Spanish Wine Country

In search of wine, food, and other delights in Spain

  • Spanish Wine Regions
    • Cava Wine Region
      • Cava Lodging
      • Cava Wine Facts
    • Priorat and Montsant Wine Regions
      • Priorat Lodging
      • Priorat Wine Facts
    • Rias Baixas Wine Region – Albariño Wine Country
      • Lodging in Rias Baixas
      • Albariño Wine Facts
    • Ribera del Duero Wine Region
      • Ribera Del Duero Lodging
      • Ribera del Duero Wine Facts
    • Rioja Wine Region
      • Rioja Lodging
      • Rioja Wine Facts
    • Toro Wine Region
      • Toro Lodging
      • Toro Wine Facts
  • Spanish Wine Guide
    • Spanish wine grapes
    • Denominaciones de Origen – about the wine regions of Spain
    • Spanish Wine Label
    • Essential Spanish Wine Country Books
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Rioja Wine Facts

rioja wine facts

Rioja Wine Facts and Information

Rioja is the most famous and most productive wine region of Spain. There are 140,000 acres of vineyards and most of those are Tempranillo vines. Other red varietals are Garnacha,  Mazuelo (Carignane in other parts of Spain) and a smattering of other red grapes. In addition to red varietals, there are also white grapes grown in Rioja. I love the barrel fermented Viura wines; they are delicious. Just recently, a mutation occurred and Rioja now has Tempranillo Blanco. For more on this new white wine grape, read our post “Tempranillo Blanco is alive and well.”

The town of Haro is considered the capital of the Rioja region. That is because some of the oldest and most famous wineries are located here. Try visiting Bodegas Bilbainas, Bodegas Muge, and Vina Tondonia. But the city of Logroño is where all the business of wining and dining takes place. It is a great city and is one of the spots where we stayed while touring the Rioja. Our home base was the AC Marriott Hotel.

Here is a very short video on the most important grape in Rioja, Tempranillo.

As in other wine regions of Spain, there are strict laws for identifying various levels of wine as it relates to aging before being released  for consumption. Rioja seems to have the most strict laws. Here are the designations:

  • Joven: The term literally means young. These wines are aged in oak for a brief time or may never see oak at all.
  • Crianza: The wine must be aged for two years, one of which must be in the barrel.
  • Reserva: The wine must be aged for a minimum of three years, one of which must be in the barrel.
  • Gran Reserva: The wine must be aged for five years, with two years minimum in the barrel.

 

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The Spanish Wine Travelers

Joe and Janelle Becerra are the owners and editors of Wine Country Getaways LLC Read More…

Spain’s Wine Regions

Cava, Priorat & Montsant, Rias Baxias, Ribera del Duero, Rioja, Toro

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