Spanish wines are picking up the pace in the United States, because once they are tasted they lure you in with their power and elegance. Understanding Rioja can be a bit more tricky, however, but once understood its time to start exploring.
Winemaking in Rioja dates back more than 1,200 years and is steeped in history as most wines of Europe are. The wineries were actually established by a growing community of sheep farmers, and were traditionally vinified for communal purposes for the Catholic churches. Today Spain is the number three importer behind France and Italy.
In Rioja the queen of grapes is the Tempranillo which covers 80% of vineyard land there. Most of the red wines are made primarily from this grape, which displays aromas and flavors of red fruits with soft tannins when young,and developing earthy aromas and flavors with age. There are four other grapes grown in Rioja that add complexity and balance to the vines. These grapes include Garnacha Tinta, Graciano, and Mazuelo. In various proportions they add color, acid, and alcohol to the blend.
Rioja is also labeled and shows different characters depending on its age. The youngest wine category is Consecha. These wines are indicated by an olive green label on the back of the bottle. They must be aged for less than one year in oak and less than one year in the bottle before release. They are meant to drink young, fairly inexpensive, and show fruitier, jammy flavors. The next category is Crianza, which has to age at least one year in cask and one year in bottle. These wines start to develop more complexity from their aging requirement and can start to show different layers of complexity. The wines are indicated by a red label on the back of the bottle. Next is Resrva indicated by a a burgundy back label. These wines must age for one full year in cask and two years in bottle. The wines have more depth of flavor and come from the better vineyards of the region. Lastly, is Gran Reserva. This wine is indicated by a royal blue label, showing the royalty of the wine in this region. Grapes are picked from the best vineyards and must age for two full years in cask and three years in bottle. The wines can last for fifteen to twenty years developing layers upon layers of flavors of fruit, earth, and even mushroom.
The most common white wine is Viura. This wine tastes fresh and crisp with apple and citrus flavors. Other grape varieties include Malvasia, and Garnacha Blanca which can be added in various proportions.
The reds are best enjoyed with various meat dishes and can even go well with difficult food pairings such as Indian curry dishes. Overall the reds are very versatile. The whites are fabulous with seafood and are great summer sippers. Either way, try something new and exciting from the typical wines on the grocery store shelves. Discover the number one wine in Spain; Rioja.
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