Rioja

Question 1

2010 Rioja

Answer 1

Excelente, should compete with 2005 in quality

Question 2

2009 Rioja

Answer 2

Muy Bueno, 2009 saw a bit of a throwback to the heat of 2003. Rioja Baja had a damaging hailstorm, reducing yields and producing some uneven results. Overall, many producers are happy with the smaller, carefully selected results.

Question 3

2008 Rioja

Answer 3

Muy Bueno, a cooler year with plenty of rain across Spain, more linear, elegant wines as a result.

Question 4

2007 Rioja

Answer 4

Muy bueno, a cool, late vintage resulting in long, slow ripening. Elegant wines for the near term

Question 5

2006 Rioja

Answer 5

Muy bueno, a warmer year than 2007 with adequate rainfall, but careful selection was required. The additional warmth of the vintage yielded some wines on the flabby side. Richer wines for the near term

Question 6

2005 Rioja

Answer 6

Excelente, no extremes of temperature, just good diurnal shift throughout the season

Question 7

2004 Rioja

Answer 7

Excelente. A warmer year than 2005 and of similar quality with rounder edges and suppler fruit

Question 8

2003 Rioja

Answer 8

Bueno. HOT vintage, pretty much like everywhere else in Europe. Overripe.

Question 9

2002 Rioja

Answer 9

Bueno. In contrast to the heat of 2003, this was an Atlantic vintage where the vineyards saw the cool, wet influence of that body of water, whereas the 2003 vintage was influenced by the warmth of the Mediterranean. Botrytis and cool weather is no friend to tempranillo whose yields were down by as much as 60%. Grenache fared better, as usual.

Question 10

2001 Rioja

Answer 10

Excelente. Probably the best vintage since 1964; La Rioja Alta declared its Vina Ardanza a Reserva Especial; only the third time it had done so.

Question 11

2000 Rioja

Answer 11

Bueno. A promising start to the vintage was marred by lots of rain

Question 12

1994 Rioja

Answer 12

Excelente

Question 13

1995 Rioja

Answer 13

Excelente

Question 14

1996 Rioja

Answer 14

Muy Bueno

Question 15

1981 Rioja

Answer 15

Muy Bueno

Question 16

1982 Rioja

Answer 16

Excelente