Rioja: A Class On Its Own
The wines of the Rioja region of Spain have long been regarded as amongst the country’s best. In fact, in 1991, the region became the first to be given the right to label its wines as DOCa (Denominación de Origen Calificada), recognizing it as a special area that consistently produces wines of the finest quality. Only the Priorat, a wine region near Barcelona, has been elevated to the same status.
Rioja’s winemakers have been celebrated for hundreds of years but the region’s renown for producing exceptional wines really began in the early 19th century. This northern Spanish wine region owes part of its success to its French neighbours and a destructive little bug known as the vine louse. Beginning in the early part of the 19th century, Bordeaux winemakers began searching for new places to ply their craft as their vineyards suffered devastation under the attack of this incredibly destructive pest. Their search brought them to the Rioja region where they introduced the Bordelais art of blending and the extensive barrel-aging that is the hallmark of the Rioja style.
While Rioja winemakers learned, and even embraced, the art of French winemaking, they remained 100% Spanish when it came to their choice of vines. Then, as now, the red wines of Rioja are blends of exclusively Spanish grapes including Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuela and Garnacha. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varietals are not permitted in the region.
Rioja’s Sweet Oak Note
It is impossible to speak of Rioja without mentioning the oak aging. First introduced by Bordeaux winemakers, the use of oak (both French and American) and the resulting vanilla flavours in the wines has been a virtual trademark of the region.
Rioja’s wine classifications reflect the amount of time the wine has aged, in barrel and/or bottle, before being released. Here are the four different sub-classifications of Rioja wines;
1. Rioja (Previously labelled as Joven, meaning young) -These wines typically only spend a few months in oak and are released in the first couple of years after harvest. The wines display the fruit flavours of the grapes.
2. Rioja Crianza – Red wines spend at least one year in barrel (six months for white wines) and are further aged in the bottle before release. Like Joven, they showcase primary fruit flavours but with subtle oak nuances.
3. Rioja Reserva –The red wines have been aged for at least one year in oak and another two years in the bottle. These wines display more distinctive oak tones and more mature flavours.
4. Rioja Gran Reserva – The prize of Rioja winemaking. These wines, often made only in good vintages, are aged an amazing five years before release (a minimum of two years in oak and three years in barrel). Many producers exceed the minimums. The final wines are sumptuously smooth and complex.
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