Spain - Rioja Flashcards
Where is Rioja located? How large is it?
The DOCa is in the North of Spain, to the west of the main DOs of Castilla y León, and to the east of Navarra.
It’s 100km long from NW to SE, along the path of the river Ebro, and reaches approximately 40km wide in places.
What natural factors affect Riojas climate?
To the north, the Sierra de Cantabria protects Rioja from the worst of the Atlantic weather, and to the south the Sierra de la Demanda (part of the Sistema Ibérico, the mountain range on the north east side of the meseta) shelters vineyards from the warmer weather from the centre of the country.
By comparison, the called of the Ebro, as it flows towards the Mediterranean broadly from the NW to lower SE is relatively open, and so although far from the coast, Rioja experiences some Mediterranean influence on its E side.
What is the general topography of Rioja?
Based along the larve River Ebro, but also along its many tributaries providing a variety of aspects and soils.
Where do the vineyards of Rioja lie? How is it divided?
Most lie in the autonomous community of La Rioja, but some in the provence of Alava in the Basque Country, and a smaller number in the province of Navarra.
More notably, the region is divided into three zones, Alta, Alavesa and Oriental.
Why is the geographical division of Rioja controversial?
It’s possible to make broad generalisations on the climate of these zones but the topography and soils are generally so varied that’s its been suggested a re-mapping and renaming could be helpful.
Where is Rioja Alta located? What is the climate and topography?
The largest zone, lying predominantly to the south of the River Ebro and west of the city Logroño.
Generally continental with some maritime influences.
The area around Ebro is generally at low altitudes, and hence relatively warm, with a range of alluvial soils.
The NW corner is cooler and watter, and the soils are calcerous clay.
The southern part of the zone is at an altitude of 700m, is relatively cool and wet, and has patches of ferrous clay.
Where is Rioja Alavesa located? What is the climate and topography?
The smallest zone, W of Logroño but N of the river Ebro, directly corresponding to vineyards in the Basque country.
Relatively cool and wet, similar to the NW of Rioja Alta.
Vineyards are located up to 700m and soils are calcerous clay.
Where is Rioja Oriental located? What sparked the name change? What is the climate and topography?
Only slightly smaller than Alta, E of Logroño and N and S of the Ebro.
Originally Rioja Baja describing it being further down the Ebro, but this also means ‘low’, and was thought to spark negative connotations about the quality of the wines.
The N part around Ebro is relatively low altitude and the warmest and driest area in Rioja.
To the S, vineyards are located at 500-1000m in altitude, and at the highest altitudes, average temps can be just as cool as in Rioja Alta and Alavesa. Soils are a mix of calcerous clay and ferrous clay.
How is climate change affecting Rioja?
It has made high altitude vineyards more feasible, where previously grapes would struggle to ripen.
The area most at risk is thought to be the low lying vineyards in Oriental, which is already warm and suffers from drought.
How can you generalise vintage variation in Rioja?
It can be marked, as in any year each region may receive more or less Atlantic or Mediterranean influence.
Either way, it’s difficult to generalise vintages over such a large and varied region. Some P aim to produce a consistent product each year, achieved by blending across the region, while others choose to make wine that reflects the vintage.
What is the trajectory of plantings and production in Rioja?
Today, there’s over 64,000 ha, an increase of 50% compared to 1990, and this figure is still gradually growing.
Production is around 3m hL.
How are vines typically trained in Rioja? Why?
There’s a considerable proportion of old bush vines, some being over 100 years old.
However, since Spain joined the EU, funds became available for restructuring vineyards and now a significant proportion are trellised with VSP, making mechanisation viable.
What is the division of plantings in terms of colour in Rioja?
88% black.
What percentage of plantings does Tempranillo make up? How and why has this changed?
88% of black varieties.
This dominance is relatively recent, as 50 years ago there was greater diversity, with similar plantings of Tempranillo and Garnacha.
Tempranillos ability to produce larger yields (especially where quantity is focus) meant many Garnacha vines (especially in Oriental), we’re replanted with Tempranillo.
Once irrigation was permitted this decision was accelerated, as Garnachas suitability to drought became less important.
Nowadays, quality minded P in Oriental have begun to replant Garnacha, considered to be better suited to the warm, dry conditions than early ripening Tempranillo.
Where is Tempranillo well suited to?
Alta and Alavesa, where it is generally able to ripen even in cooler, high altitude sites with cool clay soils.
What profile does Tempranillo bring to Rioja wines?
In a blend, it’s often the dominant component, providing raspberry and black plum, with medium to (+) tannins and acidity.
Some P choose to make single varietal wines.
What role does Garnacha play in Rioja?
8% of black plantings, the second most planted.
Well suited to the warm, dry conditions of Oriental.
Contributes ripe strawberry, lower tannins, and a fuller body.
What role does Graciano play in Rioja?
Makes up just over 2% of black plantings.
Late ripening, drought resistant, produces small yields and susceptible to fungal diseases.
Contributes high acidity and tannin, and fresh black fruit to a Rioja blend.
What role does Mazuelo play in Rioja?
AKA Carignan and Cariñena.
Also makes up 2% of black plantings.
Contributes high acidity to the blend.
Very occasionally produced as a single varietal wine.
What role does Maturana Tinta play in Rioja?
AKA Trousseau.
Became permitted in 2009, and plantings are tiny but increasing.
Contributes deep purple, high acidity and fresh cranberry and blackberry.
What role does Cabernet Sauvignon play in Rioja?
Permitted, but small plantings.
What generalisation of white varieties are grown?
A range of local and international.
What role does Viura play in Rioja?
AKA Macabeo.
Accounts for 70% of white plantings (6.5% of total plantings).
Late budding, late ripening and susceptible to BBR: suited to warm dry climates.
Relatively neutral and can make a broad range of styles, when high yields and steel, simple wines for early consumption. When lower yields and oak, concentrated, complex with long ageing potential.
What role does Tempranillo Blanco play in Rioja?
The white mutation was first discovered in 1988, and became a permitted variety in 2004.
Plantings have risen quickly, and now accounts for 13% of white plantings, 2nd most planted variety.
High acidity, lemon grapefruit and pineapple.
What role do Malvasia and Garnacha Blanca play in Rioja?
Blending components to add greater diversity of flavours, generally in oak-matured, mid-priced and premium wines.
What role do Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc play in Rioja?
Either single varietal wines, or to lend aromas to blends with Viura, typically in unoaked inexpensive wines.
What styles of red wine are produced in Rioja?
A significantly wide range, made possible with blending varieties, sites, winemaking techniques (especially extraction and maturation)
What impact have ageing regulations had on Rioja? What do the regulations state?
Significantly large, especially on the styles available on the market.
The presence led to a standard branding hierarchy with youngest wines at the bottom (least expensive and generally lowest quality) and oldest at the top (most expensive and supposed highest quality).
Not only the ageing labelling terms, but also that only 225L barriques can be used.
What limitations do the ageing regulations impose? What does this result in?
As they only specify ageing requirements, the practises in the vineyard and winery are not considered even if they’re conductive to quality.
Even though two P Gran Reserva wines have been aged in barriques for the minimum 2yr, and bottle for 3yr, the wines can be wildly different in style, quality and price.
What was the term given to a range of wines launched in the 1990s? Whay was the style of wine, how were they made and how did they differ to the previous common method?
Vonis de autor.
A handful of producers launched premium wines, labelling without an ageing category and so fitting in to the term of generic wine, which does not specify any ageing requirements.
Low yields and selected parcels were used to make very ripe-fruited, concentrated and structured wines that were aged in French oak. These were a significant step away from many of the wines in previous decades that did not focus on concentration and extraction, and underwent long ageing (often much longer than minimum) in American oak, resulting in aromas of dried fruit, mushroom, cured meats, vanilla and coconut.
What is the current trend of winemaking in Rioja? How is this achieved?
Majority sit between the two extremes.
Common trend is to highlight the characteristics and quality of the grapes.
Achieved in various ways, selection of harvest dates (often earlier), more gentle extraction, use of older and/or large vessels, or concrete or amphorae, with shorter maturation periods.
P choose to follow ageing regulations or not.
French oak is now more common than American, though some P still use 100% American oak, and even more that use it as a proportion in a blend.
Why is blending common?
Largely due to the structure of the industry, with many small growers, relatively few wineries and a large no of co-operatives, blending from throughout the DOCa has long been a feature of winemaking, and remains a necessity for large P.
Blending is often done from different zones to achieve a house style and quality, blending each variety from the region they’re better suited to, resulting in good and outstanding Tempranillo-Garnacha blends made from across the DOCa.
How common are single varietal wines?
Many P make from a single variety (usually Tempranillo) and a number that make at least a single varietal wine.
What recent change leaves the market open for a new style of Rioja?
The recent regulation allowing the name of a vineyard, village or zone to appear on the label has left it remaining to be seen what the reaction of producers and the market will be.
What is the generalisation of inexpensive, acceptable to good white Rioja?
A simple, unoaked style for early drinking. Protective winemaking, fermented to dryness at cool temperatures in steel, and bottles soon after.
Wines made from high yields of Viura can be relatively neutral, with medium acidity, but varieties eg Verdejo, Tempranillo Blanco and Sauv B, either as a blend or single, can provide more intensity and acidity.
What is the generalisation of winemaking for mid and premium, good to very good, some outstanding, white Rioja?
Oaked, and until recently many were made in an oxidative style, without much fruit or fresh acidity, but they did not appeal to modern consumers.
In the last 5-10 years these wines have dramatically changed: oak still used but these wines are now more balanced and fresher. Viura is the main variety, often grown at lower yields to give more concentration and body. Minor varieties eg Malvasia and Garnacha Blanca are sometimes blended for a wider range of flavours.
Wines tend to have medium (+) body and acidity, with subtle citrus fruit and smoky, nutty complexity from oak.
Who make examples of the oxidative white styles?
Marques de Murrietas Castillo Ygay and Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva Blanco from LdH.
Super premium and outstanding, with intense, complex tertiary notes of nuts, honey and dried fruits balanced by high acidity.
What is typical winemaking for rosé?
A small volume is made, but they’re amongst the highest quality and most expensive in Spain.
They tend to be made from Garnacha or Tempranillo, and made in all styles.
What limitations in terms of labelling did Rioja have until recent years?
Rioja had long been a PDO without further geographical delimitations. The sub zones may be recognised amongst enthusiasts, but the terms couldn’t be mentioned on the label.
Single vineyards or villages also couldn’t be named.
What caused regulatory change in Rioja?
Growing discontent amongst producers caused the Consejo Regulador to address the situation. Eg, producer Artadi left the DOCa at the end of 2015 and, just after the Basque Associación de Bodegas de Rioja Alavesa (ABRA) proposed the creation of a separate classification of Viñedos de Alava.
This prompted the CR to review their regulations; new legislation was approved in 2017 and published in 2018, meaning P who meet the new specifications now have new labelling options.
What are requirements for Vino de Zona?
New labelling term. All grapes must come from a single named zone (A, A or O).
15% of the blend may come from outside the zone, providing the vineyard borders the zone mentioned and the producer can provide evidence they’ve been sourcing grapes from the vineyard for 10 consecutive years.
Vinification, ageing and bottling of the wine must take place within the zone.
Wine labels can indicate zone of production.
What are requirements for Vino de Municipio?
All grapes must be sourced from the municipality (eg, village or group of villages) named.
15% of the blend can come from a municipality that borders the named one, if grapes have been sourced for 10 consecutive years.
Vinification, ageing and bottling of the wine must take place within the named municipality for wines to be labelled, meaning a P must have a winery in the municipality.
This differs from Burgundy for eg, where wines of many different communes can be vinified in the same winery.
Wine labels can indicate the municipality of production, with the option for zone of production.
What are requirements for Viñedo Singular?
All grapes must be sourced from particular vineyards or estates that constitute the formal Viñedo Singular.
Vinification, ageing, storing and bottling must take place in the same winery.
The P must have owned the vineyard for a minimum of 10 years, the vineyard must be a minimum of 35 years old, and yields must adhere to specific maximums.
Vineyards must be hand harvested and treated in a sustainable way, with some restrictions on pruning during the growing season.
Checks on traceability must be carried out, and the wine will be authorised by a tasting panel.
Wine labels may indicate the municipality and zone of production, as well as the vineyard/estate and the phrase Viñedo Singular.
Have the geographical delimitations proven a success? What do they go alongside?
It is too early to tell, both with P and consumers.
Alongside the traditional ageing requirements. Which in Rioja, stipulate taking place in 225L barriques.
What are the minimum ageing requirements for Crianza in Rioja?
Red total ageing: 24m (from 1st Oct of year of harvest)
Red minimum barrel: 12m
Red minimum bottle: 0
White minimum total: 24m
White minimum barrel: 6m
What are the minimum ageing requirements for Riserva in Rioja?
Red total ageing: 36m (from 1st Oct of year of harvest)
Red minimum barrel: 12m
Red minimum bottle: 6m
White minimum total: 24m
White minimum barrel: 6m
What are the minimum ageing requirements for Gran Reserva in Rioja?
Red total ageing: 60m (from 1st Oct of year of harvest)
Red minimum barrel: 24m
Red minimum bottle: 24m
White minimum total: 48m
White minimum barrel: 6m
What is the division of holdings in Rioja? How does this reflect bottlings?
Made up of mainly small plots.
Over 50% of surface area is made up of vineyards of 1ha or less, and over 75% of surface area is made up of 2ha or less.
Almost 15,000 growers farm the 64,841ha of vineyard land.
Over 40% of growers sell to co-operatives.
Much wine made in co-operatives is sold on to merchant businesses, though some co-operatives sell at least a proportion of their wine under their own brand.
What is the division of production in Rioja?
Wineries of all sizes. A handful of very large P (the top 10 make over 40% of sales), and yet around 80% of producers (287) sell small volumes (12% of sales).
Many producers are also merchants, maybe owning some of their own vineyards but also buying in grapes and newly made wine.
What is the state of Rioja sales?
Generally slowly increasing. The domestic market has remained relatively constant, but growth has come from export markets. They make up 37% of volume in 2018.
Key markets are UK, Germany and USA.
Which styles of wine are sold in which markets?
Crianza domestically.
More reserva and Gran Reserva sold on exports.
Large quantities of generic are sold on both.
White and rosé sales are rapidly growing, especially on exports, although from a small base.
What is the average price of Rioja wines?
Substantially higher than the average DO bottle price in Spain, though far below the most prestigious regions in France and Italy.
With relatively cheap vineyard land and cheap prices for grapes grown on flatter, warmer parts of the region, there is much good value, inexpensive Rioja.
Many sell at a premium, few at super premium, and relatively small investment market.
Which producer groups have formed? What is their aim?
To promote the wines of like-minded producers and highlight the diversity of Riojas wineries and wines. Bodegas Familiares de Rioja is a group of 40 small and medium sized producers who promote their wines under this heading and campaign on issues that particularly affect small growers, eg, the minimum stock holding of 22,500L for wineries registered to age wine for release as Crianza etc.
Rioja ‘n’ Roll is a group of relatively small, first-generation producers who are focused on quality wines from particular sites, working to promote their wines and a different perspective of Rioja.
A further group in Alava are leading a campaign to break away from La Rioja.
