Rioja: classicism and vanguard
Rioja has been the leading capital of the Spanish wine industry for centuries and it remains the country’s most recognizable wine region around the world.
The French connection: at the right time, in the right place
During the 19th century, the Carlist Wars led many members of the region’s nobility to take exile in Bordeaux. Among them were two men who would later exert a decisive influence over the wine industry in Rioja: the Marqués de Riscal and the Marqués de Murrieta. Both learned valuable viticultural and winemaking techniques in France and upon their return, implemented and shared that knowledge in their homeland. Resulting in a significant improvement of wine quality in Rioja and a considerable growth in exports.
In the 1860s, phylloxera devastated the French vineyards and Rioja (like many of the Spanish regions) was called upon to fill that production gap. Many French winemakers also chose to make their way to Rioja and set up new estates.
Serendipitously, a new railway system had just been constructed, linking Rioja to other important Spanish cities and the south of France. This transformed the town of Haro in the (north-west of La Rioja) into a key commercial hub for the wine industry. Everything was well-timed for Rioja’s wine industry explosion.
The region of the seven valleys
DOC La Rioja is located in north-central Spain and sits at the western end of the Ebro River Valley. The region is sheltered by some key mountain ranges: Sierra de Cantabria and Montes Obarenes to the north, Sierra de la Demanda and Sierra de Cameros to the south. Seven of Ebro’s tributaries flow from the southern ranges into the Ebro River. The combination of these landscapes and topography creates very favorable climatic conditions for growing high-quality grapes.
Rioja is divided into three sub-zones: of those Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Alta receive some maritime influence from the Bay of Biscay is cooler and slightly more humid. Whereas Rioja Oriental (formerly Rioja Baja) is the warmest sub-zone, due to its lower elevation and slight Mediterranean influence. Differences in climate, soil types and primary grape varieties provide each sub-zone with their own identity.
The art of blending
Approximately 90% of the wine produced in Rioja is red, with wines ranging in style from young and fresh to complex and aged. On that, whites and rosé wines each account for roughly 5% of Rioja’s wine production.
Tempranillo Native to this region, today it accounts for more than 75% of the area under vine (and 84% of all red plantings). But the Rioja area has traditionally relied on blends from different grapes and terroirs, aiming for balance, complexity, and style consistency. A typical blend is 60-80% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, 0-20% Mazuelo-Graciano.
Tempranillo provides raspberry and black plum fruit with medium level of tannins and acidity. It’s well suited to the Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, where it is generally able to evenly ripen in cooler, high altitude sites with cool clay soils.
Garnacha (Grenache)
Late-ripening variety, so most of plantings are in the warmer sub-zone of Rioja Oriental. The grapes add red fruit (ripe strawberry), body and alcohol to the blend. Nowadays, many quality-minded producers in Rioja Oriental have begun to replant this variety, which is considered to be better suited to the warm, dry conditions of this area rather than early ripening Tempranillo.
Graciano and Mazuelo (Cariñena = Carignan)
They’re used to improve colour, structure (acidity, tannins) and aging potential of the blended wines, with the added benefit well integrated notes of spice. Some winemakers in the area are crafting some notable varietal wines from Graciano.
Viura (Macabeo)
By far the most planted white grape in Rioja. Its relatively neutral character can turn out a broad range of styles. When grown for lower yields and matured in oak vessels, it can produce concentrated and complex wines with long ageing potential.
Traditional ageing categories
Even if nowadays a new “modern Rioja” style (focused more on terroir’s typicity and French oak ageing) is gaining some ground, Rioja is still mainly known for its blends aged in American oak barrels, with the following traditional ageing categories:
Generic
Guarantee of wine’s origin and vintage. Usually wines in their first or second year, which keep their primary freshness and fruit.
Crianza
Reserva
Meticulously selected wines with a minimum ageing of three years (at least one in barrels, and minimum 6 months in bottle). For white wines, 2 years minimum ageing, with at least 6 months in barrel.
Gran Reserva
Wines from great vintages that have been painstakingly aged for a total of sixty months (at least two years in oak barrels and two years in the bottle). Then for white wines, the minimum ageing period is 4 years, with at least 6 months in barrels.
The art of blending
Approximately 90% of the wine produced in Rioja is red, with wines ranging in style from young and fresh to complex and aged. On that, whites and rosé wines each account for roughly 5% of Rioja’s wine production.
Tempranillo Native to this region, today it accounts for more than 75% of the area under vine (and 84% of all red plantings). But the Rioja area has traditionally relied on blends from different grapes and terroirs, aiming for balance, complexity, and style consistency. A typical blend is 60-80% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, 0-20% Mazuelo-Graciano.
Tempranillo provides raspberry and black plum fruit with medium level of tannins and acidity. It’s well suited to the Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, where it is generally able to evenly ripen in cooler, high altitude sites with cool clay soils.
Garnacha (Grenache)
Late-ripening variety, so most of plantings are in the warmer sub-zone of Rioja Oriental. The grapes add red fruit (ripe strawberry), body and alcohol to the blend. Nowadays, many quality-minded producers in Rioja Oriental have begun to replant this variety, which is considered to be better suited to the warm, dry conditions of this area rather than early ripening Tempranillo.
Graciano and Mazuelo (Cariñena = Carignan)
They’re used to improve colour, structure (acidity, tannins) and aging potential of the blended wines, with the added benefit well integrated notes of spice. Some winemakers in the area are crafting some notable varietal wines from Graciano.
Viura (Macabeo)
By far the most planted white grape in Rioja. Its relatively neutral character can turn out a broad range of styles. When grown for lower yields and matured in oak vessels, it can produce concentrated and complex wines with long ageing potential.
“Viñedos Singulares”: a new terroir-related classification
Alongside traditional barrel-ageing categories, Rioja is nowadays aiming to highlight the diversity of the terroir of the region, and in 2017 a new classification was created with the following geographical indications:
Vino de Zona
Aiming to improve the visibility on the label of the three subzones designated back in 1970: Rioja Alavesa, Rioja Alta and Rioja Oriental.
Vino de Municipio (equivalent to Burgundian “village”) Aiming to provide more visibility to the specific town from where the wine is made. Viñedo Singular (equivalent to Burgundian “cru”) New geographical indication designating wines from specific vineyards or estates and directly linked to the terroir, which it aims to identify and valorise on the label. It’s also tied to the quality requirement that they be excellent wines.
“Espumosos de Calidad de Rioja”: a new quality sparkling designation
What is so special about wines from País Vasco?A new designation for quality sparkling wines ('Espumosos de Calidad de Rioja') that have been recently created, aiming to target the upper-middle end of the sparkling market. A minimum of 15 months on the lees is required for the category of “Crianza”, 24 months for “Reserva” and 36 months for “Gran Añada”.
Frequently asked questions:
What is so special about wines from Rioja?Homeland of Tempranillo, here you can enjoy both the world-famous, long-aged classic styles of red and white blends, and the “modern Rioja” stye, focused on the best varietal expressions from singular terroirs.
What are the most popular grape varieties in Rioja?Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo (=Carignan), Maturana Tinta (=Trousseau) for reds. Viura, Tempranillo Blanco, Malvasía and Garnacha Blanca for whites.
What types of food works well with wines from Rioja?Complex, aged Viura-based whites: fish stews and rissotos, white meats and duck dishes. Young fruit-driven red Rioja: chicken dishes, legume stews, semi-cured cheese. Rioja reserva: lamb (roasted or moussaka), Iberian ham or chorizo. Rioja gran reserva: grilled or roasted red meat, wild boar civet, cured cheese as Manchego, Parmesan or cured Cheddar.
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