One appellation, three regions
Rioja wines are divided into three geographical zones: Rioja Baja, Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa. Rioja Baja corresponds to the eastern part of the area, and has a Mediterranean climate (high levels of sunshine, heat, drought, marked thermal amplitudes). Conversely, Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa cover the western half of the appellation and are dominated by an Atlantic climate (cool, damp). Depending on the location of the plot, which is more or less subject to one or other of these influences, the wines produced will be lighter (as is the case in "Rioja Baja") or denser ("Rioja Alavesa" or "Rioja Alta"). Despite these differences, there is no quality classification, just a differentiation of wine styles. Some are best drunk young, while others, more complex, are best laid down.
Elaboration of Rioja wines
Bodegas are wineries, the equivalent of our French "châteaux". Literally "wine cellars", Rioja's five hundred bodegas are scattered along both sides of the Ebro river. They alone attract floods of tourists with discerning palates, who come to discover wine-making techniques, bucolic vineyard landscapes and vintages in an extraordinary setting. These bodegas feature seven traditional grape varieties: tempranillo, grenache noir, mazuelo and graciano for the reds, and viura, malvesía and grenache blanc for the whites.
The main grape variety indigenous to Rioja (used in 70% of vineyards), tempranillo is the basis of Rioja red wines. However, to vary flavor and intensity, it can be blended with grenache noir, mazuelo and graciano. The result is well-balanced, tannic red wines suitable for aging, often compared to Bordeaux wines. Rioja wines are classified into several categories: vino de cosecha or Vinos Jóvenes: fresh, fruity wines aged 1 to 2 years; "Crianza" aged at least 2 years, including at least 1 year in oak; "Reserva" aged at least 3 years, including 1 year in oak; "Gran Reserva" aged at least 2 years in oak and at least three years in bottle. The notion of oak ageing is characteristic of Rioja wines, enabling them to accentuate their tannic structure. White wines are also available, made from a variety of grape varieties: viura, white grenache, malvasia and also chardonnay. Viura, a native grape variety, accounts for 95% of the vineyards devoted to the production of these whites.
Some famous domains
La Rioja has built its reputation on a number of great estates that have become internationally renowned. Marqués de Murrieta, located near Logroño since 1877, produces four wines annually, plus Gran Reserva Especial in the best years. Marqués de Cáceres, based in Cenicero (Rioja Alta), produces two exceptional red wines. Finally, in Elciego, Rioja Alta, Marqués de Riscal is the oldest "château" in the region, producing five vintages a year and recently transformed into the Cité du Vin by Frank Gehry. It's worth noting that the latter estate has given impetus to a new form of tourism, "modern wine architecture". The avant-garde lines of the Marqués de Riscal bodega, as well as those of the Bodega Ysios (designed by Santiago Calatrava), are now a place of pilgrimage for bon vivants and aesthetes alike.
Beyond its great estates, La Rioja is also banking on renewal, as witnessed by the emergence of relatively young wineries that prioritize the expression of terroir over ageing time. To help you find your way through the years, the Rioja D.O. Regulatory Council has listed the vintages of Rioja wines since 1925, according to five categories: Excellent, Very Good, Good, Normal and Average. Since then, several vintages have achieved the highest qualification: 1934, 1948, 1952, 1955, 1958, 1964, 1982, 1994, 1995, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2010 and 2011.
A history that goes back to the Middle Ages
Since the early 14th century, wine has been the main source of wealth in the Haro region. But its heyday came at the end of the 19th century. In 1852, the vineyards of Bordeaux were attacked by mildew, compromising the harvest. French wineries looked to Spain for wines capable of alleviating their difficulties. Once mildew had been eradicated, French interest waned, but in 1867 phylloxera brought misfortune to some (Bordeaux) and happiness to others (La Rioja). Every year, French visitors came to taste, select and buy wines. In 1882, a Franco-Spanish trade treaty reduced customs duties and encouraged trade. A group of Frenchmen settled in Haro and set up wineries using French winemaking methods. Haro underwent a period of rapid development, gaining a railroad line, electricity, a telephone, the opening of the Bank of Spain and the opening of the winery (1907). Every year on St. Peter's Day, June 29, the Haro wine battle is declared a festival of national interest.
Today, La Rioja is world-famous and even has its own festival. Declared a festival of tourist interest, Logroño's Harvest Festival coincides with St. Matthew's Day on September 21. According to tradition, two men dressed in traditional costume crush the grapes in front of the crowd. The first must extracted is given as an offering to the Virgin of Valvanera, patron saint of La Rioja. Cow races, float parades, concerts, fireworks and gastronomic tastings enliven the rest of the week. It's also an opportunity to discover the art of the txikiteo, an old tradition that consists of bar-hopping with friends(cuadrillas) in a particular district, drinking a small glass of wine(txikito) accompanied by a pintxo in each establishment. Authentic cuadrillas can still be seen bar-hopping today, with the men in their traditional berets singing along!
