WineRegionsOld WorldSpain
Sans-Chene, traditional, red wine
Oak cask-aging is of prime importance to the character of Rioja's wines.You cannot visit the region without encountering Bordeaux sized, 225 litrebarriques by the thousand. Some bodegas, however, seem to go to extraordinarylengths to remove all trace of the oak's influence. They steam-clean thealdehydes, mostly vanillin, from the wood and then use the barrels to storelesser wines before using them for Reservas and Gran Reservas Only a veryfew Riojas made in this way have sufficient character to be successful.Such wines derive extra concentration from lower yields, but they are notRioja in the classic sense. The region has justly achieved world-wide famefor its ability to produce fine quality red wines that are distinctly oakyand competitively priced.
Riojas "new-wave" whites
The story for whites is a little different, because, given the equivalentoak-aging of a Rioja tinto, a Rioja bianco loses its fruit and freshness,rapidly oxidizes and leaves a sharp, acid taste in the mouth. Unlike thesans-chene reds, the ultra-clean "new-wave" whites deserve a placein today's market, where trends are for lighter, fresher and drier wines.It is interesting to note that, starting with the 1978 vintage, even Marquesde Murrieta bianco, perhaps the most traditional of white Riojas, beganto change its spots: first a touch of fruit, then some freshness, and nowa modest balance of both. Much white wine is still made in the traditionalstyle, but virtually every major exporting house at least offers an alternative,in the form of "new-wave" white wine. Headed by the Marques deCaceres bianco, a steely-crisp and clean wine that can be reminiscent ofSauvignon blanc, although made from 100 per cent Viura grapes, this categoryis firmly established with consumers. Whereas these wines are enjoyable,they do not, as yet, possess any distinctive generic characteristics thatidentify them as Rioja. The whites that manage to combine the best of theold and the new have more distinct regional characteristics. Olarra's "snaresBlanco Seco" Franco-Espanolas' "Diamante" and CVNE's "Monopole",for example, manage to combine the creamy-vanilla oak character that isthe hallmark of Rioja, with superb freshness and heaps of creamy lemonyfruit.
RIOJA'S DISTRICTS
Rioja's 37,500 hectares (92,665 acres) of vineyards are located along theEbro Valley, between Haro and Alfaro, and throughout its hinterland, withvines clustered around many of the Ebro's tributaries, one of which, theOja River gave its name to the region. An average of 12 million cases (1,080,000 hectolitres) of wine is produced every year, some 70 per centof which is red, 15 per cent white and 15 per cent rose, called rosado MostRioja is blended from wines or grapes originating from the region's threedistricts: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Baja.
Rioja Alta
Vineyards: 16,130 hectares (39,860 acres)
Grape varieties: Tempranillo 60%, Mazuelo 10%, Garnacha 10%, Graciano 2%,Viura 15%, Malvasia 2%, Others 1%
The principal towns of Rioja, Logrono and Haro, are both in the Rioja Alta.Logrono is a very big town bv Spanish standards, but Haro, at the westernedge of the region, is a much smaller, far more charming, older and traditionalenclosed hilltop community The area's wine is Rioja's fullest in terms offruit and concentration, which can be velvety smooth. Bodegas Muga makesfine examples of pure Rioja Alta, as do CVNE ("Imperial").
Rioja Alavesa
Vineyards: 8,035 hectares (19,855 acres)
Grape varieties: Tempranillo 80%, Garnacha 5%, Viura 10%, Others 5%
There are no large towns in the Alavesa, a district that is similar in climateto the Alta. The wines produced here are Rioja's fullest in body and reveala much firmer character than those of the Alta and Baja, with greater acidity.It was to the Alavesa that Pedro Domecq came, after years of intensive research,to plant a vast estate of 400 hectares (985 acres), cultivating his vineson wires as opposed to using the bush method traditional to the region.Apart from Domecq Domaine, which is obviously a pure Alavesa wine, Remelluri's"Labista de Alava" and Laserna's "Vinedos del Contino, twosingle-vineyard Alavesas, and CVNE's Real range (although not quite 100per cent Alavesa), are all typical of the district.
Rioja Baja
Vineyards: 13,335 hectares (32,950 acres)
Grape varieties: Tempranillo 2%, Garnacha 90%, Viura 3%, Others 5%
A semi-arid area influenced by the Mediterranean, it is hotter, sunnierand drier than the Alta and Alavesa, with rainfall that varies throughoutthe region, averaging between 38 and 43 centimetres (15 and 17 inches) peryear, but falling es low es 25 centimetres (10 inches) at Alfaro in thesouth. Some 20 per cent of the vines growing in Rioja Baja come within,and can claim, the Navarra appellation. The wines are deep-colored and veryalcoholic, sometimes as strong as 18 per cent, but lack acidity, aroma andfinesse, and are best used for blending.
Rioja
Navarra
Penedes