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Rioja Wine

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The Rioja region of Spain produces one of the world’s finest, and most long lived wines: Rioja. Rioja's renaissance, in the latter half of the 19th century, was a direct result of the phyloxera bug that decimated vineyards around the globe. While English merchants came to Rioja to replace their French imports, the wines here actually have much more in common with Chianti. Both wines are blend relying heavily on one grape, in this case Tempranillo. Like Chianti’s Sangiovese, Tempranillo usually produces a relatively high acid wine of medium to medium-full body. Tempranillo tends to produce wines with a dusty, leathery edge to their raspberry and blackberry fruit tones. With additions of Graciano, Mazuela and Grancha the wines of Rioja can take on additional layers of flavor and aroma but the tradition of extended oak aging for Rioja's great wines contributes an even more obvious imprint. While the Spaniards have traditionally been a fan of the strong vanilla and coconut component that American oak Read more »

Spanish Wines in the Shadows

Navarra may sound like a dusty desert town in an old Western movie but in reality it’s a little known wine region that’s been overshadowed by Rioja, its illustrious neighbour in northern Spain, for years. The region is renowned for its roses (Rosado) b...

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Ribera y Rueda: A Tale of Two Wines

Americans seem to be growing in curiosity about Spain. Numbers indicate Americans traveling to Spain are on the rise each year, while at the same time Spanish restaurants and tapas bars are spreading across the United States. There is even a growing aw...

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Spanish Wines Get Specific

As the world’s winemakers look to single vineyard wines to mark them out from the crowd, a trip through southern Spain with the Grandes Pagos de Espana took one-up-manship to a different level. Grab your passport and join me on this whistle stop tour.

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The Future of New Zealand Wine

The future of New Zealand wine is strong – both through local sales and, increasingly, export. International trade in wine remains highly competitive, market and margin-driven, and is always subject to the kindness or wrath of currencies trading - as w...

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The Rise of Non-Traditional Wine Blends

Here in the United States we are on a first-name basis with our wine grapes. The majority of casual wine drinkers understand what “Merlot”, “Moscato”, and “Cabernet” mean. Nowadays “Pinot” and even “Riesling” are familiar pals too. This is largely bec...

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Ostatu Blanco (2011)

Winery: Bodegas Ostatu
Region: Spain » Rioja » Rioja Alavesa
Varietal: Malvasia
Type: Table Wines
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Mary Margaret McCamic

Mostly Viura with some Malvasia. Crisp and clean, with pleasant apple notes and a touch of mineral.

La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 890 (2004)

Winery: La Rioja Alta
Region: Spain » Rioja » Rioja Alta
Varietal: Tempranillo
Type: Table Wines
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Gregory Dal Piaz

A bit tight on the nose with subtle notions of spicy wild berry fruits and dusty, dry leather. A little lactic, this shows some raw wood qualities on the nose, as well. The wine is almost velvety on entry and is totally integrated if a bit tight, with ...

Rioja Alta Arana Reserv (2004)

Winery: La Rioja Alta
Region: Spain » Rioja » Rioja Alta
Varietal: Tempranillo
Type: Table Wines
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Gregory Dal Piaz

Deep leather, white flower, subtle orange peel and sour red cherries greet the nose with hints of tobacco, ash, vanilla, dill and spicy wood making for a beautiful perfume. There’s a hint of early wood sweetness here, yet this is soft and elegant in th...

Vina Pomal Crianza. Bodegas Bilbainas (2011)

Winery: Bodegas Bilbainas
Region: Spain » Rioja » Rioja Alta
Varietal: Tempranillo
Type: Table Wines
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puhnner

Found on Wine.com - just a wonder! here are some notes from RP - 'The 2011 Vina Zaco changed labels and profile to a more modern style a few years ago and displays a darker shade of cherry color, ripe notes of red and black berries, flowers and a meaty...

Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Viña Cumbrero Crianza (2010)

Winery: Bodegas Montecillo
Region: Spain » Rioja » Rioja Alta
Varietal: Tempranillo
Type: Table Wines
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rckr1951

At first I was a little disappointed but as the wine opened the cherry, spice and honeyed notes started to rise up and with a little swirling it got going at the it developed into the Top 100 WS wine that it should. The honey note was particularly sati...

Bodegas Luis Cañas Tempranillo Blend Rioja Reserva Selección de Familia (2004)

Winery: Bodegas Luis Cañas
Region: Spain » Rioja » Rioja Alavesa
Varietal: Tempranillo , Other Grape
Type: Table Wines
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Ruski

Had the 2005 vintage on 3 Nov, 2013 right after an Opus One from 1998. So there was a bit of a challenge. However, the Luis Canas came out of it with flying colors - velvet in color, soft vanilla and oak and plenty of dark berries (Finnish blueberry ...

La Rioja Alta Tempranillo Rioja Gran Reserva 904 (2001)

Winery: La Rioja Alta
Region: Spain » Rioja » Rioja Alta
Varietal: Tempranillo , Graciano
Type: Table Wines
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Gregory Dal Piaz

Just a classic Gran Reserva on the nose with dill and vanilla from American oak layered under raspberry fruit with all sorts of dried thyme, barn floor, dried grass and earthy leathery nuances adding complexity. At first this is quite lean in the mouth...

La Rioja Alta Tempranillo Rioja Gran Reserva 904 (1998)

Winery: La Rioja Alta
Region: Spain » Rioja » Rioja Alta
Varietal: Graciano , Tempranillo
Type: Table Wines
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Gregory Dal Piaz

Sour cherry and super gentle forest floor tones are meet by incipient mushroom notes on the nose all wrapped up in nicely burnished cranberry and raspberry fruit. This is super supple in the mouth with a gorgeous mouthfeel, elegant, refined, and oh so ...

Roda Roda 1 Reserva (2004)

Winery: Bodegas Roda
Region: Spain » Rioja » Rioja Alta
Varietal: Tempranillo
Type: Table Wines
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CheloSpahn

Espectacular ejemplar Riojano. De un color bastante grante profundo pero a la vez denota su evolución en botella. En nariz los aromas a cedro, ceniza, tabaco y chocolate son predominantes pero la fruta en almibar no se deja opacar resaltando después de...

Marqués de Riscal Tempranillo Blend Rioja Reserva (2007)

Winery: Marqués de Riscal
Region: Spain » Rioja » Rioja Alavesa
Varietal: Graciano , Carignan , Tempranillo
Type: Table Wines
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Erica Landin

An excellent classically styled rioja, with beautiful balance and acidity paired with nice black and red fruit. The oak is well integrated. This producer keeps a high level across the board, from "cheap" to super premium and are a good bet if you want ...

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Montecil Rioja Reserve
Winery: Bodegas Montecillo
Region: Spain » Rioja
Type: Table Wines

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Ricotta Gnocchi with Wild Boar Ragu

Chef De Carlo’s recipe for gnocchi is fantastic with the heady Wild Boar Ragu , but is equally delicious with a simple tomato sauce or a sage brown butter sauce . What to buy: While we tested th... Read more »

Faustino Tempranillo Rioja Faustino VII
Winery: Faustino
Region: Spain » Rioja
Type: Table Wines

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Spaghetti Pizza II

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Bodegas Sierra Cantabria Tempranillo Rioja Crianza
Winery: Bodegas Sierra Cantabria
Region: Spain » Rioja
Type: Table Wines

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Mixed-Olive Tapenade

Tapenade, an olive spread native to the South of France, is a lesson in proportions: Too much olive and it overwhelms the other elements; too little and the result is lackluster. Here the olives ba... Read more »

Bodegas Muriel Rioja Crianza
Winery: Bodegas Muriel
Region: Spain » Rioja
Type: Table Wines

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Black Pepper–Manchego Cheese Puffs

Technically called gougères, these French cheese puffs are normally made by folding lots of Gruyère into choux pastry dough for fluffy, light, cheesy bites. We changed it up by using aged Manchego,... Read more »

Bodegas Ramon Bilbao Tempranillo Rioja Limited Edition
Winery: Bodegas Ramón Bilbao
Region: Spain » Rioja » Rioja Alta
Type: Table Wines

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Basic Boneless Roasted Leg of Lamb

Gremolata, a mixture of parsley, garlic, and lemon zest, offers heat and fresh herb and citrus flavors to assertive leg of lamb. The best part of this recipe is that putting it all together for a d... Read more »

Lz Viñedos de Lanciego
Winery: Compañía de Vinos Telmo Rodríguez S.L.
Region: Spain » Rioja
Type: Table Wines

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Korean-Style Beef Tacos

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Bodegas Sierra Cantabria Rioja Crianza
Winery: Bodegas Sierra Cantabria
Region: Spain » Rioja
Type: Table Wines

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Southern Barbecued Beef Sandwiches

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Campo Viejo Tempranillo Blend Rioja Crianza
Winery: Campo Viejo
Region: Spain » Rioja
Type: Table Wines

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Recipe: Rigatoni with Shredded Pork in Mustard Cream Sauce | The Kitchn

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Bodegas Dinastia Vivanco Rioja Seleccion de Familia Crianza
Winery: Dinastia Vivanco
Region: Spain » Rioja » Rioja Alavesa
Type: Table Wines

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Thyme-Rubbed Bison Short Ribs

With its low fat content, bison can easily turn out dry and tough. Braising takes a while, but you’re rewarded with moist and meltingly tender meat. Serve these garlic- and thyme-rubbed short ribs ... Read more »

Marqués de Cáceres Rosé Blend Rioja Rosado
Winery: Bodegas Marques de Caceres
Region: Spain » Rioja » Rioja Alta
Type: Table Wines

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Beefy Manicotti

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89065Gregory Dal Piaz

1978 C.V.N.E. Vina Real Gran Reserva

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1073671Erica Landin

Top 5 wines under 15 USD tasted in Rioja

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178306Nicki Gig

I heart Spain

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455797Kyle Graynor

Easy Drinking Rioja Wines

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103444Rich Tomko

Top Everyday Tempranillos

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Mentor for Rioja Wines

Richard Jennings

Wine writer (and HR exec). I write a weekly column for Huffington Post, wine book reviews for NY Journal of Books, and my blog is http://www.RJonWine.com. I have over 38,000 tasting notes on CellarTracker, where I'm the most "favorited" TN author.

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Popular wines made in Rioja under $20

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Varietals Produced in Rioja View all

  • Graciano

    Though it is easily the most interesting and unique red grape in Rioja, its yields are low, it is prone to downy mild...

  • Grenache

    You’re a member of the ‘Rhône Ranger’ band. Your groupies think you’re ‘hot’, even when you're boozy and "strung out"...

  • Tempranillo

    History of the grape: Origins of Tempranillo are murky. It could be indigenous to the Spanish countryside, or it coul...

  • Cabernet Sauvignon

    “King of the Red Wine Grapes.” The colonizer of the vineyards, pushing native wine grapes into its shadows. The Caber...

  • Malbec

    History of the grape: Some believe Malbec is named after a Hungarian peasant who spread plantings along the French co...

  • Macabeo

    Macabeo is Spain’s most widely planted grape. From there, it has made its way to southern France’s Roussillon region,...

Subregions of Rioja

Popular Wineries in Rioja View all

  • Bodegas Ondarre,S.A.

    Bodegas Ondarre, founded in 1986, belongs to the Bodegas Olarra Group, one of the most famous nam...

  • Bodegas Baigorri

    "Bodegas Baigorri bases its work on a value of duality and on the xcellence of its products and ...

  • Bodegas Roda

    At this particular moment, Mario Rotllant and Carmen Daurella came to La Rioja, with the passiona...

  • Bodegas Sierra Cantabria

    The Eguren family, generation after generation since 1870, have been dedicated to grape growing a...

  • Bodegas LAN

    Year… 1972. Bodegas LAN is founded and named after the initials of the 3 provinces in the Rioja D...

  • Bodegas Beronia

    Bodegas Beronia is a winery in Rioja founded in 1973 by a group from the local gastronomic soci...

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