Rioja Alavesa: Quick Guide
Rioja Alavesa is the smallest of Rioja’s 3 wine-producing regions. Its primary variety is Tempranillo. Rioja Alavesa has 21% of Rioja vineyards. Where Is Rioja Alavesa? Rioja Alavesa sits in the northernmost part of the Rioja DOCa, but isn’t actually part of La Rioja. Instead, Rioja Alavea is part of Pais Vasco. Rioja Alavesa Geography […]
Rioja Wine Taste: Quick Guide
Red Rioja Wine Tasting Notes 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 […]
Rioja Reserva Aging Requirements
Rioja Reserva Aging Requirements Rioja Reserva Aging Requirements Wine Type Oak Aging Bottle Aging Total Aging Red Rioja Reserva 12 months 6 months 36 months White Rioja Reserva 6 months No specific requirement 24 months Rosé Rioja Reserva 6 months No specific requirement 24 months Rioja Reserva Pronunciation: ree-oh-ha reh-serve-ah All Rioja Reserva wines are […]
Rioja Gran Reserva: Quick Guide
Rioja Gran Reserva Pronunciation: ree-oh-ha grahn reh-serve-ah Rioja Gran Reserva wines spend at least 5 years aging. Red wines age 2 years in oak barrel and 2 in bottle. White and rose age 6 months in barrel, 4 years total. What Is Rioja Gran Reserva? If you see “Rioja Gran Reserva” on a wine bottle […]
Gran Reserva Meaning: It’s Aged
Gran Reserva Aging Requirements Spanish Gran Reserva Aging Requirements Wine Type Oak Aging Bottle Aging Red Rioja Gran Reserva 24 months 24 months (5 years total) Red Gran Reserva 18 months (5 years total, not necessarily in bottle) White Gran Reserva 6 months (4 years total, not necessarily in bottle) Rosé Gran Reserva 6 months […]
Rioja Reserva: Quick Guide
Rioja Reserva Pronunciation: ree-oh-ha reh-serve-ah Rioja Reserva wines are oak aged. Red wines age 1 year in barrel, 6 months in bottle (3 years total). White and rose age 6 months in barrel, 2 years total. What Is Rioja Reserva? If you see “Rioja Reserva” on a wine bottle it means the wine was produced […]
Tempranillo vs Crianza: What’s the Difference?
Characteristics Crianza Tempranillo Hue Bright ruby Deep ruby to garnet Color Red Red Aromas Red plum, strawberry, cherry, baking spice, vanilla, cigar box, mineral Red berries, plum, dill, tobacco, coconut Tannins Medium to high Medium to High Acid Medium to medium plus Medium Alcohol (%) 12-15.5% 13-15% Body Full Full Intensity Medium plus to pronounced […]
Rioja Crianza: Quick Guide
Rioja Crianza Pronunciation: ree-oh-ha cree-ahn-sa Rioja Crianza wines spend at least 2 years aging. Red wines age 1 year in oak barrel. White and rose age 6 months in barrel, two years total. What Is Rioja Crianza? If you see “Rioja Crianza” on a wine bottle it means the wine was produced in the Rioja […]
Joven Wine: What Is It?
Joven Pronunciation: hove-in Joven wine is a Spanish wine classification used in Rioja. Joven means “young” in Spanish. These are wines made to be released for sale quickly with bright, fresh flavors. What’s Joven Wine Made From? Joven wines can be blends or single-varietal wines. Most joven red wines will have Tempranillo grapes, the classic […]
Tannat vs Tempranillo
Comparing Tannat vs Tempranillo is a fun exercise. These two wines are very different. Tannat has more tannin than Tempranillo. Tannat is black-fruited; Tempranillo has red fruit. Both are full-bodied red wines. TL;DR: If you like Tempranillo, you may or may not like Tannat. Tannat Basics: A Powerful Red Tannat, from the Madiran region of […]