Spain - La Rioja Flashcards
Where’s La Rioja?
North Central Spain
Climate Category of La Rioja?
Cantabrian Mountains, creating a rain shadow.Continental climate.
Climate varies with the subzone: Alta is continental, Alavesa is the coolest and wettest, Oriental is Mediterranean.
Physical Features of La Rioja?
Mountains: Foothills of the Cantabrian and Pyrenees Mountains.
Bodies of Water: Ebro River
Soil type/name in La Rioja?
Calcareous clay, ferrous clay, alluvial
Notable info on winemaking in La Rioja?
Rioja is traditionally aged in American oak.
Carbonic maceration is common on Joven styles.
Name the white grape varieties of La Rioja.
Viura
Malvasia, Garnacha Blanca
Name the red grape varieties of La Rioja.
Tempranillo, Garnacha.
Mazuelo, Graciano.
What’s the appellation and subzones of La Rioja?
La Rioja DOCa:Dry red (tinto) wines from the Tempranillo grape variety and white (blanco) wines from the Viura grape variety.
La Rioja DOCa Subzones:
Rioja Alta
Rioja Oriental
Rioja Alavesa
Classifications?
Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva
Specific aging and quality tiers based on minimum required time (in ascending order) wine spends in oak barrel and bottle.
What does Viñedo Singular mean?
Single Vineyard
What does Joven mean?
What are the specific ageing requirements for Rioja Tinto?
Crianza: min 2 years, including 1 year in oak
Reserva: min 3 years, including 1 year in oak
Gran Reserva: min 5 years, including 2 years in oak
Styles of La Rioja wines?
Dry red wines and dry white wines. Styles range from young and fresh to ageable.
Rioja Rosado (rosé) wines are also produced. Some modern producers are making more fruit-focused wines using French oak and avoiding the traditional labeling terms of Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva.
Producer/proprietary brands of La Rioja?
Marqués de Riscal, Marqués de Cáceres, Finca Allende, Bodegas López de Heredia, La Rioja Alta
Vintage info?
Understand that, typically, Gran Reserva is only made in the best vintages.
