planted grape in Spain. - Grows mainly in the Meseta. - Can cope with extreme drought conditions. - Used in Brandy de Jerez.
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Parellada, Xarel-lo and Macabeo |
- Planted mainly in Catalan. - Main Cava grapes. - Macabeo (Viura in Rioja) can be made into crisp white with herb spice. - Main grape in heavily oaked white Rioja. |
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International Varieties |
- Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Pinot Noir |
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Viticulture and Vinification |
- Biggest viticultural issues are heat and lack of water. - Dry climate so risk of fungus is low. - Low density bush trained vines maximise water available to vines and provides shade for berry. - Yields remain relatively low. - Irrigation is now used since legalisation in 1996. - Wire training is slowly being introduced for machine harvesting. - French oak and European oak is used a lot, particularly in red wines. |
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Wine Producing Regions |
- The Upper Ebro - Catalunya - Duero Valley - North West - Levant - Castilla-La Mancha |
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The Upper Ebro - Rioja DOCa |
Red Varieties - Tempranillo - Garnacha (Rose also) - Mazuelo - Graciano
White Varieties - Viura - Malvasia - Garnacha Blanca
- First region to gain DOCa status. - 3 distinct sub regions with Logrono used as a reference point;
Rioja Alavesa - West of Logrono. - Vineyards up to 800 metres. - Soil is very chalky - Lightest style wines in Rioja with more finesse.
Rioja Alta - South of Logrono. - Vineyards are planted between 500-800 metres. - Limestone based clay soil some have high proportion of Iron. - Climate is similar to Alavesa due to no influence of ocean. - Rainfall is roughly 500mm (annually).
Rioja Baja - East of Logrono. - Climate is more continental with hotter summers and more severe winters.. - Soil is largely heavy clay. - Annual rainfall is 300 mm meaning drought is an issue. - Main grape Garnacha Tinta generally has less ageing potential.
- Most vineyards in Rioja are bush trained. - Wire-training is now permitted to facilitate machine harvesting.
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The Upper Ebro - Navarra DO |
Red Varieties - Tempranillo - Garnacha - Mazuelo - Graciano (Rose also)
- Region split into sub regions. - Climate in plain similar to Rioja. Climate in foothills much cooler and wetter. - Tempranillo no most widely planted grape. - Garnacha grapes used for Rose are picked early for higher levels of acidity, lower sugar levels and handled anaerobically to provide refreshing fruity wine with moderate alcohol. - International varieties are also used; Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. - Wines range from good value Joven wines to premium Gran Reservas. |
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The Upper Ebro - Carinena and Calatayud |
Grape Varieties - Garnacha - Tempranillo
- Warm continental climate with low rainfall. - Variety of micro climates. - Garnacha is main grape variety. - Tempranillo is now being promoted. - Inexpensive to mid priced wines. - Deep colour and intense flavour. |
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The Upper Ebro - Somontano |
- North of Ebro. - Mix of microclimates but generally not as hot. - High rainfall so less problems of drought. - Wide range of local and international varieties. |
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Catalunya |
Has generic DO for still wines that covers entire region. |
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Catalunya - Penedes |
White Grape Varieties - Parellada - Macebeo - Xarel-lo
Black Grape Varieties - Tempranillo - Cabernet Sauvignon
- Three distinct climate zones means wide varieties of wine style. - Coast has Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers - Mainly produces full bodied reds. - Inland climate is more temperate - Most of white wine for Cava is supplied from this area. - In the hill areas the vines are grown up to 800 metres above sea. Climate is cool and Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Noir are grown.
- Regions wines are based on Cava grapes (Parellada, Macabeo and Xarel-lo) - Very few white wines are aged in cask. - Styles typically display varietal fruit. |
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Catalunya - Priorat |
Grape Varieties - Grenache - Carinena - Cabernet Savignon
- One of two regions with DOCa (DOQ) status. - Soil is layers of slate with particles of mica (Llicorella) that sparkle which aids ripening by warmth. - Soil is low in nutrients but because of depth it retains water well. - Steep sloped and often terraced vineyards provide perfect exposures and because of altitude of 500-700 metres grapes benefit from cool nights. - Deeply coloured wines, high in tannins but more restrained alcohol levels. - Aromas have fresh black fruit qualities with time spent in French oak. - White and Rose Priorat is very rare. |
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The Duero Valley - Ribera del Duero |
- Grape variety is Tempranillo. - Cut off from maritime influence due to surrounding mountains. - Highest part of the Meseta (up to 850 metres). - Cool temperatures at night - up to 20C cooler at night in the summer. - Only DO for red and rose wines - Mainly red. - Garnacha is mainly grown for rose. - Clone of Tempranillo known at Tinto Fino is more thick skinned than Tempranillo in Rioja resulting in darker wines and more powerful tannins in RdD. - Flavours include dark fruit and plum. - Long macerations and short ageing in French oak. |
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The Duero Valley - Toro |
- DO that is having changes similar to Ribera del Duero. - Similar climate and thick skinned clone of Tempranillo (Tinto de Toro). - Rose and white wines are in small quantities. - Reds are full bodied, powerful and high in alcohol because of sunny conditions. - Harvested at advanced stage of ripeness. - Garnacha wines make good Joven wines. - Reservas and Gran Reservas are generally deep coloured and tannic when young with good ageing potential. |
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The Duero Valley - Rueda |
- Between Ribera del Duero and Toro. - Mainly white wine production with Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc. - Red is now permitted. - Used to make sherry style wine but not as much now. - Chalky soil - Continental climate with cool summer nights. - Verdejo gives aromatic flavours with retained acidity. - Verdejo must make up 50% of wines. - Some are young and fresh, some have skin contact and barrel fermentation. |
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North Western Spain - Rias Baixas |
- Main grape is Albarino. - Humid conditions means bush training has not been used. - Sophisticated pergola vine training systems are being developed do lower chance of rot. - Other grapes permitted as well as red wine but not as important and subzone rules vary. - Gentle handling and temperature control helps with varietal fruit characteristics of Albarino. - High acidity and crisp refreshing wine best drunk young. Occasionally has small amount of oak can benefit from a little bit of ageing. - Difficult viticultural conditions posed by maritime climate mean these wines are rarely cheap. |
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North Western Spain - Bierzo |
- Cooling maritime influence. - Main grape is Mencia. - Vines grown on steep, schist slopes mean most concentrated wines with aromatic fruity intensity with high acidity. |
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