Free Flashcards for DipWSET D4: Sparkling Wines
DECK Number 5
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GOOD LUCK!!
[qdeck]
[h] DipWSET D4 SET 5 Cava
[i] DipWSET D4 – Sparkling WInes Flashcards
SET 5 Cava
I RECOMMEND YOU LEAVE THE CARDS IN THE INITIAL ORDER AND USE THE “SHUFFLE” OPTION ONLY WHEN YOU MASTER THE WHOLE DECK (= 0 MISTAKE)
– Read the Term on the Card and give your answer
– Click on “Check the Answer” button to check your knowledge
– Click on “Got It!” if your answer was correct
– Click on “Need more practice” to review the card at the end of the deck and try answering another time
– Click on “Shuffle” button to change cards order
[start]
[q] Why is the Lleida province important?
[a] It is where the Raimat estate is – which is the largest single vineyard estate owned by one family (2200 hectares), owned by the Raventos (who also own Codorniu). Pioneered growing Chardonnay
[q] What are the wines like from Tarragona?
What speciality is grown here and where specifically?
[a] Simple, Macabao based for early drinking.
Trepat – the black grape increasingly valued for Rosado, grown in the Conca de Barbera region
[q] Where in Spain is Cava traditionally made? And where is most of it now produced?
[a] In Cataluna, in the area around Barcelona (north east Spain).
Now made mostly in Penedes
[q] What is the climate like in Tarragona?
[a] Mediterranean, low lying undulating hills
[q] How has the Lleida province been made viable for grape growing?
[a] Formerly a semi-desert and made viable by irrigation systems from the Pyrenees, providing feritlity but also frost protection
[q] How does altitude effect the final wine style?
[a] Higher altitude grown grapes will have more flavour and higher acidity and will produce more age-worthy wines
[q] What are the principal varieties used?
[a] Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada. Chardonnay less so but still significantly
[q] What are two varying environmental factors in Penedes?
[a] The altitude – ranging from the coast up to 700-800 metres, with the majority grown at 200-300 metres.
The soil – alluvial soil and clay and low altitude, and stony clay and granite at higher altitudes
[q] What is the climate like in Lleida?
[a]
Coastal mountains, including a high plane. Mediterranean at the coast and increasingly continental at altitude
[q] Describe Chardonnay. (3)
[a] 9% of plantings
Adds body, richness and finesse
Needs to be the right clone and rootstock as to to ripen too quickly in this climate
[q] What is the climate like in Penedes?
[a] Mediterranean (sunny summers, mild winters, moderate rainfall year-round)
[q] Describe Parellada. (8)
[a] 20% of plantings
Planted on higher sites (500m)
Early-budding
Late ripening
Low yielding
Susceptible to powdery
Needs altitude to give a long ripening period without gaining excessive alcohol
Adds finesse and floral character
[q] What rootstocks are used?
[a] Unspecified, but chosen to control vigour and be lime resistant when necessary
[q] What threats are present in the vineyards growing Cava?
How are they combatted?
[a] Downy mildew form misty mornings.
Powdery mildew in dry weather.
Grapevine moth.
Combatted by copper and sulphur, as well as leaf plucking to aid air circulation
[q] Describe Macabeo. (8)
[a] 36% of plantings
Typically planted at 100-300 metres
Late budding
Picked first (early ripening?)
High yielding
Susceptible to Botrytis and bacterial blight
Light intensity apple and lemon
Can be a single variety Cava where it is the only planting, but increasingly blended with Chardonnay
[q] What is different/interesting about the Cava PDO?
[a] It is for a production style rather than a place – grapes can be sourced from a number of different, unconnected areas
[q] What are the maximum yields for Cava?
[a] 12,000kg/hectare
80hL/ha
[q] Is irrigation allowed?
[a] Very strictly controlled. Permitted only for relieving hydric stress, not permitted for increasing yields
[q] Describe Xarel-lo. (8)
[a] 25% percent of plantings
Planted at 0-400 metres
Mid-budding
Mid-ripening
Susceptible to powdery and downy
Aromas of gooseberry and herbal notes, can become earthy when overripe.
Indigenous to Cataluna
Has a reasonable affinity with oak
[q] When did the term Cava become legally recognised as a PDO?
[a] 1972 – When Spain entered the EU
[q] Apart from Penedes, Lleida and Tarragona, what is the other important growing area?
[a] Rioja – sheltered by the Cantabrian mountains, particularly the Rioja ALta regions with high altitude. They grow Macabeo (Viura) and Chardonnay
[q] How are the wines disgorged?
What are the recent developments that has increased disgorgment speed?
[a] Traditionally by hand, but then mostly by Gyropalette.
Selected yeast that flocculates easily.
Smooth glass on the inside
Automated rotating drum
– total time can be 80 minutes
[q] Yeast/MLF?
[a] Cultured yeast (either self-cultured or purchased).
No MLF
[q] What is the harvest like?
[a] 90% by hand – because of fragmented ownership and uneven terrain. For example:
Freixenet buys from lots of small growers, so is all by hand.
Codorniu own a lot of their own, and so machine harvest
[q] How is rose Cava made?
[a] With at least 25% red grapes, and by skin maceration (not blending)
[q] Are reserve wines used?
[a] Typically not, even if the wine is marketed as NV or not. Vintage variation is not frequent
[q] What are the requirements for the Cava Reserva category?
What is it’s typical style?
[a] 15 months minimum on lees
Similar flavours profile as Cava, but with more prevalent autolytic notes. Good-very good quality and mid-priced
[q] What kind of press is used for Cava?
[a] Pneumatic, so it can be gentle and extract as little phenolic content as possible
[q] When is picking date?
[a] When pH/sugar/acidity levels are tested and accurate. Low phenolic ripeness and low potential alcohol are desired
[q] Who are the four seperate registrars kept by the Consejo Regulador del Cava?
What is typical about these registers?
[a] growers
producers of base wines
storekeepers of base wines
Cava producers
It is common for producers to be registered on all four
[q] What are the three main categories of Cava?
[a] Cava
Cava Reserva
Cava Gran Reserva
[q] What are the requirements for Cava Gran Reserva?
What is it’s typical style?
[a] 30 months minimum on lees
May only by Brut, Extra Brut or Brut Nature
Pronounced toasty, smoky, autolytic notes. Very good-outstanding, premium price
[q] What are the four black grape varieties planted?
[a] Garnacha Tinta – oxidises easily, adds ripe red fruit character
Trepat – only legally for Rosado, adds acidity and strawberry flavour
Pinot Noir – Rosado, blends and BdN
Monastrell – allowed but rarely used
NOTE – Tempranillo not allowed
[q] What is the domestic/exported split of production?
[a] 1/3 consumed in Spain, 2/3 exported
[q] What is the recent development grape testing at harvest?
[a] Testing for gluconic acid values which is an indicator of botrytis levels. Too high can lead to secondary fermentation problems, grapes will be rejected
[q] How are vines typically planted/trained/trellised?
[a] Low-moderate density, traditional bush vines or single/double cordon
[q] What are the requirements for for the Cava category?
What is it’s typical style?
[a] Minimum 9 months lees post tirage
Light-med intensity lemon, apple and herbal notes. Light biscuit notes, med-med+ acid. Acceptable to good
[q] What is the typical sweetness level?
[a] Brut – 8-9g/L dosage.
Medium-dry is popular in some markets.
Quality producers are expanding into Brut Nature
[q] What is the percentage split of each category of Cava?
[a] Regular Cava – 87%
Reserva – 11%
Gran Reserva/Paraje Calificado – 2%
Rosado – 8%
[q] What is the percentage of production that the two biggest companies are responsible for, and what are there names?
[a] Freixenet and Codorniu.
75% of total production
[q] What is the climate like in Tarragona?
[a] Mediterranean, low lying undulating hills
[q] How has the Lleida province been made viable for grape growing?
[a] Formerly a semi-desert and made viable by irrigation systems from the Pyrenees, providing feritlity but also frost protection
[q] Who are the governing board?
[a] Consejo Regulador del Cava
[q] What is the name of the new quality category?
What are it’s requirements? (7)
[a] Cava de Paraje Calificado.
Single estate/single vineyard
Produced on the premise by the owner.
Minimum 10-year vine age
Maximum yields of 48hL/ha
Cannot be acidified
36 months on lees
Must be Brut level or lower
[q] What is the name of the producer group that some quality producers formed in 2019?
What are it’s regulations?
[a] Corpinnat.
100% organic grapes.
Grown in Penedes
Hand harvested
Estate grown and vinified.
18, 30 or 60 months lees ageing
[q] How have sales tracked in the last 40 years?
[a] Steady growth from 1980 to 2010 but plateaued since then
[q] Why is the Lleida province important?
[a] It is where the Raimat estate is – which is the largest single vineyard estate owned by one family (2200 hectares), owned by the Raventos (who also own Codorniu). Pioneered growing Chardonnay
[q] How does altitude effect the final wine style?
[a] Higher altitude grown grapes will have more flavour and higher acidity and will produce more age-worthy wines
[q] What are two varying environmental factors in Penedes?
[a] The altitude – ranging from the coast up to 700-800 metres, with the majority grown at 200-300 metres.
The soil – alluvial soil and clay and low altitude, and stony clay and granite at higher altitudes
[q] Describe Parellada. (8)
[a] 20% of plantings
Planted on higher sites (500m)
Early-budding
Late ripening
Low yielding
Susceptible to powdery
Needs altitude to give a long ripening period without gaining excessive alcohol
Adds finesse and floral character
[q] What threats are present in the vineyards growing Cava?
How are they combatted?
[a] Downy mildew form misty mornings.
Powdery mildew in dry weather.
Grapevine moth.
Combatted by copper and sulphur, as well as leaf plucking to aid air circulation
[q] Describe Chardonnay. (3)
[a] 9% of plantings
Adds body, richness and finesse
Needs to be the right clone and rootstock as to to ripen too quickly in this climate
[x] GOOD JOB!! [restart]
[/qdeck]
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