Rioja — Tempranillo is the Star in this Spanish Wine Region

Spain is one of the world’s major wine producing countries. It is in the top three, along with Italy and France, having the most acreage under vines and producing the third largest volume of wine behind Italy and France. (Spain is likely to overtake both countries in terms of production when the tally is final for the most recent vintage.)  Spain also exports a lot of wine, especially to the US, which is Spain’s largest non-European market. So, chances are you have heard of or seen wines from Spain in the store or on restaurant wine lists.

Rioja is a wine region located in northern Spain (between Bilbao and Madrid) that is highly regarded for its Tempranillo, which comprises the majority of the plantings in the region. Garnacha, Carignan (called Mazuelo in Rioja) and Graciano are also planted and are most often blending partners to Tempranillo. White wine production comprises only a small fraction of total production, mainly from Viura (called Macabeo elsewhere in Spain), Malvasia de Rioja and Garnacha Blanca. Recently, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc have been added to the list of approved varieties and you will find Rosé wines are made in Rioja as well.

Viticulture in the region dates back to Roman times, continued during the Middle Ages and in the monasteries of the area after that. When powdery mildew in the 1840s and then phylloxera in the late 1860s invaded Bordeaux devastating the vineyards (both ‘gifts’ from North America) the French needed to look elsewhere for wine. They naturally looked south and ran smack into Rioja just beyond the Pyrenees Mountains. The French helped improve the quality of wines produced in the region and put Rioja ahead of other wine regions in Spain.

Two World Wars and the Spanish Civil War in particular pretty seriously impacted wine production in Spain, setting all of Spanish wine production back. With the resolution of these conflicts, Rioja was well prepared in terms of winemaking skill to move forward quickly.

Rioja is a region approximately 60 miles in length, running from Haro in the western end of the valley to Alfaro in the east and straddling the Ebro River. At its maximum, the valley is 25 miles wide. The wine region is roughly funnel shaped with the narrowest portion near Haro. The rainy, cool maritime influence of the Atlantic Ocean is moderated by the Cantabrian Mountains to the northwest which continue on to become the Basque Mountains and eventually the Pyrenees Mountains to the north. To the south a series of mountains run nearly to the Mediterranean and moderate the very warm continental climate of central Spain. It is through this depression between these mountain ranges that the Ebro River runs originating in the Cantabrian mountains and emptying into the Mediterranean.

Rioja is divided into three regions based largely on climate, elevation and soil type.
Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Alta have the most Atlantic influence, with nearly 20 inches of rain annually in the wettest portions, and are located at the western end of Rioja. Rioja Alavesa is smaller and located entirely north of the Ebro River. Soil here is chalky clay and terraced vineyards are located on small parcels. The climate is considered Mediterranean in spite of the Atlantic influence.

Rioja Alta has the highest elevations and the climate here has the most Atlantic influence, though it benefits from Continential and Mediterranean influences as well. Soil types are described as chalky-clay, ferrous-clay and alluvial over limestone.

Rioja Baja, the third region is flatter, warmer and drier. Its more eastern location means the climate is essentially Mediterranean, days can be very hot is the summer. The soils here are a combination of rocky alluvial and ferrous clay similar to that of Rioja Alta. Garnacha is particularly happy growing here.

Blending not only grape varieties, but also grapes grown in all three of these regions has been the practice historically and continues today in Rioja. This allows winemakers to take advantage of the variable soil, elevation and climate nuances of each vintage.

Spain recognizes six levels of wine in terms of quality. The two major quality designations are Denominación de Origen (DO) and Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa). Allowed grape varieties, crop yield, winemaking and aging requirements are determined for each DO by a consejo regulador, the governing body responsible for establishing regulations and area boundaries. The designation DOCa represents the best of the DOs, and to date only Rioja and Priorat have earned DOCa status. (The very highest designation, Vino de Pago, applies to vineyards as opposed to regions.)

Finally, a note on aging of Rioja wines. Wood aging is generally accomplished in 225 L oak barrels (the French influence). Aging requirements are defined and certified. Each bottle of Rioja will bear a numbered back label certifying aging, origin, vintage and quality of the wine. The categories are defined as follows (from Rioja DOCa at riojawine.com):

• Young wines: Wines in their first or second year, which keep their primary freshness and fruitiness.
• Crianza wines: Wines which are at least in their third year, having spent a minimum of one year in casks. For white wines, the minimum cask aging period is 6 months.
• Reserva wines: Selected wines of the best vintages with an excellent potential that have been aged for a minimum of 3 years, with at least one year in casks. For white wines, the minimum aging period is 2 years, with at least 6 months in casks.
• Gran Reserva wines: Selected wines from exceptional vintages which have spent at least 2 years in oak casks and 3 years in the bottle. For white wines, the minimum aging period is 4 years, with at least one year in casks.

We recently tasted a collection of six wines from Rioja at a Thursday night tasting at Fine Wines of Stockton. Here is what we tasted and our notes from the tasting.

2001 Ramirez de la Piscina Gran Reserva — dark garnet in the glass. Aromas are dominated by dried plums and are very concentrated. The flavors that follow include dried dark fruit, leather, tobacco and black tea. Tannins are present but fairly smooth in texture and acidity is adequate. Overall this wine tastes aged, fruit flavors are mature and the tannins are smoothed out.

This Reserva is 100% Tempranillo, hand harvested from minimum 30 year old vines, located in Rioja Alta. Aging begins in American and French oak for 24 months and is completed with 36 months aging in the bottle before release.

2007 Herederos del Marqués de Riscal Reserva — medium garnet in the glass. Aromas in the glass are a combination of dark fruit and iodine — almost a bit medicinal. Flavors are a combination of dark ripe fruit and earth. Tannins are still prominent and grippy. The combination of dark fruit and earthiness is constantly changing in the glass and makes for a very interesting glass of wine.The tannins are still significant and grippy.

Made from a blend of 90% Tempranillo (from Rioja Alavesa), 7% Graciano, 3% Carignan (Mazuelo). Oak aging begins with 2 years in American oak and is completed with at least one year aging in the bottle before release.

2007 Marqués de Murrieta Reserva — dark garnet in the glass. Aromas of dark fruit and earth are followed by flavors of ripe raspberries and blackberries with a bit of licorice. Tannins are significant and grippy and this wine has zippy acidity. Overall, this wine is a riper style with bright fruit flavors and a bit of heat in the finish.

This blend of 85% Tempranillo, 8% Garnacha, 6% Carignan (Mazuelo), 1% Graciano and was harvested from Estate vineyards surrounding the winery located in the southern portion of Rioja Alta. Vineyards are located at an elevation roughly between 1000 to 1600 feet above sea level. Aging in American oak barrels for 20 months was followed by bottle aging for 24 months before release.

2008 Coto de Imaz Reserva — ruby-garnet in the glass with subtle aromas of smoke and dark fruit. Plum and blackberry flavors combine with tobacco, smoke and leather. Tannins are moderate and drying, there is good acidity and the body is lighter in this wine than in the prior three wines. Complex flavors in a lighter bodied wine is always my favorite combination.

Made from 100% Tempranillo harvested from the Rioja Alta region. Aging in American oak barrels for 17 months was followed by bottle aging for 3.5 years before release.

2009 Muga Reserva — dark ruby in the glass along with dark cherry aromas and a bit of earthiness. Flavors are a bright combination of red and dark fruit with ripe flavors and a hint of black tea. Tannins are grippy and the wine has good acidity. Overall this wine has brighter, younger fruit flavors than the prior wines.

For the 2010 Reserva  the blend is 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, 7% Carignan (Mazuelo), 3% Graciano with 24 months in oak (unknown type) and finally a minimum of one year aging in the bottle. (I couldn’t find the details for 2009 vintage.) The Bodegas Muga vineyards are located in Rioja Alta.

2009 Sierra Cantabria Crianza — dark ruby in the glass with ripe dark cherry aromas. Ripe plum and black cherry flavors predominate with only a hint of black tea flavors in the background. The tannins are very grippy and slightly bitter on the finish. This wine has good acidity and still tastes very young. It needs time in the bottle to pull itself together.

Harvested from vineyards in San Vicente de la Sonsierra (Rioja Alta) and Labastida (Rioja Alavesa) near Haro, this 100% Tempranillo is barrel aged 14 months in French and American oak barrels then bottle aged before release.

An interesting collection of wines that demonstrates how the flavors of Rioja change over time. The 2009 vintage wines still showed bright, fruit-forward flavors with only a hint of black tea and earthy flavors in the background. Tannins were grippy, but really it was the brighter fruit flavors than made the most difference. The older Tempranillos had more mature, dried fruit and darker fruit flavors with more obvious flavors of earth and tobacco or leather. Both are enjoyable flavors so make you choice of wine based on age to match the flavors you prefer.

Tempranillo is said to express unique flavors based on where it is grown in Rioja. That makes sense to me, but this small sampling does not allow us to draw any conclusions about that. More “research” will be necessary.

Roasted or grilled meat is the natural choice for these flavorful, tannic wines. Add roasted vegetables and potatoes and you will have yourself a feast.

If you are interested in learning more about what makes this region so unique, the Worlds Flavor of Spain website has a series of interesting videos explaining the geology, climate, soil and winemaking. Caution: you will want to visit the region after viewing these videos. I’m ready to pack my suitcase!

Our next post will detail our recent tasting of Tempranillo from another region in Spain, Ribera del Duero, where the climate is much warmer.

Cheers!

Reference:

Robinson, Jancis. (Editor), 3rd edition, The Oxford Companion to Wine. Oxford University Press. Retrieved via www.jancisrobinson.com