Spain

Question 1

Glass for SHERRY

Answer 1

Copita- 2.3 to 3 ounce measures

Question 2

Iconic Sherry producer

Answer 2

Valdespino

Question 3

Climate of Sherry

Answer 3

A lot of sun, hot and humid

• Mediterranean Climate with low seasonal rainfall
• Mild Winters and Extremely Hot Summers

Levante Wind - is Hot Dry wind from the East
Poniente Wind - is Hunid Atlantic Wind

The Poniente wind alternates with the howling Levante wind, promoting the growth of Flor, a film-forming yeast necessary in the maturation of Sherry

Question 4

Describe the Solera System and the role it plays

Answer 4

Solera System - is a method for Fractional Blending used for making Sherry

• old wine is constantly refreshed with younger wine to ensure consistency
• wine is take from cask in one criadera and blended into a cask from the next
• this is critical for the eveness of the product
• Saca y Rocio “running the scales”
  Saca = to remove wine (legally can never remove more than 1/3 of the Solera per saca)
  Rocio = to refill wine

Question 5

Grape Varities used in Sherry

Answer 5

3 White Grapes are authorized for the production of Sherry:

1. Palomino -
2. Pedro Ximenez (PX) - for sweet wine or blending
3. Moscatel - for sweet wine and or blending

Question 6

Soil used for Sherry

Answer 6

Albariza Soil - very chalky with high levels of calcium and limestone

• highly porous, retaining moisture during hot summer months and dries as a crust on surface, protecting moisture below
• considered the best soil for Palomino grape

Question 7

Barros soil

Answer 7

Barros Soil - is dark brown valley soils with clay content

- best for Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel grapes that are used to grow Sherry

Question 8

Arenas Soil

Answer 8

Arenas Soil - yellowish soils with high sand content, one of the three soils used to grow Sherry grapes

Question 9

Top Sherry Producers

Answer 9

Lustau

Emilio Hidalgo

Equipo Navazos

Tio Pepe

Valdespino - iconic producer

Bodegas Tradicion

El Maestro Sierra

Fernando de Castilla

Gonzalez Byass

Question 10

Main style and flavors of the various sherries made

Answer 10

Fino - Biological Aging (uses Foor)

Oloroso - Oxidative Aging (does not use Flor)

Question 11

Sherry Location

Answer 11

Southwest Spain in Andalucia

2 DOs:
Jerez-Xerxes-Sherry DO
Manzanilla—Sanlucar de Barrameda DO

Sherry Triangle: 3 main towns

1. Jerez de la Frontera
2. Sanlucar de Barrameda
3. El Puerto de Santa Maria

Question 12

Describe what Flor is & the function it plays in making Sherry

Answer 12

Flor is a Saccharomyces Yeast

• it grows in the surface of casks with no more than 15.5% alcohol
• it lives off nutrients in the wine and affects color - by metabolizing GLYCERIN, ALCOHOL & Volatile Acid
• requires specific temperatures (59-86F) & moisture conditions to grow
• low sulphur & tannins
• grows in spring and fall and year round in coastal areas

Question 13

Spain Quality Levels

Answer 13

DOCa - 1st DOC awarded to Rioja in 1991, Priorat added in 2000
DO
VCIG
VdIT
Vino

Question 14

Name the 2 DOCa regions in Spain

Answer 14

Rioja DOCa (awarded in 1991) & Priorat DOCa (awarded in 2000)

• Spain only allowed two appellations with DOCa, the highest qualities

Question 15

Vinos de Pago (DO Pago) Category

Answer 15

• single estates only (17 of them)

- subclassification of DO level, with each estate guiding its own production

Question 16

Principal red grape of Rioja

Answer 16

Tempranillo - 75%

Garnacha - 15%

Graciano

Mazuelo (Carinera)

Question 17

Principal white grape of Rioja

Answer 17

Viura (Macabeo)

Malvasia
Garnacha Blanca

Question 18

What is considered the best region of Rioja? Describe the soil type there?

Answer 18

Rioja Alta - considered best region

Clay soils with chalk and iron deposits

Chalky Soils - best for white varieties (Viura)

Iron Rich Soil - best for Tempranillo

Question 19

Principal red grape of Navarra DO

Answer 19

Garnacha and Tempranillo

Also grows Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir

White grapes include: Chardonnay, Viura (Macabeo), Malvasia

Question 20

Top Rioja Producers

Answer 20

Lopez de Heredia

Marques de Murrieta

Marques de Riscal

Bodegas Muga

La Rioja Alta

Artadi (modernist)

Bodegas Rosa (modernist)

Question 21

Tempranillo Grape

Answer 21

Sight: Garnet to Medium Ruby, Light to Moderate Staining

Aromas and Flavors:
Fruit: Red - Cherry, Strawberry, Currant, Plum. Black - Currant, Blackberry

Herbal: Tobacco, Dried herbs
Other: Soy, Leather, Brettanomyces

Earth: Organic - Compost, Forest Floor. inorganic - Clay, Mineral

Oak: use of New American or Mixed American/French Barrels (Vanilla, Coconut, Dill, Cumin, Curry, Sandalwood)

Structure: Dry, Full Body, Medium to Med+ Tannins, Medium to high Acidity, Medium to High Alcohol, Moderate to Complex

Question 22

Rioja Aging Requirements

Answer 22

Generic or “Joven” - no aging requirements

Crianza Rioja -
red (2 yrs, minimum 1 year in oak) white/rose (2 years, minimum 6months in oak)

Reserva Rioja -
Red ( min 3yrs, minimum 1yr in oak, at least 6 months in bottle).
White/Rose (2yrs, min 6 months in barrel)
Sparkling - 24months on Lees

Gran Riserva Rioja
Red: 5 years (minimum 2 years in OAK & 2 years in BOTTLE)
White/Rose: 5 years (minimum 6 months in barrel)

gran Anada Rioja
Sparkling: 5 years (min 6 months in barrel)

Question 23

Name the DO for traditional method sparkling wine and the principal grapes

Answer 23

Cava DO in Catalonia

• is Spain’s only traditional method sparkling wine DO
• produced mostly in Penedes (95%), but DO locations are spread through several autonomias (regions)

Main White Grape Varieties in Cava:

• Parellada
• Xarel-lo
• Macabeo
• Chardonnay

Aging Requirements:

• Cava: minimum 9 months on Lees
• Riserva: min 15 months on Lees
• Gran Riserva: min 30 months in the Lees

Question 24

Grapes used in Cava

Answer 24

White Grapes:

1. Parellada
2. Xarel-lo
3. Macabeo
4. Chardonnay

Question 25

Tempranillo Synonyms

Answer 25

1. Tinto Madrid - Rioja DOCa 2. Ull de Llebre - Penedes DO 3. Tinta Fino - Ribera del Duero DO 4. Tinta del Pais - Ribera del Duero DO 5. Tinta de Toro - Toro DO 6. Cencibel - Castilla-La Mancha 7. Aragonez - Alentejo, Portugal 8. Tinta Roriz - Douro, Portugal

Question 26

State the region and style of wines from Txakolina DO

Answer 26

Pais Vasco Region Style: Light, Fresh and Tart, acidic and good minerality

Question 27

Name the principal grape of Rias Baixas and identify the region it’s located within

Answer 27

Rias Baixas DO is within the Galicia Region Main Grape: Albariño - Dry, Fresh, Crisp (High acidity)

Question 28

Principal red grapes of Priorat

Answer 28

Garnacha & Cariñena - both are indigenous to Spain and were later take to France - other include Cabernet and Syrah

Question 29

What’s the DO within Valencia and describe its typical style of wine

Answer 29

Alicante DO - known for dessert wines

Question 30

Vega Sicilia - what’s the DO of the producer and the style and quality of the wine?

Answer 30

Producer: Vega Sicilia Region: Castilla y Leon DO: Ribera del Duero DO Vega Sicilia - was historically the regions premier wine, called Unico - which was blended from Tinto del Pais (Tempranillo) + Cabernet Sauvignon + Merlot This is the pinnacle of quality wine and the style is dry, earthy style

Question 31

Gratallops Project

Answer 31

The Gratallops Project is what put Priorat on the map in regards to quality wine production

Question 32

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

Answer 32

Rías Baixas DO Northwest Spain

Question 33

Priorat DOQ produces which of the following styles of wine?

Answer 33

Powerful, dry red wines

Question 34

Which aspect of topography affects the climate of Ribera del Duero?

Answer 34

- Strong Diurnal Difference - Warm to Hot Summers - High Elevation of the Meseta

Question 35

The main white grape variety of Rueda is?

Answer 35

Verdejo

Question 36

Priorat

Answer 36

- dedicated to red wine production - dry temperate climate - stony schistous soils - Llicorella - black slate and quartzite soil found in the best vineyards of Priorat

Question 37

Top Priorat Producers

Answer 37

Clos Mogador Clos Erasmus Clos Martinet Scala Dei Vall Llach Alvaro Palacios