| Red Rioja Wine Style | Aromas | Flavors |
|---|---|---|
| Joven | Fresh berries, floral notes | Red fruit, lively acidity |
| Crianza | Cherry, vanilla, spice | Ripe fruit, subtle oak |
| Reserva | Dark fruits, tobacco | Structured, leather, oak influence |
| Gran Reserva | Dried fruit, cedar, earth | Complex, full-bodied, aging potential |
Red Rioja wines are blends of different grapes, so red Rioja wines will have a range of flavors, like cherry, strawberry, orange zest, lavender, herbs, and spices. Expect medium to medium plus tannins, higher acid, and a medium to full body depending on the blend.
What Does Red Rioja Joven Wine Taste Like?
Rioja Joven wine showcases the wine’s bright primary fruit. Expect to taste berries, herbs, floral notes, and maybe even some minerality depending on the grapes and growing regions. You won’t taste evidence of oak aging or flavors that come from aging, like vanilla, spice, leather, or dried fruit.
Here are a few wine descriptors for Joven wine taken from Joven Rioja red wine tasting notes:
- raspberries
- red currants spices
- gentle hints of flowers
- slight mineral undertones
- fruity and fresh
Here’s the full guide to Joven wines. Go explore.
What Does Red Rioja Crianza Taste Like?
Red Rioja Crianza wines are blends of different grapes, so red Rioja Crianza wines will have a range of fruit, floral, and herbal notes. They will also have some spice notes thanks to barrel aging. Here’s a list of what you might smell and taste in your red Rioja Crianza vino:
- Red plum
- Strawberry
- Cherry
- Blueberries
- Baking spice (clove)
- Vanilla
- Cigar box
Expect red Rioja Crianza wines to be dry with a chalky finish that ends on bright fruit. Here’s the full guide to Rioja Crianza wines (red, white, and rose).
What Does Red Rioja Reserva Taste Like?
Red Rioja Reserva wines are blends of different grapes, so red Rioja Reserva wines will have a range of fruit, floral, mineral, and herbal notes. They will also have some spice notes thanks to barrel aging. Here’s what you might smell and taste in your red Rioja Reserva wine:
- Red plum
- Roasted almonds
- White pepper
- Dark chocolate
- Strawberry
- Orange zest
- Thyme
- Dark earth
- Fresh meat
- Lavender
- Strawberry
- Cherry
- Blueberries
- Baking spice (clove)
- Vanilla
- Cigar box
Expect red Rioja Reserva wines to be dry, medium to full bodied, with chalky tannins and a noticeable tang thanks to medium plus acid. The finish may linger on fruit, mineral, or even herbal notes.
Discover More: Rioja Reserva Wine Quick Guide
What Does Red Rioja Gran Reserva Taste Like?
Red Rioja Gran Reserva wines are blends of different grapes, so red Rioja Gran Reserva wines will have a range of fruit, floral, mineral, and herbal notes. They will also have spice notes thanks to barrel aging. Red Rioja Gran Reserva wines will have distinctive aged notes. These wines have matured for years waiting for you to enjoy them. Fresh fruits fade to dried fruits, potpourri, leather, and maybe even nuts. Think savory and earthy.
Helpful Tip: Older wines, like Rioja Gran Reserva, have more dried fruit and floral qualities, called tertiary notes.
Here are a few red Rioja Gran Reserve flavors to get you started:
- Sour cherry
- Wild strawberry
- Raspberry
- Lilac
- Tobacco
- Cigar
- Orange peel
- Coconut
- Balsamic
- Toast
- Dried sage
- Dark chocolate
- Black olive
- Licorice
Expect mature, plush tannins, a streak of acidity, and a fine, long finish. These wines demand the highest-quality grapes and winemaking to enable them to age 5 years in bottle. Here’s the full guide on Rioja Gran Reserva wine.
Thirsty for More?
Check out the different Rioja wine label colors here to help you pick great Rioja wines.
Love Spanish wines as much as I do? Here’s a list of other Spanish red wines you should be drinking.
Here’s everything you need to know about Rioja Crianza wines, the youngest official oak-aged classification in Rioja.
