D.O.Ca. Rioja
Spain is one of the most important wine making countries in the world. There are vineyards all around the country, but some of the best lie in the north of Spain, which is where the Great RIOJA is located. Located at the north-central Spain the Rioja (named after the River Oja, in Spanish Rio Oja) region has been making wine since the 2nd century BC.
This region got a real boom in the 1860s when Bordeaux experienced an infestation by a pest called phylloxera, which devastated vineyards and wiped out crops. For France was a nightmare but for Spain one of the most amazing dreams in terms of wine.
Some of the best winemakers moved from Bordeaux to Rioja and started making incredible Rioja wines using the French style. After this boom the Rioja’s wine quality improved considerable and became Spain’s crown jewel of wine, reaching an international recognition and a publicity that was well deserved.
Rioja’s Sub-Regions
Rioja is divided in 3 sub-regions:
- Rioja Alta,
- Rioja Alavesa, and
- Rioja Baja.
This regions are easy to identify according to the production and weather in each region. In Rioja Alta the weather is cooler with higher altitudes producing full body wines with lots of great fruit. In the other hand, Rioja Alavesa has more sun incidence with high altitudes producing wines with firm tannins and lots of acid. Finally Rioja Baja has a desert-like weather with lower altitudes and produces very alcoholic wines.
Rioja’s grapes
Most of all Rioja red wines are a blend of the Tempranillo, Garnacha (internationally known as Grenache thanks to France), Graciano, Mazuelo and Maturana Tina grapes. Other reds are grown in the Region but are not accepted by the DO Regulator Council, so the wines using different grapes are not labeled as Rioja’s.
White Riojas taste a little like Sauvignon Blanc and are made mostly of the native Viura grape but Malvasía, Garnacha Blanca and Tempranillo Blanco are also accepted. The Rosados (pink) are mostly made from Tempranillo and Garnacha.
Rioja’s Classification
In Rioja there is an internal classification of the wine based in how long the wine has been matured in oak and aged in the bottle. There’s a proportional relationship between age and price, so if you’re going shopping for Rioja this is what you must know:
- Joven, Selección o Roble = no oak age or less than a year of oak aging. This wines are more fruity and usually cheaper, but are also really good as the followed the same Rioja standards during the elaboration.
- Crianza = at least 1 year matured in oak barrels and at least 1 year aged in a bottle.
- Reserva = at least 1 year matured in oak barrels and another 2 years aged in a bottle before release.
- Gran Reserva = at least 2 years matured in oak and 3 years more aged in the bottle. This wines are usually mad in great vintage years, so expect a higher price and a great quality if you find one of these as one of your options.
Thanks to the great tradition, extensive work, standards of quality, rules of classification and the great people behind the Rioja wineries, this region has the highest distinction in Spain and is not only a DO (Denominación de Origen), is awarded with the highest DO level in Spain and is known as a DOCa (Denominación de Origen Calificada or Qualified Denomination of Origen). Only Rioja and Priorat are under this classification, so when you get a Rioja you should expect to get a great wine.