Fascinating Facts about Spain’s Iconic Rioja Region

The Rioja wine region extends along the river Ebro, an area which is unique in its ability to produce high quality wines. Back in the late nineteenth century, wines here were of such high quality and in such high demand that it was decided they needed protecting. Therefore, in 1925 the first Designation of Origin was introduced to protect Rioja from the possibility of counterfeit wines being produced, including all three of its ‘zones’ – Alta, Alavesa and Oriental.

Alta is a zone located on the western edge of Rioja. This area enjoys higher elevations making the growing season here shorter. As a result wines from this area have brighter fruit flavours, which are lighter on the palate. Alavesa is located on the Northern bank of the river Ebro where soil quality is poorer. Vines are therefore spaced out further to reduce competition for nutrients. The wines produced here are often fuller bodied and high in acidity. And finally, Oriental is the warmest and driest zone in Rioja where temperatures commonly reach in excess of 35 degrees during the summer months. The wines produced here are therefore darker in colour and generally slightly higher in alcohol, with a lower acidity.

In 1991, Rioja became the first region to ever be awarded Calificada DO (DOCa) – the highest protection which can be awarded in Spain. This means wines are made under the strictest guidelines and are therefore of the highest possible quality.

One thing that surprises many people about this incredible Spanish region is the sheer diversity of it. Rioja is the home to 567 wineries, 14,088 grape growers and covers over 65,000 hectares of planted vineyards. The region has an abundance of microclimates throughout due to its varied terrain which result in distinct changes in terroir. As a result, Rioja is a region bursting with variety and really does produce wines to suit any palate. The diversity of this region has evolved over time and is a result of the rich history of this area. Vineyards have been passed down through generations and most winemakers have grown up learning the skills from their parents, making winemakers here some of the most talented in the world. It’s therefore no surprise that this region has built a reputation for exceptional quality.

That’s right, Rioja has the most barrels of any wine producing region in the world. In fact, they have 1.3 million of them! It will therefore come as no surprise that barrel ageing is a classic trademark of wines from Rioja, with strict rules around the ageing requirements. In the past it wasn’t uncommon for wines to be aged for 15-20 years, however nowadays it’s generally much shorter than this.

There are four classifications of ageing in Rioja: Generic, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva. A wine classed as Generic is often drunk young and fresh with minimal ageing, making them much lighter and fruitier. Winemakers can also label a wine as Generic when they want some flexibility with the ageing requirements. These wines therefore tend to be quite modern expressions of Rioja. Crianza refers to wines aged for at least 2 years, with at least one of those years in oak for red wines, or at least 6 months in oak for white and rosé. Reserva is a little stricter with red requiring a minimum of 36 months of ageing, 12 of which must be in oak, or 24 months of ageing for white and rosé with at least 6 of those in oak. And finally, Gran Reserva is the longest of all with a minimum of 24 months in oak followed by 36 in the bottle for red wines, or 48 months of ageing for whites and rosés with a minimum of 6 of those in the barrel. These ageing requirements are quite complex, however extremely important to the region and are ultimately what make some of these wines just so exceptional!

When we think of Rioja the chances are bright, fruity Tempranillo based reds come to mind. And that’s no surprise considering 75% of wine from this region is Tempranillo. However, in actual fact there are more white grape varieties permitted under this protected area than black. Up until 2007 this wasn’t the case, as there were 4 black grape varieties allowed and just 3 white, however, due to changes in the region, there is now just 5 permitted black grapes and 9 white. Viura is the most common white found here, accounting for 69% of all white grapes grown in the region, followed by Tempranillo Blanco. This was the first time since the designation was first created in 1925 that new grape varieties were added. The idea behind this was to try and increase the competitiveness of white wines in this region and further increase the diversity of Rioja. So, watch this space, white wines from Rioja are certainly on the rise, and should definitely be on your list to try.

And there we have it! Rioja is a vibrant, lively area, bursting with diversity and exceptional vino. Click the red button below to see our range of wines from this region.