Rioja region, Spain | Château Monty

The Rioja DOCa region in Spain is known for its red wines based on the Tempranillo grape. The typical blend is Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha. Rioja Gran Reserva wines age two years in cask and three years in bottle before release. Pink and white wines can also be made. The traditional choice of oak was American as the wood is thicker than French oak which reduces the wine’s exposure to air. Reserva wines age one year in cask and two years in bottle before release.

Rioja Sub-regions: There are three diverse official sub-regional growing areas in Rioja called Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Alavesa. ‘Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa are high and hilly with a broadly Atlantic climate, producing wines with body and acidity that are good for ageing. The flat, alluvial lands of Rioja Baja to the east, meanwhile, produce the alcoholic, jammy grapes that often go to make young reds and rosés,’ says Chris Losh.

Note that La Rioja (sic) is a region in Argentina. Rioja was the first Spanish wine region to obtain DO status in 1925. In 1991, it was promoted to DOCa (Qualified Designation of Origin), a higher category reserved for wines maintaining a proven consistency and quality over a long period of time. Rioja DOCa is known primarily for its reds based on Tempranillo.

Pink wines:

White wines: From the 2007 vintage onwards Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Verdejo were allowed in Rioja’s whites, together with the region’s traditional white varieties Viura, Garnacha Blanca and Malvasia Riojana.

Vineyard area & wine production: 2006 59,000 hectares, 92% red grapes compared with 83% a decade ago,’ (Steven Spurrier: ‘Really fabulous Rioja’, Decanter November 2006, p.98. 2016 ‘63,593 hectares (157,074 acres) under vine of which 57,998 hectares (143,255 acres) were red grapes. Red grapes comprised 80% Tempranillo, 7% Garnacha, around 2% each of Mazuelo and Graciano. Overall production of 442 milllion kg of grapes, 317.83 million litres of wine,’ (abridged from Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, 2018).

Winemaking: 1850s The Marquises of Riscal and Murrieta brought winemaking know-how such as barrel ageing from from Bordeaux to Rioja (Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, 2018). | 1990s A partial move from old American oak to newer, often French oak which some saw as reducing the capacity of the wines to age (Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, 2018).

Rioja Vintage classification: Rioja has its own vintage classification system for which there are five possible grades (John Radford 2005): Mediana or average (*); Normal or standard (**); Buena or good (***); Muy Buena or very good (****); Excelente or excellent (*****).

Rioja Vintages: 2010 A great vintage suitable for long cellaring (Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, 2018). | 2009 Very hot year saved by late rains, some great wines, others unlikely to age (Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, 2018). | 2008 Cool, wet, best suited to Gran Reservas (Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, 2018). | 2007 Cool, slow to ripen, late vintage with lower than normal alcohol levels (Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, 2018). | 2006 Another drought year after 2005, average quality (Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, 2018). | 2005 Excellent drought year (Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, 2018). | 2004 Excellent year, ageable wines (Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, 2018).| 2001 ‘Spring frosts reduced what had been expected to be a large and excellent vintage. Grapes in perfect health, excellent ripeness. Astonishingly forward cask samples,’ (John Radford, 2005). | 1995 ‘Yet another year of the century. Reasonable quantity. Budburst as early as March in some areas. Spring fosts did some damage in April. Time for a second budding in May. Everything went well from then on. Particularly early vintage. Excellent grape health, good quality,’ (John Radford, 2005, abridged). | 1994 ‘Small vintage coming after an almost two-year drought. Worried me from the start. Rioja desperate for a headliner and got it. Winemaking practices beginning to change, higher extraction, alcohol’ (John Radford). | 1993 ‘Dismal’ (John Radford, 2005). | 1992 ‘Dismal’ (John Radford, 2005). | 1982 ‘Fabulous year, perfect weather during ripening and harvest. The first ‘excelente’ or 5-star vintage since 1964, and it would be 12 years before the next one (John Radford, 2005).

Wineries

Certified organic: Palacios Duque. | Viña Ilusion.

Others:

Bibliography

Chris Losh, ‘Tales of the Unexpected,’ Wine Magazine November 1996, p.32-34

John Radford (2005), ‘Rioja revolution’, World of Fine Wine 7 2005 p.126-139.

Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, ‘Mature Rioja’, Decanter March 2018 p.89.