Rioja Producers

Question 1

What does CVNE stand for?

Answer 1

Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España

Question 2

What is CVNE’s flagship wine? What is it named for?

Answer 2

Imperial - named for the Imperial Pint, 563mL or 19oz. The wine was occasionally bottled in Imperial pints at its inception.
It is released as both Reserva and Gran Reserva.

Question 3

What is the blend on CVNE Imperial?

Answer 3

Tempranillo, plus Mazuelo, Graciano, and Viura

Originally 2/3 Alta and 1/3 Alavesa; today, it is 100% Rioja Alta

Question 4

What is Viña Real?

Answer 4

Previously a wine produced by CVNE from 2/3 Alavesa and 1/3 Alta, it is now 100% Alavesa, and, as of 2004, its own independent winery.
It is a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Mazuelo

Question 5

What are the white wines of CVNE?

Answer 5

Monopole: Viura, all stainless steel
Corona: 90% Viura, 10% Malvasia, semi-sweet, partially botrytized, aged in new american oak.

Question 6

What is Real de Asua?

Answer 6

A superlative bottling from CVNE commemorating the founders of the estate, aged in 100% new french oak. Not produced in all vintages. First vintage 1994.

Question 7

What is Pagos de Viña Real?

Answer 7

Prestige cuvée of Viña Real. 100% Tempranillo from estate vineyards. Also 100% new french oak. First vintage 2001.

Question 8

Pre 1981, how were the wines of Lopez de Heredia labeled in terms of vintage?

Answer 8

They were labeled by time between harvest and bottling - e.g. Viña Bosconia 5 Ano.

Question 9

What are the vineyards of Lopez de Heredia?

Answer 9

Viña Tondonia (100ha)
Viña Bosconia (15ha)
Viña Cubillo (60ha)
Viña Zaconia (60ha)

Question 10

What wine is bottled from Viña Zaconia?

Answer 10

Viña Gravonia

Question 11

What is the traditional label for Viña Tondonia Rosado?

Answer 11

Crianza, although it generally ages at least 10years - has been released as Gran Reserva on occasion.

Question 12

What is the prime directive at Lopez de Heredia?

Answer 12

Expression of site from year to year, to the extent of taking action to combat the vagaries of vintage in the cellar to preserve the style of each site.

Question 13

Lopez de Heredia: Current releases

Answer 13

Tondonia Gran Reserva: 1994 (Rojo y Blanco), 2000 (Rosado)
Tondonia Reserva: 2003 (Rojo), 2001 (Blanco)
Bosconia Gran Reserva: 1995
Bosconia Reserva: 2004
Cubillo: 2007
Gravonia: 2005

Question 14

Who was the founder of Bodegas Muga, and where did they learn to make wine?

Answer 14

Aurora Caño, with her husband Issac Muga in 1932. Her father was the cellarmaster at La Rioja Alta.

Question 15

What is the hallmark of Muga?

Answer 15

A commitment to oak, particularly from the 1960’s on when oak was falling out of fashion.
There is also a richness and density to the wines on account of late picking.

Question 16

Muga: Wines

Answer 16

Modern - new French oak - Torre Muga, Aro
Classic - Prado Enea Gran Reserva, Reserva Seleccion Especial, Reserva
White, Rosado, Conde de Haro Espumoso in white and rosado.

Question 17

Who owns La Rioja Alta?

Answer 17

There are a number of stockholders, but the bulk of the company belongs to the original five families that founded it.

Question 18

Where do the names of the La Rioja Alta wines come from?

Answer 18

Named for vineyards named for founding families: Ardanza, Alberdi, Araña

Question 19

What other wineries does La Rioja Alta SA own?

Answer 19

Lagar de Cervera (Rías Baixas)
Aster (Ribera del Duero)
Barón de Oña (Rioja)

Question 20

What is the alternative name for the Viña Ardanza vineyard?

Answer 20

Finca La Cuesta (90ha)

Question 21

What is the alternative name for the Viña Arana vineyard?

Answer 21

Finca Las Cuevas (76ha)

Question 22

What sales technique was La Rioja Alta a pioneer of?

Answer 22

The special club (essentially a mailing list) called Club de Cosecheros, which enabled its members to purchase a cask of wine direct from the winery and have access for visits and dinners.

Question 23

What is the difference between Gran Reservas 904 and 980?

Answer 23

904 is aged for four years and named for the year that La Rioja Alta merged with Bodegas Ardañza. Current release 2004.
890 is aged for 6-8 years in barrel and an additional 6 years in bottle, not made every vintage. Named for the year the winery was founded. Current release 2001.

Question 24

What is the difference between Roda I and Roda? What is their classification?

Answer 24

Both released as Reserva
Roda (previous to 2001 sold as Roda !!) is the youthful, fresh cherry plots, and Roda I is the darker, more mineral, plummy plots.

Question 25

Roda: Traditional or Modern?

Answer 25

Modern - all French oak, 50% new | vinified plot by plot (bordelaise model)

Question 26

What is Circion?

Answer 26

A "concept wine" from Roda seeking silkiness and polymerization of tannin in the finished wine.

Question 27

How did Artadi begin? What was the official name?

Answer 27

As a cooperative of young growers, named Consecheros Alaveses (all in Rioja Alavesa). It was founded by Juan Carlos López de Lacalle. Today it is a private company.

Question 28

What is El Sequé?

Answer 28

The Jumilla estate owned by López de Lacalle, Agapito Rico, and Jean-François Gadeau (winemaker at Artadi since the early 2000's).

Question 29

Artadi: Wines

Answer 29

Vino Joven: fresh, unoaked, carbonic Viñas de Gain: bread and butter, 100% Tempranillo, traditional Orobio: young vine tempranillo, half screwcap, half tank Pagos Viejos: A blend of the 3 old vine vineyards Grandes Añadas: A special blend made only in great vintages. Viña El Pison: López de Lacalle's estate vineyard, planted in 1945, bottled separately.

Question 30

Artadi: Single Vineyard wines

Answer 30

El Pison (perennial) EL Carretil La Poza Valdeparaíso First vintage for the final three 2009 - also go into Pagos Viejos.

Question 31

Who are the two producers who claim to have been the first to produce wine under Bordelais methods, and when?

Answer 31

Marqués de Riscal Marqués de Murrieta Early 1860's

Question 32

Who planted the Marqués de Riscal's cabernet, and when?

Answer 32

Jean Pineau of Château Lanessan, hired by the current Marqués, Camilo Hurtado de Amézaga. 9,000 vines in 1860 (also included some Malbec, Merlot, and Pinot Noir).

Question 33

What is Cuvée Médoc?

Answer 33

A bottling from Marqués de Riscal of 60%+ Cab Sauv, particularly successful in the early 20th century (discontinued in the 1950's). The 1945 is argued to be one of the greatest wines produced in Spain.

Question 34

What is Barón de Chirel?

Answer 34

A cuvée started in 1986 by Marqués de Riscal, containing 15-20% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Question 35

Marqués de Riscal: Production

Answer 35

At this point, over 3 million bottles annually of the basic Reserva; less of Gran Reserva and Barón de Chirel. 220ha owned by the family, and 985ha under contract.

Question 36

When was Marqués de Caceras founded, and by whom? What is the structure of the winery?

Answer 36

1960's, by Enrique Forner, with Emile Peynaud as consultant. The first vintage was 1970, blended by Peynaud out of the coop cellars in Cenicero. It was released as Crianza in 1973 and immediately made them famous. They do not own any vineyards, but instead buy all grapes on a long term contract.

Question 37

What made Marqués de Caceras famous?

Answer 37

Modern, innovative winemaking based around freshness of fruit.

Question 38

Marqués de Caceras: Production

Answer 38

10 million bottles out of 2,300ha worth of vines.

Question 39

Marqués de Caceras: Wines

Answer 39

Blanco: Joven, Antea Barrica, Satinela Semidulce (all viura plus malvasia) Rosado Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva Gaudium: Prestige cuvee, first vintage 1994. Released in 1996, 2001, 2004.

Question 40

What is the company name of Marqués de Caceras?

Answer 40

Unión Vitivinicola

Question 41

What is unique about Bodegas Riojanas?

Answer 41

They work only with estate vineyards (300ha)

Question 42

Bodegas Riojanas: Wines

Answer 42

Monte Real | Viña Albina Gran Reserva

Question 43

Marqués de Murrieta: Foundation

Answer 43

1852 by Luciano Murrieta - first of the modern riojas

Question 44

What is Finca Ygay?

Answer 44

The estate vineyard of Marqués de Murrieta, 300ha within Logroño, accounting for all production.

Question 45

Marqués de Murrieta: Wines

Answer 45

Capellanía: 100% Viura, 18mos in barrel, current white in production (Castillo Ygay Blanco produced until the 1960's) Reserva Castillo Ygay Reserva Especial: Tempranillo plus Mazuelo

Question 46

Where is Marques de Riscal?

Answer 46

Eltziego, in Alavesa