The Greatness of Rioja

MWS Social Media Maven, Emily Crichton, explains why Rioja is worthy of your attention.

Though no two palates on this earth are alike, one thing that is common to almost all wine lovers is the desire to find wines that scintillate our taste buds but don't drain our bank accounts. When we discover a single producer that achieves this, it's a thrill... But when an entire region has more or less accomplished this throughout its (quite extensive) winemaking history? That's greatness. As the home of Spain's very first DOCa (its highest classification of quality), Rioja is undoubtedly one of its finest wine-producing regions. Furthermore, compared to other great wine regions throughout the world (Bordeaux, for ex) Rioja's quality-to-price ratio is, well.... There's almost no comparison.

As with other wine regions throughout history, where the Romans went (and subsequently, conquered) wine followed. Rioja was no exception to this, and when the Romans conquered it in the 2nd Century B.C, its official oenological identity was born. Since then, both the red and white wines of Rioja have garnered attention and praise from wine professionals, amateur enthusiasts, and everyone in between. Truly, everywhere you look people are talking about this region's virtues! While WineCAST #31 on the Spanish wine-aging system prompted me to do a little research on Rioja, I didn't have to look too hard before I noticed that accolades for this region are literally all over the place. Case in point, Masters of Wine, Jancis Robinson and Simon Field, co-wrote an article about Rioja in Issue 32 of "The World of Fine Wines". The article focused on a recent tasting- what Robinson dubbed "a truly wonderful, unforgettable session"- they'd gone to featuring wines that are "among the best ever produced in Rioja". Most of the wines were from the '60s and '70s, but some dated as far back as 1945. I have never tasted wine that old, but their tasting notes (and my wine-obsessed imagination) are vivid enough to make me swoon ten times over. One especially interesting point they made is that while Rioja has a reputation for its love of oak, the MWs noted hardly any oaky notes at all... A result of bottle age or simply the style in which the wines were produced at the time? Perhaps a little of both. Unless I researched & tasted the 50+ wines at the tasting (which I'd be happy to do, of course), I suppose there's no way of knowing. As a side note, this trademark oaky style has admittedly attracted varying opinions of Spanish wines, prompting producers to experiment with less and/or different types of oak in recent years. Consequently, one will often hear of Spanish wines in terms of either "modern" or "traditional" styles. Certainly there are, and always will be, numerous examples of quality wines in both categories.

Regardless, Robinson & Field's adoration was unmistakable. Robinson wrote "Where else in the world could produce such a consistently high standard in similar vintages? Possibly Burgundy? Bordeaux would not....They have lasted so well!" Words like "intense" "smoky" "structured" and "powerful" were common throughout the tasting notes. This is especially interesting since a typical Rioja red wine is a blend of mainly Tempranillo & Garnacha (aka Grenache)- two grape varieties that are known more for their softness and quixotic nature respectively, not so much for their power and ageability. Clearly, there's something very special going on in this part of the world.

That being said, the average wine lover (heck, even the average wine professional!) will never experience 40+ year old Rioja wines... but the good news? This region is so plush with diversity and value that whether you're looking for something young and approachable or something to collect a little dust, chances are Rioja's got you covered and then some. Now tell me that's not great...

Read more about MWS Social Media Maven, Emily Crichton

To learn more about Rioja wines, watch WineCAST#31: Rioja Wines and Spanish Aging Requirements