Rioja DOCa Flashcards
notable Rioja Alta producers
Marques de Caceras
Lopez de Heredia
Marques de Murrietta
Marques de Vargas
Bodegas Riojanas
Vina Ijalba
Notable Rioja Alavesa producers
Martinez Butanda
Valdemar
Contino
Extopto
Lanzaga (telmo Rodriguez)
Principal viticultural hazards of Rioja
Frost
Fungal disease
Drought
Mountain range south of Rioja
Sierra de la Demanda
What river separates Alta from Oriental
Irregua
What is the term for young vines of Rioja
cosecha
(also means vintage but specific to Rioja means young vines)
Major towns of Rioja Oriental
Calahorra (Central)
Alfaro (East)
Arnedo (Central)
Major towns of Rioja Alavesa
Laguardia
Notable Oriental producers
Palacios Remondo
Olivier Riviere
Baron de Ley
Vinedos de Aldleanueva
Synonym for Viura
Macabeo
Rivers of Rioja
Ebro
Oja (offshoot of Oja is Irregua)
Major towns of Rioja Alta
Haro (north west)
Longrono (east)
Najera (central)
Cheese of Rioja
Camerano (goat Cheese)
Rioja Espumoso de Calidad requirements
Vino Espumoso de Calidad:15 mos lees
Vino Espumoso de Calidad Reserva: 24 mos lees
Vino Espumoso de Calidad Gran Añada: 36 mos lees
Marqués de Murrieta or peruvian born Luciano de Murrieta Garcia-Lemoire spent time in Bordeaux and brought cask aging to this estate in:
Longrono (Rioja)
Who introduced winemaking to Rioja
Phoenicians
Would you ever see a rose or white wine labeled Rioja DOCa that has not seen oak
NO wines must be aged in oak barrels of 225 L max
requirements for single vineyard (Vinedo Singular) in Rioja DOCa (2017 introduced, 2018 enacted)
Vineyard approved by regulatory board
10 year history working with vineyard
Vines at least 35 years old
grapes manually harvested
100% of grapes from named vineyard
produced, aged and bottled at winery
Authorized training methods in Rioja
Cordon (single and double
En Vaso (Bush vines)
Double guyot
Vara Y Pulgar (stick and thumb)
Max Yields of Rioja
White:
45 hl/ha
Red
32.5 hl/ha
Is chaptalization allowed in Rioja
NO
Soil types of Rioja Alta, Alavesa and Oriental
Alta:
yellow calcareous clay (arcillo-calcareo)
lower slopes of Ebro or reddish iron rich clay (arcillo ferroso)
Alavesa:
highest concentration of calcareous clay soil
dominant soil type between Cantabrian mountains and north bank of Ebro river
Oriental:
Largest area of three zones. Land East of Irregua river. Mostly Alluvia, silty soils. Some arcillo ferroso
Rioja DOCa established this year
1991
Rioja as DO established this year
1933
DOCa 1991
Rose of Lopez de Heredia Gran Reserva has this aging requirement
4 years in barrel 16 months oak 24 bottle
released 10 years after
Producer of Clarete in Rioja
Honorio Rubio
Wine map of Rioja
What is the difference in climate between Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental?
Atlantic vs. Mediterranean
What year did Phylloxerra hit Rioja?
1899
What famous Rioja producer withdrew from the Rioja DOCa in 2015?
Artadi
Seven Valleys of Rioja west to east (All Named after Rivers)
Oja Valley (Alta)
Najerilla Valley (Alta)
Irregua Valley (Alta)
Leza Valley (Oriental)
Jubera Valley (Oriental)
Cidacos Valley (Oriental)
Alhama Vallet (Oriental)
Bottlings of Lopez de Heredia (Est. 1877, have their own cooperage)
Bosconia
Tondonia
Gravonia
Cubillo
Why did Bordeaux-trained Marqués de Riscal and Marqués de Murrieta return to Rioja with grape varieties and lessons from the Médoc, including barrique aging (called barricas in Spain) and estate bottling (performed at their newly constructed bodegas)?
Phylloxerra and Oidium that struck France in the 1850s and 1860s drove them there to make wine
What is the latin term for American Oak?
American oak (Quercus alba)
these great traditionalist Rioja wineries got their start in the latter half of the 19th century:
López de Heredia, CVNE, La Rioja Alta, and Berceo
Consejos Reguladores were established for these major regions in the 1930s
Rioja, Jerez, and Málaga
What year were Denominación de Origen regulations finally approved for Rioja
in 1970
These four grapes must make up 85% of the blend of rioja
Tempranillo
Garnacha
Mazuelo
Graciano
White grapes of Rioja
Viura—known elsewhere as Macabéo—is the dominant white grape, followed by Garnacha Blanca, Malvasía Riojano, and Maturana Blanca.
Chardonnay, Tempranillo Blanco, Sauvignon Blanc, Turruntés, and Verdejo are the only other white grapes permitted in blends
Rioja Aging requirements for Red wines
crianza: 2 years, 1 year oak
reserva: 3 years, 1 year oak, 6 mos bottle
Gran Reserva: 5 years, 2 years oak, 2 years bottle
Rioja casks must be 225 liters—the size of a barrique
Aging requirements for white and rosado wines of Rioja
crianza: 18 mos, 6 mos oak
reserva: 2 years, 1 year oak, 6 mos bottle
Gran reserva: 5 years, 2 years oak, 2 years bottle
Between Alta and Alavesa, which region has the warmer climate
Rioja Alta is the southwestern zone, and with its slightly warmer climate the zone is capable of producing classic, ageworthy Tempranillo, Mazuelo and Graciano
Modern Architecture of Rioja was spearheaded by this producer making 100% Tempranillo in Alavesa
Ysios (avant garde)
Marqués de Riscal designed by Frank Gehry, famed architect of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao
de Heredia, the oldest winery in Haro, now features a sleek new visitors’ boutique designed by Zaha Hadid
When was the Vino Espumoso de Calidad category added for traditional method sparkling wine?
2018
This Rioja Winemaker wrote the “Terroir Manifesto” addressing typicity concerns in Rioja DOCa following Artadi’s departure in 2015
Telmo Rodriguez
In 2015, 40 winemakers joined forces in Rioja Alavesa to create an independent DO outside of Rioja. It was retracted
Vinedos de Alava DO
Parents of Viura
Hében and Brustiano Faux
Tempranillo Blanco is a white mutation authorized and harvested in Rioja: T/F?
True
Tempranillo is prone to these vine maladies
powdery mildew and Eutypa Dieback
The Oja River joins with this river before reaching the Ebro
Tirón
This district in Haro is named for the train station (train established in 1880) and is the main winery center
Barrio de Estación
What does CVNE stand for?
Companía Vinicola del Norte de Espana
The Spanish crown established this wine research facility in Haro in 1888
Haro’s Estación Enológica
In 1890, Haro became the second ____ city, behind Jerez
Electrified
When did Phylloxera hit Rioja?
1899
Why was the wire cage on the Rioja bottle created and what is it called
Created after Phylloxera to deter fraud.
Mallas
In the 1960s, Enrique Forner of Marqués de Caceres hired this Bordelaise consultant who advocated for this
Emile Peynaud
Use of New French Barrique
Bodegas Palacio hired this Bordelaise consultant in 1987, who created this flagship wine (in Rioja alavesa)
Michel Rolland
Cosme Palacio Y Hermanos Reserva Especial
What was the “Modern” style of Rioja called that emerged in the 80s and 90s utilizing New French Oak
Vinos de autor
The four Autonomias of Rioja DOCa
La Rioja
Pais Vasco
Navarra
Castilla Y Leon**
Why is Castilla Y Leon included in the 4 Autonomias of Rioja DOCa?
Two small areas within La Rioja belong to Castilla Y Leon. A single estate sits in the DOCa
La Rioja, Navarra, País Vasco are the others (most say there are three)
Vintages in Rioja are described as Atlantic or Mediterranean. How does the climate change from East to West?
East: More continental with Mediterranean influences
West: Maritime
The two river valleys of Rioja Alta
Oja (chalky and alluvial)
Najerilla (more ferrous clay)
Two major cities and production areas of Rioja Alta
Haro and Longrono
Rioja Alavesa sandwiches Rioja Alta around this city
San Vicente de la Sonsierra
Riojas highest elevation vineyards are found here
Rioja Alavesa, around the town of Labastida
First subzone to harvest grapes in Rioja
Oriental. Associated with Garnacha. Renamed from Baja in 2018
Mountain range of Rioja Oriental
Yerga
Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia composition
75% Tempranillo
15% Garnacha
5% Graciano
5% Mazuelo
Roda RodaI Rioja Reserva composition
96% Tempranillo
4% Graciano
Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Rioja Gran Reserva Especial
85% Tempranillo
15% Mazuelo
Muga Torre Muga Rioja Composition
75% Tempranillo
10%Graciano
15% mazuelo
La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza Composition
80% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha
CVNE Imperial Rioja Gran Reserva Composition
85% Tempranillo
10% Graciano
5% Mazuelo
Artadi El Pison Composition
100% Tempranillo
Contino Rioja Gran Reserva composition
70% Tempranillo
12%Garnacha
15% Graciano
3% Viura
in 1973, this was the most widely planted grape in Rioja
Garnacha
Synonym for Maturana Tinta (allowed in Rioja)
Jura’s Trousseau
Most common white grape in Rioja
Viura
Viura is most commonly blended with this white grape in Rioja
Malvasia
Why is Rioja aged in American oak, historically
Spain’s longstanding trade with North America and barrels are cheaper than French
In Rioja, wines must be aged in this barrel size
225 L, same as Bordeaux
Why would a producer in Rioja use genérico classification rather than Rioja aging requirements
Freedom to use larger wooden vessels and amphorae
What year was the production of Vino Epumoso de Calidad authorized in Rioja by the consejo
2017
in 2017, 144 villages were approved to appear on a bottle of Rioja, but only the village and cellar can be written on the bottle, meaning this:
Wineries cannot feature a full portfolio of different single vineyard wines unless they have production facilities in each
What are “traditional” Rioja practices
blending from multiple subregions, varietal blending, adherence to the aging classification system, open top fermentation, and older 225 liter american oak casks
What are modernist techniques of Rioja
Monovarietal tempranillo, single subregion, single vineyards, avoidance of aging classification system, cold soaking, temperature controlled fermentation, shorter elevage in newer European oak vessels
Who brought French oak barrels to Rioja?
Don Manuel Quintano
