Rioja Wine Region

Though wine is made throughout most of Spain, perhaps no region is more synonymous with Spanish wine than Rioja, the country’s oldest quality wine region. It is also its most iconic, with the name evoking nobility, history and culinary traditions. Initially, the winemaking was informed by both French and American influences; American oak barrels especially are a hallmark of the wines. Over the decades, new generations of winemakers have freshened up the styles and put their own stamp on Rioja. Today, it is the home of high-design winery architecture that reflects this innovative spirit.

History of the Rioja Wine Region

Winemaking in Rioja has been documented as early as the 11th century B.C. with the Phoenicians. Winemaking since then has been nearly uninterrupted, carried by the region’s various inhabitants.

Don Manuel Esteban Quintano is largely credited for setting the stage for quality winemaking in Rioja. In the 1700s, Quintano traveled to Bordeaux in search of better winemaking methods, particularly aging in oak barrels. In 1787, the Royal Board of Winegrowers (the Real Junta de Cosecheros) was established to promote grape growing, improve the quality of the region’s wine and aid trade foreign markets. The region took off a century later, in the late 1800s, when an influx of Bordelais producers and merchants, whose businesses were devastated by mildew and phylloxera, migrated to the region, bringing along their long-standing winemaking techniques. Barrel-aging soon became standard with the adoption of 225-liter barricas made of American oak. This is still a hallmark of Rioja today.

Though phylloxera eventually hit Rioja around the turn of the 20^th century, it was not as devasting as it was in France, as it was already known that vines could be protected by grafting them onto American rootstock. Wine production however, mirrored the country’s larger socio-political issues. The Spanish Civil War, two world wars and nearly 40 years of dictatorship all conspired to halt Spain’s quality wine production. Despite this, Rioja was the first Spanish region receive Denominación de Origen (DO) status in 1925. With the death of Francisco Franco in 1975 and a transition into a democracy, Spain revived its wine industry. In 1991, Rioja was the country’s first region to be elevated to the higher Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa) level.

Geography and Climate of the Rioja Wine Region

Located in north-central Spain, Rioja covers 210 square miles of land from Haro in the northwest to Alfaro in the southeast. The climate is a combination of Atlantic and Mediterranean influences, with generally mild temperatures and low rainfall of about 16 inches per year, though each of the three subregions differ slightly from one another.

Rioja Alta sits to the west. It is anchored by the historic wine town of Haro and is home to some of the most prestigious wineries in the area. Tempranillo grows exceptionally well in its clay-limestone soils. Most vineyards are south of the river and planted on high (“alta”) terraces, some reaching 2,600 feet in elevation. Graciano and Garnacha are also planted to a lesser extent.

Rioja Alavesa is the smallest subregion. It’s located north of the river and known for its steep slopes, high elevations, cool temperatures and chalky clay-limestone soil. Closest to the Atlantic Ocean, it is the most influenced by those cooler maritime conditions.

Rioja Oriental is the largest subregion of Rioja and has the lowest altitude. It accounts for 40% of Rioja’s production. The climate here is dry and warmer than Alta and Alavesa. Because of this, Garnacha plays a larger role in production, though Tempranillo is planted here, too.

Grapes of the Rioja Wine Region

Rioja’s red grapes include Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuela (Carignan) and the indigenous variety Maturana Tinta. The whites include Viura (Macabeo), Garnacha Blanca, Malvasía de Rioja, Maturana Blanca and Verdejo, as well as international varieties such as Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Wine Production of the Rioja Wine Region

Today, Rioja boasts more than 163,000 acres of registered vineyards, 600 wineries and 14,000 winegrowers who make red, white and rosé wines. Styles range from the traditional Rioja profile of medium-bodied with muted fruit and cedar to more modern styles dense in color, fruit and spice. Many Rioja wines are noted for their outstanding aging potential, whether in American or French oak or a combination. Wines vinified in stainless steel, however, are produced for more immediate consumption.

Classification of Wine in the Rioja Wine Region.

Rioja wines are classified by origin (zone, municipality, single vineyard) and aging

(Generic, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva).

For aging, the categories are:

• Generic: Young wines with little to no barrel aging
• Crianza: Red wines in their third year of age, with a minimum of one year spent in oak barrels. For white and rosé wines, a minimum aging period in barrels of six months and a minimum period in the cellar of 18 months is required.
• Reserva: Specially selected red wines are aged for 36 months, with a minimum of 12 months in barrel and six months in bottle. White and rosé wines must spend at least two years aging, with six months in barrel.
• Gran Reserva: Produced only in the best vintages, these red wines must spend at least 60 months years aging, with at least two in barrel and two in bottle. White and rosé wines must spend at least four years aging, with at least six months in barrel.

In 2017, the Rioja DOCa added Espumosos de Calidad, a category of white and rosé sparkling wines, which must be produced in the traditional method with at least 15 months of aging before release and sugar levels below that of brut.

All DOC and DOCa wines bear the Rioja seal on the back of the bottle as a sign of quality and authenticity. More recently, the Rioja Consejo approved new labels communicating further details regarding origin and other productions standards. Viñedo Singular specifies vineyards and estates with a history of producing top-quality wines. Viños de Municipio are grown, vinified, aged and bottled within a specific municipality. Viños de Zona indicates from which of Rioja’s three subregions the wine originates.

Famous Wines of the Rioja Wine Region

Notable producers include Vega Sicilia, Beronia, La Rioja Alta, CVNE, López de Heredia, Muga, Marqués de Murrieta and Marqués de Riscal. New boutique producers are also on the rise.

Fun Facts About the Rioja Wine Region

• Each June 29, thousands of wine lovers and tourists descend on Haro for the “Battle of the Wine of Haro.” In keeping with tradition, participants trek up to the Hermitage of San Felices located on the Bilibio cliffs, where 35,000-plus gallons of wine are flung in a wine-throwing fight.
• In 1609, the central Rioja city Logroño was the backdrop for the Basque witch trials. Today, it is a stop on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail and a culinary destination known for its pintxo bars along Calle Laurel.
• Rioja has the largest number of barrels in the world, more than 1,331,000.