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La Rioja, located in the northern part of Spain, not to be confused with La Rioja in Argentina, is a renowned wine-producing region that offers a signature flavor spectrum.
- A History of Wine Production in Rioja
- White Wines and Other Styles
- Geography
- Subregions
- Aging Categories
- New Site-Based Classifications
Rioja was the very first Spanish region to be awarded DO status, back in 1933. In 1991, it became the first to be upgraded to the top-level DOCa (see Spanish Wine Labels). The region's winemaking history stretches back to Roman times and has continued almost unbroken ever since. Production flourished between 200 BC and the 6th Century AD. This is s...
Rioja Blanco typically accounts for 7 to 8 percent of annual production. The category is often obscured by the volume and success of the red wines. The region's top white wine grape was once Malvasia, which was used to create flavorful, high-alcohol wines, often with significant oak influence. Today, the emphasis has shifted to Viura (aka Macabeo),...
The Rioja wine region is contained mostly within the La Rioja administrative region, through which the Rio Oja river flows. However, its northernmost vineyards are sited in neighboring Navarra and Pais Vasco (Basque Country). The region is demarcated less by political and administrative boundaries and more by geographical features. Chief among thes...
Rioja Alta
Rioja Altais the western portion of Rioja. As the name suggests the vineyards are sited at higher altitudes than what was formerly Rioja Baja. Soils have more clay, iron and alluvial elements and less limestone than neighboring Alavesa. The wines tend to be regarded as elegant with balanced acidity.
Rioja Alavesa
Rioja Alavesaconsists of two separate enclaves of land adjoining Rioja Alta. Though they both lie within the Rioja DOCa zone, they are not within La Rioja, but instead the Basque province of Alava. Vineyards are sited at similar altitudes to Rioja Alta, and the macroclimate is similar. Soils tend to have more limestone than in Rioja Alta, and the wines can show more acidity.
Rioja Oriental
Rioja Oriental(formerly Rioja Baja) is the eastern section of the Rioja zone. The climate here is much more heavily influenced by the Mediterranean. Dryer and warmer than the other two regions, there is more emphasis on Garnacha here. Wines can be markedly fuller in body than those from the other subregions. Most of the region lies south of the Ebro within La Rioja. However, in the Oriental zone, Rioja DOCa vineyards north of the river actually fall within the political boundaries of Navarra.
Rioja's traditional classification system for aging (with quality implied) has influenced other Spanish regions. The words Crianza and Reserva occasionally appear on South American bottles though no legal framework has been adopted. This emphasis on aging can be explained by the lack of vineyard holdings on the part of early Rioja wineries. Thus th...
In 2018 the Consejo Regulador (governing body) introduced three geographic categories. These can be implemented from the 2017 vintage onwards. Producers may now, if they meet strict rules, produce single-vineyard wines under the Viñedo Singular banner. Vines must be hand-picked and at least 35 years old. Yields are set low and a tasting evaluation ...
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 is the infamous wine named after the region of La Rioja in Northern Spain. La Rioja is most famous for its wines made with Tempranillo grapes that grow well in the region’s dry climate. La Rioja is in the Ebro River Valley and its 7 small tributaries create the valleys of Rioja.
- Location. Located in north-eastern Spain, Rioja DOCa covers most of the autonomous region of La Rioja but also extends to neighbouring Basque Country, Navarra and Castilla Y León.
- Climate. Rioja sits on a plateau with an altitude of between 300 and 800 metres, sheltered from the Atlantic by the Sierra Cantabria to the north and west, and from the Mediterranean by the Sierras de la Demanda and de Cameros, to the south.
- History. Viticulture in Rioja goes back more than 2000 years, thanks both to Iberian tribes and Roman settlers. Rioja played an important role in the development of Spanish language, culture and historiography: the first Castilian words were written in the 11th century A.D.
- French influence. The fast development of Rioja’s modern winemaking era began when, in the second half of the 19th century, France sought alternatives to domestic wine after seeing its vineyards devastated by phylloxera.
Rioja is a wine region in Northern Spain, located between both banks of the Ebro River. The Pyrenees and Cantabrian Mountains provide a rainshadow effect, protecting the region from heavy ocean breezes.
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Rioja Region. Rioja is in North Central Spain. It’s about 2 hours drive from Bilbao in a valley along the Ebro River. The entire valley is moderated by the Sierra Cantabria, a small but jagged mountain range that stops clouds from coming into the Rioja valley.
