ES: Ebro River Valley Flashcards
Rioja subzones + departments
- Rioja Alta: Castilla y Leon, La Rioja
- Rioja Oriental: Navarra
- Rioja Alavesa: Pais Vasco
Ebro River’s Rioja tributaries
Rioja Alta: Oja , Najerilla, Iregua
Rioja Alavesa: —
Rioja Oriental: Leza, Cidacos, Alhama
Name 5 Rioja Blanco grapes (9)
100% authorized grapes
- Viura
- Garnacha Blanca
- Malvasia
- Tempranillo Blanco
- Maturana Blanca
- Turruntes
- Chardonnay
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Verdejo
Rioja Rosado varietal requirements
Min. 25% authorized red grapes
(Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo, Graciano, Maturana Tinta)
Rioja Tinto authorized grapes (5)
- Tempranillo
- Garnacha
- Mazuelo
- Graciano
- Maturana Tinta
Rioja soils
Short answer: a range of clay-limestone, clay-ferrous, and alluvial soils
* Alta: yellow calcareous + iron-rich clay south of Ebro
* Oriental: land east of Iregua River; some iron-rich clay but mostly alluvial silty soils
* Alavesa: high limestone/calcareous clay
Permitted vine training methods in Rioja
- Cordon (single or double)
- en vaso (bush vines)
- vara y pulgar
- double Guyot (all whites except Viura, Malvasía, and Garnacha Blanca)
Rules for Rioja Espumoso de Calidad
- manual harvest
- start to finish in same location
- no additions, coloring, filtering during production
- usual Transfer method rules
- Gran Añada is/must state the single vintage
Varieties follow same rules as blanco/rosado still wines
15/24 for Reserva/36 for Gran Añada
** just remember that these can still produce cava
Rioja Espumoso de Calidad Gran Añada
- min. 36 months on lees
- vintage dated, 100% from said vintage
Rules for Rioja Single Vineyard category
- vyd approved by reg board
- winery has 10yr history w vyd
- vyd <35 yrs old
- 100% from that vyd - manual harvest
- produced, aged, bottled at named winery
- Consejo is hands on- you must declare, they reserve right to control the vyd from July 1 to ensure no manipulation
- arrival/fruit weight entered into ‘Tarjeta de Viticultor’, submitted to the Consejo for review
Rioja Vinos de Municipio, Vinos de Zona - % rules
100% from zona or municipio
* 15% allowance for neighboring zona/muni if 10yr history working with vineyard
year that Rioja DOCa was established
1991
Rioja name for Cariñena
Mazuelo
Rioja mountain range that shields from Atlantic influence
Sierra Cantabria
Spanish synonyms for Trousseau
Maturana Tinta (Rioja)
Merenzao (Bierzo)
Tintilla (Tenerife)
Synonym for Viura
Macabeo
Rioja barrel size
225L
(RdB = max 330L for aging)
Aging terms for Rioja Blanco
Crianza: 18m, 6 in wood
Reserva: 2 yrs, 6 in wood
Gran Reserva: 4yrs, 6 in wood
Aging terms for Rioja Tinto
Crianza: 2yrs, 1 in wood
Reserva: 3yrs, 1 in wood + 6m bottle
Gran Reserva: 5yrs, 2 in wood + 1 in bottle
Aging terms for Rioja Sparkling
Regular: 15 months on lees
Reserva: 24 months on lees
Gran Añada: 36 months on lees
Rioja Cosecha
little to no barrel aging, style driven by freshness and primary fruit flavors
(unlike RdB where Cosecha means that the wine exceeds age designations)
1st Spanish region to achieve DO status
Rioja, 1925
(also first for DOCa - 1991)
Rioja climate
Continental + Atlantic, Mediterranean influences
* Alta: Atlantic-influenced
* Alavesa: cooler, more humid + Atlantic Influenced
* Baja: warmer, dry, Meditteranean
Rioja Alta
Atlantic-influenced; mostly south of Ebro River
* clay-limestone soils, iron content
* Logroño, Haro = major towns
Rioja Alavesa
Pais Vasco
* Cantabrian Mountains to the north, Ebro River to the south
* high elevations, cooler temps
* high limestone concentration
Rioja Oriental
- climate
- soils
- mountains
- river valleys (4)
Easternmost; Mediterranean influenced
* varied soils, but generally more clay, alluvial content
* Garnacha territory
* Yerga Mountains
* Alhama, Leza, Cidacos, Juberra Valleys/Tributaries
Most planted red grapes in Rioja
1 Tempranillo
#2 Garnacha
#3 Graciano
#4 Mazuelo
#5 Maturana Tinta
Most planted white grapes in Rioja
1 Viura
#2 Garnacha Blanca
#3 Malvasia
#4 Tempranillo Blanco
#5 Maturana Blanc
#6 Turruntes
Rioja Viños de Zona
Indicates subzone - permitted since 1998, recently updated to improve visibility
* whole process must occur in zone - exception given to a 15% allowance for neighboring zone inclusion with 10yr history working with vineyard
Lopez de Heredia Vineyards
- Tondonia
- Bosconia
- Cubillas
- Zaconia (used for Gravonia wines)
2 major Rioja Alta towns
Logroño
Haro
Rioja Oriental mountain range
Yerga Mountains
Rioja Oriental major town
Alfaro
Castillo Ygay
Marques de Murrieta
Tinto/Blanco Gran Reserva
phylloxera in Rioja
1899
*remember that there was a good amount of time for Rioja to sub in for Bordeaux (1869) before going down itself
traditional wire cages around Rioja bottles
Mallas
“fraud protection”
Rioja Consejo Regulador
- 1787: Real Junta de Cosecheros, or Royal Board of Winegrowers is formed to promote growing/qualty and trade alliances
*1925 - this is important to note as it was the first in Spain
Txoko
A Basque term - a society that meets to enjoy wine and good food
What winery holds the oldest bottling license in the Rioja appellation?
Bilbainas - dating to 1857
CVNE
Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España
Haro, 1879
* Imperial: 1st vintage 1920. Imperial pint sized bottles = namesake
* Monopole = Spain’s oldest white wine brand; 1915. Sherry from Hidalgo-la Gitana
* 3 wineries: Vina Real (Alavesa), Contino (Alavesa), Imperial (Alta)
Producer’s in Haro’s station quarters
Gomez Cruzado
Muga
CVNE
Lopez de Heredia (oldest, 1877)
Lopez de Heredia Tondonia Gran Reserva vintages
2001, 2002
1991, 1994, 1995
1981, 1985, 1987
1970, 1976
1961, 1964
1954
Vega Sicilia in Rioja
Macán (2009 was the 1st bottling)
Partnership with Benjamin de Rothschild
La Rioja Alta, S.A.
Haro, 1890
* merged w Ardanza Company 1904, commemorated with 904 Gran Reserva
* most of production is reserva/gran reserva
Muga
Haro, 1932
* Prado Enea (traditional; Gran Reserva)
* Torre Muga (new French barrique)
* Aro ($$$$; 100% Tempranillo)
Remelluri
Rioja Alavesa; Labastida
Est 1967
* 1st property in Rioja to release 100% estate-bottled wines
Marques de Riscal
Rioja Alavesa; Elciego
* est 1858
* 1st to plant Cab Sauv in Rioja
* Modern - very Bordeaux inspired
* Baron de Chirel Reserva- top bottling
* Rueda Verdejo/SB pioneer (w Emile Peynaud)
Artadi
- location
- top wine
Laguardia, Rioja Alavesa
* left the DOCa in 2015 bc the label Rioja “had no value”
* focused on high elevation single site expressions
* flagship = Viña El Pison
Rioja’s highest elevation vineyards?
Labastida in Rioja Alavesa
Navarra DO - historic specialty, subzones
Specialty: deep-hued rosado. Garnacha, saignee only - no direct press
* 5 subzones: Ribera Alta, Ribera Baja, Valdizarbe, Tierra Estella, Baja Montaña
Aragon DO’s (4)
Catalyud DO
Cariñena DO
Campo do Borja DO
Somontano DO
Best Rioja vintages 2000 - 2010?
2001: frosts but superior quality
2004
2005
2010
Best Rioja vintages 2010 to now?
2010
2011: hot, heat-stressed = powerful wines
[2019, 2021= best recently]
Highest yielding Rioja vintages
2018 = 2nd largest vintage ever but only “good” in quality. Inconsistent
2016 was very good and abundant
Worst and/or challenging Rioja vintages?
2013 = worst of the worst
cold, wet, uneven
2014: grey rot
2017: frost, drought, earliest harvest ever (Aug 10). Inconsistent
2020: mildew vintage
2022: hottest vintage on record
2023: Aug heatwave, September rain + hail damage. Not good
Catalyud DO
Aragon’s largest DO
* arid continental; vines planted 500M+
* Jalón River
* Garnacha (2/3), Tempranillo, Syrah. 92% red production, but white/sparkling/sweet styles also allowed
* Viñas Viejas = 35+
* Catalyud Superior = min. 85% Garnacha 50+ yrs
Cariñena DO
Aragon; DO since 1932, established quality standards since 1696
* Garnacha #1, Tempranillo #2
* Huerva River
Campo do Borja DO
Aragon
* Moncayo Massif
* Garnacha #1
Somontano DO
“Under the Mountains”
Aragon; between Ebro River & Pyrenees
* the least “arid continental” of Aragon DOs
* 15 grapes auth. - mix of intl and Garnacha, Tempranillo
Aragon: DO’s + major rivers & mountains
Huerva River (Cariñena DO)
Jalón River (Catalyud DO)
Ebro River, Pyrenees (Somontano DO)
Moncayo Massif (Campo do Borja DO)
Hottest Rioja vintage on record?
2022
Name 5 centenarian wineries in Rioja
Marques de Riscal (1858)
Bodegas Faustino
Lopez de Heredia (1877)
La Rioja Alta
Gomez Cruzado
Bilbainas (1857)
Marques de Murrieta
Marques de Riscal
CVNE
What river divides Rioja Alta from Rioja Oriental
Iregua River
