Spain: Rioja & Navarra Flashcards
Where is Rioja DOCa in relation to Castilla y Leon?
North-east of the main DOs of Castilla y Leon
What protects Rioja from the worst of Atlantic weather?
Sierra de Cantabria to the north
What protects Rioja from the warm meseta in the south?
Sierra de la Demanda
part of Sistema Iberico, mountain range
Most Rioja vineyards are in what autonomous community? (plus some in what other provinces)
La Rioja
also: Alava province (Basque Country)
Navarra
Three zones for Rioja
Rioja Alta
Rioja Alavesa
Rioja Oriental
Largest of three Rioja zones?
Rioja Alta
Climate in Rioja Alta
Generally continental
Some maritime influence
Smallest of three Rioja zonse?
Rioja Alavesa
Rioja Oriental formerly called what?
Rioja Baja
Why was Rioja Baja renamed Rioja Oriental?
negative connotation of “Baja” = low
Warmest and driest zone of Rioja?
Rioja Oriental
Highest altitudes in each of the Rioja zones?
Rioja Alta: 700m
Rioja Alavesa: 700m
Rioja Oriental: 500-1000m
Which area in Rioja is most at risk from climate change?
Lowest altitude part of Rioja Oriental
Already warm and suffers from drought
Land under vine in Rioja
64,000ha
increase of 50% vs 1990
What % of plantings in Rioja are black grapes?
90%
Most planted grape in Rioja
Tempranillo
88% of black grape plantings in Rioja
Has Tempranillo always been the dominant grape in Rioja?
No. 50 years ago: equal plantings of Tempranillo and Garnacha
Account for Rioja producers replacing much Garnacha with Tempranillo
Tempranillo can produce reliably high yields
If volume is the goal rather than quality, more suitable
When irrigation became legal, Garnacha’s drought-restitance less of an advantage
Does Tempranillo ripen early or late? So what?
Ripens early
Some Rioja Oriental producers now replanting Garnacha instead, feeling that it (late ripen) is better suited to the warm, dry conditions
Which two zones of Rioja is Tempranillo best suited to?
Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa
Able to ripen even in cool high altitude sites
What does Tempranillo bring to red Rioja blends?
Dominant component
Raspberry, black plum
Medium to medium (+) tannin
Medium to medium (+) acid
Second most planted grape in Rioja?
Garnacha
8% of black grape plantings
What does Garnacha bring to red Rioja blends?
ripe strawberry
lower tannins
fuller body
Why is Graciano suited to Rioja?
late ripening
drought resistant
What does Graciano bring to red Rioja blend?
High acid
High tannin
Fresh black fruit
Mazuelo aka
Carinena, Carignan, Carignagno
What does Mazuelo (Carinena) bring to red Rioja blend?
High acid
Maturana Tinta aka
Trousseau
What does Maturana Tinta (Trousseau) bring to red Rioja blend?
Deep purple colour
High acid
Fresh cranberry, blackberry
Most planted white grape in Rioja?
Viura
aka Macabeo
Viura aka
Macabeo
Viura accounts for what % of white grapes in Rioja
70%
Why is Viura suited to warm, dry sites?
Late budding
Late ripeneing
Susceptibtle to botrytis
Does Viura always make neutral, generic wines?
No. With lower yields and oak maturation it can produce complex, concentrated wines for long ageing (white Rioja)
Second most planted white grape in Rioja?
Tempranillo Blanco
What does Tempranillo Blanco bring to white Rioja blend?
High acid
Lemon, grapefruit, pineapple
In Rioja what barrels must be used?
225L barrique only
Why might two producers’ Rioja Gran Reserva be very different in style, quality and price, keeping in mind that both will have been aged for min 2 years in barrique and 3 years in bottle?
Regulations only specify ageing requirements
No set rules for vineyard and winery practices
Vinos de autor
Rioja wines in the 1990s Premium wines without an ageing category Low yields, selected parcels Move away from prevailing style: lots of concentration, extraction and ageing in American oak Sounds v much like garagiste
French or American oak now more common in Rioja?
French!
But some producers still use only American, or blend of both
Why is blending across zones/regions/vineyards so common in Rioja?
Many small growers, relatively few wienries, large number of co-ops
Blending a necessity for large producers
Garnacha best from Oriental, Tempranillo best from Alta and Alavesa = blend ‘em up
Single vineayrd expressions important in Rioja. Example?
Lopez de Heredia = Vina Tondonia/Cubillo
Inexpensive white Rioja: made how?
Protective winemaking
Ferment to dry at cool temps, steel
Bottle early
Unoaked
Inexpensive white Rioja from high-yielding Viura: style
Relatively netural
Medium acid
Inexpensive white Rioja from Verdejo, Tempranillo Blanco, Sauvignon Balnc: style
More flavour intensity and acidity than if from Viura
Mid-priced and premium white Rioja: made how
Oaked style
Previously oxidative in style, not much fruit or fresh cid
Today: oak maturation, but balanced and fresh
Low yielding Viura = concentration and body
Blend in Malvasia, Garnacha Blanca: greater range of flavour
Mid-priced and premium white Rioja; stylr
Medium (+) body and acid
Subtle citrus
Smoky, nutty complexity
Two excellent white Riojas
Castillo Ygay (Marques de Murietta) Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva (Lopez de Heredia) Intense, complex teritiary: nuts, honey, dried fruit, high acid
Regulatory reform in Rioja: what spurred it?
Artadi left the DOCa (2015)
overall discontent with not being able to label subzones etc
Basque Asociacion de Bodegas de Rioja Alavesa (ABRA) pushed for separate classification
Consejo Regualdor reviewed regulations in 2017, published in 2018
What is Vino de Zona?
new labelling term in Rioja
grapes from single named zone (Alta, Alavesa, Oriental)
15% can come from outside if it borders zone and producer has sourced grapes there for 10 consecutive years
Vinification, ageing and bottling all within the zone
Labels may indicate the zone
What is Vino de Municipo
new labelling term in Rioja
all sourced from a municipality (village/group of villages)
15% can be outside if bordering the municipality, producer sourcing for 10 years
vinification, ageing and bottling within the municipality
(producer must have a winery in the municipality)
What is Vinedo Singular?
new labelling term Rioja
single vineyard
vinification, ageing, storage and bottling at the same winery
producer must own vineyard for min 10 years
vineyard must be 35 years old min
various other requirements (yields, pruning etc)
Rioja Crianza: minimum ageing
RED WINES
24 months
12 months in barrel
WHITE/ROSE
24 months
6 months in barrel
Rioja Reserva: minimum ageing
RED WINES
36 months
12 mths barrel
6 mths bottle
WHITE/ROSE
24 months
6 mths barrel
Rioja Gran Reserva: minimum ageing
RED WINES
60 months
24 barrel
24 bottle
WHITE/ROSE
48 mths
6 mths barrel
How many growers in Rioja?
Almost 15,000 growers
64,841 ha of vines
mostly very small plots
Most popular Rioja style on domestic market?
Crianza
Most popular Rioja style on export markets?
Reserva and Gran Reserva
How does average bottle price of Rioja compare with other Spanish regions?
Substantially higher of Spanish DO wines generally
Yet still far below prestigious regions of France and Italy
Land under vine in Navarra DO?
11,000ha
Five sub-regions of Navarra DO
Baja Montana Valdizarbe Tierra Estella Ribera Alta Ribera Baja
Navarra grows a wide range of grapes. Has this always been the case?
No
40 eyars ago, majority Garnacha (for deep coloured rosé)
Govt. funded programme 1970s = Tempranillo introduced
1980s: international varieties
Navarra: American and French oak used mostly for which grapes?
American: Tempranillo
French: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
Principal white grape in Navarra DO?
Chardonnay
Chardonnay style in Navarra DO
Citrus and peach
Medium alcohol
Medium to medium (+) acid
Unoaked and oaked
Navarra DO having lots of different grapes: advantage or disadvantage
could be either
argument to focus on signature grape, perhaps Garnacha (old bush vines)
Navarra DO rosé must be made using what method?
Short maceration on skins
Direct pressing NOT permitted
Maceration 3-4 hours (pale)
6-12 hours (deep)
Significant producers in Navarra
Domaines Lupier
Chivite
