Rioja Flashcards
Climate & Viticulture
100km long running north west to south east along the River Ebro. Up to 40km wide
Sierra de Cantabria to the north protecting from the worst of the Atlantic. To the south by the Sierra de la Demanda sheltering from the warm weather in the center. The valley of the Ebro is open and so eastern side gets some Mediterranean influence.
River Ebro has several tributaries for varying aspects and soils.
As the climate warms, vineyards at higher altitudes become more viable while lower levels suffer from drought.
Vintage variation is marked. Each year Rioja gets more or less influence from Atlantic (cool and wet) and Meditteranean (warm and dry). Some blend across Rioja for consistency while others reflect the vintage character.
A sig portion is trellis VSP making mechanization more possible. But still considerable old bush vines some over 100
Rioja Sub zone
Rioja Alta: Largest lying predominantly to the south of River Ebro and west of Logrono. Continental with some maritime influences. Near Ebro is relatively low altitude and hence warm with alluvial soils. Northwest corner is cooler and wetter with calcareous clay. Southern is at 700m and is cool and wet with ferrous clay.
Rioja Alavesa: Smallest and to the west of Logrono and north of River Ebro. Relatively cool and wet, similar to northwest of Rioja Alta. Up to 700m on calcareous clay.
Rioja Oriental: slightly smaller than Alta. East of Longrono both north and south of River Ebro. Originally called Baja but changed due to “low” meaning. Northern part around River Ebro is relatively low altitude and warmest driest region in Rioja. In the South vineyards are at 500 - 1,000m. At the highest, temps are as cool as Alta and Alavesa with calcareous and ferrous clay.
Because of the varied soils and aspect in each, generally thought a new remapping is warranted.
Wine Business
64,000ha (50% up from 1990) and growing.
Over 50% <1ha and 75% <2ha. 15,000 growers with half selling to coops who either sell to merchants or sell their own brand.
Top 13 producers make up half the sales in the region. but 80% of wineries make up just 11% of sales.
Export sales grew by 25% from 2008 to 2017 and now are 40% of vol (UK, DE, US). Crianza popular domestically with Gran Reserva for export.
Avg bottle price for Rioja sig higher than avg Spanish DO but sig less than than prestigous regions of FR and IT. Lots of good value Rioja.
Bodegas Familiares de Rioja is a group of 40 small and med producers who promote and campaign on issues impacting small producers such as min required stocks (22,500L) for wineries registered for release as Crianza, Reserva, Gran.
Rioja n Roll is a group of small first gen producers focusing on quality.
Tempranillo
88% of black grapes (50 yrs ago more half / half with Grenache)
Tempranillo produces reliably larger yields than Grenache so many G’s in Oriental were grubbed up and planted with Tempranillo. The legislation of irrigation further enabled this as G is more suitable to drought. Quality minded are now planting Grenache which is better suited to the warm dry conditions of Orientale.
Tempranillo is more suited to Alta and Alavesa where it can ripen in cooler higher altitudes on cool clay soils.
Dominant in most Red Rioja. Raspberry, black plum, med to med plus tannin and acid. Some make single varietal and others blend.
Other Black Varieties
Garnacha: 2nd most; but only 8% of black. Well suited to warm dry conditions of Rioja Orientale. Ripe strawberry, lower tannin, and fuller body
Graciano: Late ripening; drought resistant, small yields and susceptible to fungal disease. High acid and tannin, fresh black fruits. Occasionally single varietal. <2% of plantings.
Mazuelo: aka Carignan / Carinena; high acid. <2% of plantings. Occasionally single varietal.
Maturana Tinta: aka Trousseau. Became allowed in 2009 and tiny bug growing. Deep purple color, high acid, fresh cranberry and blackberry.
Cab Sauv: permitted but small
White Grapes
Viura: aka Macabeo / Macabeu; 70% of white plantings (6.5% of total). Late budding, late ripening, susceptible to botrytis so best in warm dry sites. Relatively neutral and can make a range of styles. Simple and early when made in a neutral style in stainless. Lower yields and matured in oak can produce concentrated complex wines with aging potential.
Tempranillo Blanco: Permitted as of 2004. 12% of whites. High acid, lemon, grapefruit, pineapple
Malvasia and Garnacha Blanca: Blending components to add diversity and acid (Garnacha Blanca). Oak matured mid priced wines.
Verdejo & Sauv Blanc: Varietal or blended with Viura
Red Winemaking
Aging requirements play a large role on the styles. This led to a branding hierarchy with the youngest at the bottom (cheapest and supposedly lowest quality) and oldest at the top (most expensive and highest quality).
Both aging length and vessel (225L barriques) are stipulated. But practices in the vineyard are not. So two Gran Reservas can have same aging but be very diff in terms of style, quality, price.
In the 1990’s a handful launched prem wines without an ageing category on the label and so being generic wine. Low yields, select parcels, made very ripe and concentrated wines aged in new French Oak. Often called vinos de autor were a step away from the past which were often aged for a very long time in American oak.
Style today is in between. Highlight the quality and character of the grapes. Earlier harvest, gentle extraction, older and or larger oak vessels (or neutral), shorter maceration. May use aging requirements or not. French now more common than American. Some us only Am many blend.
Blending from various parts of the DO and grapes is common. Creates a certain style and quality. But also many make varietal wines (typ Garnacha)
White Winemaking
Inexpensive made in simple unoaked style for early drinking. Protective winemaking techniques, fermented to dryness, at cool temps, in stainless, bottled soon after. Wines from high yields of Viura are neutral with med acidity. Verdejo, Tempranillo Blanco, Sauv Blanc either in blend with Viura or varietal can provide more intensity and acidity. Acceptable to good.
Mid and Prem are oaked. Historically were oxidative and unappealing. Now balanced and fresher in an oaked style. Viura, grown at lower yields, for more concentration and body. Malvasia and Garnacha Blanca sometimes blended in for a greater range of flavors. Med plus body and acidity, citrus, smoke and nuts from oak. Good to very good with some outstanding, mid to prem.
Castillo Y gay from Marques de Murrieta and Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva from Lopez de Heredia are the classic oxidative and are outstanding and super prem. Intense complex tertiary nuts honey, dry fuit, high acid
Rose Winemaking
Small volumes but some of the best and most expensive.
Tempranillo or Garnacha
Wine Law and Regulation
Growing discontent led to new legislation in 2017 to be used as of 2018. Producers can now label as follows:
Vino de Zona: Sourced from a single zone (Alta, Alavesa, Oriental) with 15% coming from another zone if the vineyard borders the mentioned zone and producer has been sourcing from there for 10 consecutive years. Vinification, aging, bottling within the zone.
Vino de Municipio: All grapes sourced from the municipality named with 15% from a bordering municipality if sourced 10 consecutive years. Vinification, aging, bottling within the municipality. This means the winery must be in the municipality.
Vinedo Singular: all grapes sourced from particular vineyards or estates that constitute the formal vinedo singular. Vinification, ageing, storing, bottling must occur within the same winery. Producer must have owned the vineyard for 10 years and vineyard must be min 35 years. Must be hand harvested and treated sustainably. Checks on traceability and a tasting panel. Label can include the zone, municipality and phrase vinedo singular.
Aging Rules
Red Wines
Generic: No Aging
Crianza: 24 total / 12 in barrel / none in bottle
Reserva: 36 total / 12 in barrel / 6 in bottle
Gran Reserva: 60 total / 24 in barrel / 24 in bottle
Total time from Oct 1 of harvest
White Wines Generic: No Aging Crianza: 24 total / 6 in barrel Reserva: 24 total / 6 in barrel Gran Reserva: 48 total / 6 in barrel Whites have no bottle
