The new Riojas

Rioja is probably Spain’s top fine wine region, accounting for some 30% of exports by volume. Classic Riojas are blends, led by the Tempranillo variety, and are known for their often light colour, red fruits and vanilla and coconut flavours from the oak barrels in which they are matured.  And they’re still great value, given their quality.  You can pick up a good Muga Reserva for £16-18 or the terrific Vinã Ardanza Reserva from 2012 from Rioja Alta for £25 or so. And if you prefer a riper, more fruit-forward style you can choose a wine from the warmer Ribero del Duero region next door.

Traditionally the rules for the Rioja appellation were renowned for their inflexibility requiring oak ageing for specific periods depending on whether you wanted to call your wine Gran Reserva, Reserva or Crianza.  But everything was labelled “Rioja”. Several years ago, the regulator, the Consejo Regulador, in the face of the trend elsewhere towards wines expressing a local “terroir”, permitted the labelling of single vineyard wines (Vinedos Singulares). These required hand-picked vines of at least 35 years old, low yields and passing a tasting test. They also allowed village wines (Vinos de Municipio) and wines to  named specifically as coming from one of the three Rioja zones – Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental (Vinos de Zona).

While these changes have offered the opportunity to push up prices they have not been universally welcomed and indeed some well-known producers have left the Consejo so that they have more flexibility to experiment, unconstrained by the rule book. This means that there is probably more variety in wine from the Rioja region than ever before.  This article concentrates on reds but white Rioja is also developing new, lighter styles. And the often deeper coloured, jammy-fruited rosés (rosados) have been joined by paler wines seeking to emulate the all-conquering Provence style.

So what have red Rioja producers been doing?

Promoting the lesser Rioja grape varieties

Tempranillo (or Tinto Fino in Ribera del Duero) is the cornerstone of red Rioja blends, offering raspberry and black plum flavours and great ageing potential.  While other varieties typically make up no more than 10% of  a blend, they all have something particular to offer. Garnacha (Grenache) gives creamy red fruit and fills out the mid-palate (like Merlot can do for left-bank Bordeaux wines) while Graciano provides colour, dark fruit and a certain perfume. And Mazuelo (Carignan) gives high acid and tannic structure.

The story of new wave Spanish single variety Garnacha can be told elsewhere – great concentration can be achieved from old, bush vines in the hands of experts like Jose Navascués (of Contino fame) – see Recommendations for his Cutio Garnacha, for example.

Graciano is also proving a success on its own, although it is not without its challenges from a viticultural perspective.  I have yet to try it but Contino’s Graciano is said to be of the best, deeply-coloured, with good tannic structure and dark, mulberry fruit.

Seeking new ways with oak

While oak flavours have been a signature of Rioja for many years – either coconut from American oak barrels or vanilla from French, a  number or producers are now seeking to make wines with no overt oakiness; this perhaps with the tastes of younger wine drinkers in mind. These winemakers prefer large neutral foudres which still give texture to the wine or concrete vessels and even amphorae, such as those used in traditional Georgian wine-making.

Concrete eggs, for example, were first used by Chapoutier in France 20 years ago and are said to offer the advantages of less evaporation loss, low temperature fluctuation and no dead corners which enhances continuous flow in the wine. A keen advocate, the Spottswoode winery in California, points to the preservation of fruit flavours and the addition of weight and texture due to micro-oxidation.

A good example of the use of  a fresher style of Rioja is Sierra de Tolon, Raposo 2020, a Tempranillo/Graciano blend with vibrant red and blackberry fruit, matured in large foudres.  A good wine to compare against a more traditional Rioja from La Rioja Alta or Marqués de Cáceres. Available from Tannico UK.