SKETCHES OF RIOJA

A sculpture from Dinastía Vivanco's wine museum in the village of Briones.

As wine consumers, we understand that wine can improve with age. Outstanding vintages, such as the current 2010 wines from Barolo, command higher than normal prices driven solely by their aging potential. Tracking down a properly aged wine can fetch hundreds or even thousands of dollars and are a bit of a gamble, since there's always the risks associated with improper storage. When it comes to wine, time is money. The wines from Rioja offer a rare opportunity to taste a fully evolved wine at a fraction of the cost. Current releases on the market can range between 3 to 38 years old and because they have been cellared by the winemaker's themselves, the odds of opening up a bottle of vinegar for your guests are significantly lower. Although there are other remarkable wine producing regions within the country; Rioja and its majestic wines are Spain in a glass.      

LA RIOJA

The 3 regions of La Rioja

La Rioja is divided into 3 regions: La Rioja Alta to the west, La Rioja Alavesa to the east and north, and La Rioja Baja to the south. The Ebro River and its tributaries run through all of the 7 wine growing valleys. Highly fertile alluvial and ferrous clay soils are found throughout the entire region, while a higher concentration of calcareous clay and limestone soils can be found in the Alavesa and Rioja Alta. La Rioja lies in between 2 varied climatic influences. Its close proximity to the Bay of Biscay to the north is responsible for the cooler Atlantic winds, while the warmer Mediterranean air currents come in from the east. This delicate balance of climatic conditions directly translates to the vineyards and the quality of the wines can vary greatly depending on the vintage. La Rioja is dominated by interlocking mountain ranges, which play a vital role, not only in soil composition and vineyard orientation, but in protecting the vineyards from potentially damaging winds. The Sierra de la Demanda and Cantabrian mountains shield the Alavesa and Rioja Alta from the cold Atlantic gusts, while the Yerga mountains prevent the warm Mediterranean winds from overwhelming the Rioja Baja.

 

1999 R. López De Herdia
Viña Tondonia Reserva Viura

2010 Viña Ijalba Graciano

There are a total of nearly 158,000 acres of vineyards in La Rioja, of which there are just over 10,000 acres dedicated to white grapes. 7 grape varieties account for nearly all of the wines produced. Although it is the most important and widely planted varietal in Spain, Tempranillo is at its best in La Rioja and its stylistic range is exemplified in the diversity of terroirs in the 3 regions. Although there are single varietal examples, Mazuelo (aka Carignan), Garnacha, and Graciano are mainly used as blending agents to compliment the Tempranillo based red blends. Viura takes center stage for the white wines of Rioja while Malvasia and Garnacha Blanca act as the supporting cast. 4 other indigenous varieties, the red Maturana Tinta, and the whites Maturana Blanca, Tempranillo Blanco, and Turruntés may be used. To a lesser extent, the international varietals Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Verdejo are also cultivated.

BARREL AGING DESIGNATIONS

1978 R. López De Heredia
Viña Bosconia Gran Reserva

The Rioja Regulatory Control Board requires producers to display a color coded aging category label on their bottles. Regardless of the label, all of the wines begin their aging process in 60 gallon oak casks, traditionally in American barrels, though some wineries use French or a combination of both. The amount of time spent in barrels and in bottle before being released to consumers will determine the style of wine produced. Though minimum aging requirements are set by the control board, the great majority of producers surpass these minimums and adhere to their Bodegas' own aging standards. Cosecha's are the youngest of the lot and spend less than a year in oak and less than a year in bottle. They are meant to be consumed young and are generally fruity and simple. Crianza wines are at least 2 years of age when they are released, with a minimum 1 year in oak for the reds, 6 months for the whites and rosés. Red wines labeled Reserva must spend at least 1 year in oak and 2 years in bottle, while the white and rosé wines spend at least 6 months in oak and 18 months in bottle. This is designed to mute the fruitiness of the wines to allow different flavors and textures to develop. They are already evolved upon release, and are built for further cellaring if desired. The minimums for Gran Reservas are 2 years in oak casks and 3 years in bottle for the reds, 1 year in oak and 3 years in bottle for whites and rosés. These wines are complex, elegant and despite the minimums, are usually held at least a decade before they leave the winery. Gran Reserva's are the best that Rioja has to offer and most bodegas only produce these wines in exceptional vintages. As you may have already guessed, with so much freedom for aging potential, the quality of each of these categories of wines depends heavily on the reputation of the individual bodega and where they source from.

LA RIOJA ALTA

1998 Bodegas Riojanas
Monte Real Gran Reserva

2000 Marqués de Murrieta
Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva

Out of the 3 regions, the largest amount of vineyards can be found in La Rioja Alta. Thanks to a greater diversity of microclimates, elevation, and soil types, the most prized vineyards and best producers come from this region. The region lies higher up towards the headwaters of the Ebro River and most of the vineyards can be found on its left bank. Influenced by the Atlantic, the Oja Valley and its high elevation encompasses the municipalities of Briñas, Briones, Haro and Villalba de Rioja. Depending on its proximity to the river, the vineyards sit atop of chalky clay and alluvial soils. This is the area where the most iconic producers of Reserva and Gran Reserva's are found. Among them are: R. López de Heredia, Bodegas Muga, La Rioja Alta, CVNE, and Bodegas Bilbainas. The middle section of Rioja Alta also has a rich tradition of producing quality wines. The vineyards surrounding the municipalities of Cenicero and Fuenmayor are also dominated by alluvial and clay soils, but with a bit of a warm and drier Mediterranean influence. Bodegas Riojanas, Marqués de Cáceres, and LAN are among its best producers. Logroño is the largest city in Rioja and serves as its capital. It is the southernmost municipality in La Rioja Alta and is much more influenced by its warm Mediterranean climate than the rest of the region. Marqués de Murrieta and Marqués de Vargas have been making outstanding fuller bodied offerings for over 150 years.

LA RIOJA ALAVESA

2005 Bodegas García de Olano
Mauleón Reserva

The Alavesa is the smallest of the 3 regions both in size and in wine production. The regional identity is Riojan, however, due to its proximity to its northern neighbor, there is a strong Basque connection. The area lies on the right bank of the Ebro River and despite its protection by the Toloño and Cantabrian Mountain ranges, it's far more susceptible to the cold climate and rain from the Atlantic Ocean. Vineyards sit on limestone and calcareous clay soils, which are reflected in the lighter bodied and more mineral driven character of Alavesa wines. Most of the wines are single varietal examples of Tempranillo, which tend to be fruitier and brighter in color than other Riojas, though this is not only due to the cooler climate and terroir. The Alavesa has a long history of employing the carbonic maceration fermentation method popularized by the fruity Gamay wines of the French Beaujolais region. Marqués de Riscal, and Bodegas Faustino are among the oldest and most reliable producers of the region, but it's the wines of newcomers, such as the Bodegas Hermanos Peciña, that are drawing a new generation of consumers and are building on the Alavesa's already sturdy reputation for high quality Riojan expressions.

LA RIOJA BAJA

2009 Baron De Ley
Reserva

The vines in the Baja are planted between 980 to 2,300 feet above sea level, making them the highest elevation vineyards of Rioja. It is the largest of the 3 regions and produces nearly as much wine as the Rioja Alta. With so much terrain, the soil content varies throughout the region, though most of it is either alluvial or iron rich clay. La Rioja Baja, on average, receives less rainfall than the other regions and experiences higher temperatures thanks to its strong Mediterranean influence. These factors cause its Tempranillo vines to ripen in a manner that produces richer styles of wine. Producers of Rioja Baja wines are not nearly as celebrated as the other 2 regions, however wines produced by young winemakers like Bodegas Lacus/Olivier Rivière, and Palacios Remondo, operated by famed Priorat producer Álvaro Palacios, are leading the way towards elevating the status of La Rioja Baja.   

1978

As cheesy as it is, I'm not ashamed to admit that I've purchased a birth year bottle. For some reason, last year it was important for me to enjoy a wine on my birthday whose grapes were hand harvested on the same year that I was, technically, hand harvested. My only experience with aged wine at the time was with La Rioja. I had tried several producers whose wines had been aged for nearly 20 years, were extremely complex, and enjoyed beyond its mere $40 price tag. So when it was time to purchase my birth year wine, I was comfortable paying more for what I imagined would be, a bottled experience. It was indeed. Since then, I've had the good fortune to try old vintages from various wine growing regions and can confidently say that aged wines will either be well versed storytellers or cranky "get off my lawn" philistines. Age doesn't automatically translate to wisdom, but the bottle I listened to that night did. And for the record, wisdom tastes delicious.