Rioja
On June 6, 1925, Rioja became the first Designation of Origin (DO) in the country. And though the designation is celebrating its centennial, ancient artifacts and ruins—including wine presses and cellars dating back 2,000 years—prove that winemaking is a deep-rooted cultural practice in the region.
This deep history allowed Rioja to help the European wine industry through one of its most difficult periods: the phylloxera outbreak that swept across France during the 19th century. While Rioja’s ample production succeeded in slaking international thirst, Spanish winemakers, too, benefitted from this exchange.
“A lot of French winemakers came to look for grapes here and they actually established wineries,” says Peter Arijs, the education and global projects manager of the Rioja Consejo Regulador, confirming that several of the now century-old wineries in operation today were founded during this time. “The French brought with them their knowledge and also their winemaking techniques and that involved barrels, which was not common to the region.”
In fact, the region has never stopped innovating and improving. In 1980, Rioja was the first to develop a system for standardized categorization based on aging—crianza, reserva, and gran reserva—each indicating a specific length of aging time prior to release. “These are wines that have been aged for you in the winery in perfect conditions,” says Arijs. “You don’t have to buy a wine very young, put it in your cellar and wait. These wines are basically released when they are ready to drink. That’s a huge advantage and something that still makes these styles very relevant today.”
As a testament to the high standards met and exceeded throughout the region’s wine industry, in 1991, Rioja became the country’s first Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa). Quality control measures put specific restraints on planting density, vine load, and total harvest size in an effort to maintain healthy grapes and quality wine production, and to uphold Rioja’s reputation as a premium wine-producing territory. To this day, only Rioja and Priorat have achieved this prestigious status.
Ostatu 2024 Rioja Rosado $19 - 70% Tempranillo, 27% Garnacha, and 3% Viura. Tasting Notes Floral and acidic, very light on the palate with notes of red berries.
Luberri 2023 Rioja Orlegi $15 - Luberri Orlegi is the reference point for traditional, light-bodied, fruit-forward wines of Rioja Alavesa. Bright red and blue fruit from high-elevation vineyards. Fresh acidity and light on the palate.
Anciano No. 5 Rioja Crianza 2020 $14 - Elegant, complex, well-structured, fresh and fruity. Aromas of red fruits and vanilla with subtle hints of liquorice and toffee. Silky and persistent finish with a touch of spice.
Carlos Serres Crianza Rioja 2020 $15 - Dark garnet in the glass, this Crianza has aromas of forest floor, red cherry, and black plum. In the mouth there are flavors of ripe black fruits and red cherries with a hint of new car leather in the finish.
Peciña 2023 Rioja Cosecha Tinto $16 - A luscious red wine. On the nose, it is distinguished by its intense notes of fresh red fruits, such as cherries and raspberries, imparting a vibrant freshness. On the palate, it is light and easy to drink, with a fruity character.
Bonus Wines
Sierra de Toloño 2023 Rioja Blanco $23 - 100% Viura. The primary aromas of white flowers give way to an elegant and complex background, with subtle toasted pastry notes. Its mouth is surrounding and silky, with powerful acidity that allows a lasting aftertaste.
Peciña 2017 Rioja Crianza $24 - This “Crianza” (usually the lightest and youngest of aged Riojas) is the equivalent of other producers’ “Reservas,” as it ages for 2 years in American oak, and then another 2 years (!) before release. Red berries, dried flowers, vanilla, tobacco, and silky tannins, too.
Bonus Bonus
Lopez de Heredia Cubillo 2016 $34 - Viña Cubillo wines come from the vineyard called Viña Cubillas, some 4 km away from the bodega, which as with all of the other vineyards, was bought by our founder. Historically these wines were called "Special Harvest". Vina Cubillas has an altitude of 410 m, and the vines have an average age of 40 years. The soil is from the terciary age and is a mixture of clay and limestone. Savory berries with aromas of white pepper, blood orange peel, preserved plums, iron and a touch of dust. Still pretty structured and intense, with a medium to full body, but juicy.