Rioja Winemakers Reflect on the Spirit of Rioja, 100 Years Later

When it comes to  Spanish wine, the first word that typically comes to mind is “Rioja.”

This celebrated Spanish wine region has produced world-class wines for generations. Cult wine collectors hunt down bottles. Sommeliers clamor for age-worthy reds — and whites! — for their lists just as wine advisors recommend their clients include a selection of these European beauties for their cellars. And wine enthusiasts know Rioja rosado is the one of the best options for summer and beyond.

The region is located in northern Spain along the Ebro River, where ancient Romans cultivated grapes as far back as 200 B.C.E. Leading up to 1925, the region sought to ensure the protection of the quality and origin of Rioja wines. Today, Rioja has a high caliber of winemaking, using native varieties of grapes in balanced wines made in the three main sub-regions: Rioja Alta, a higher-altitude area with cooler temperatures; Rioja Alavesa, known for its terraced vineyards on the northern side of the river; and Rioja Oriental, the less hilly, easternmost part of the region.

In 1925, the Rioja Designation of Origin cemented these practices and launched the heralded brand that is Rioja wines a century later. This year, the region celebrates a milestone achievement that few other wine regions can claim.

“One hundred years ago, the [winemakers of Rioja] realized what they had on their hands, that this designation had value, and it was a treasure to protect,” says Raquel Pérez Cuevas, president of the QDO (DOCa) Rioja Regulatory Board. “Today we are continuing to cultivate and improve their legacy.”

In honor of the 100th anniversary of Rioja’s Designation of Origin, Vinepair spoke to some of the most influential voices in Rioja on what they admire most about their beloved winemaking region.

Pictured: Raquel Pérez Cuevas, president of the QDO (DOCa) Rioja Regulatory Board

The Spirit of the Vineyards

Rioja is simply one of the best places to visit if you like food, wine, and history, explains Miguel Merino Navajas, the second-generation winemaker at his father’s namesake winery, Miguel Merino. To him, to best understand what makes Rioja, is to climb to the peaks of the Sierra Cantabria, the mountain range that divides Rioja from the Basque country. Here, you’ll find a “great perspective of what Rioja is,” he says, adding that it’s a part of Spain where wine is the main industry, with miles and miles of vineyards. “Each village has a tremendous number of terroirs,” Miguel Merino says of the 144 villages scattered among 66,000 hectares of vineyards in Rioja that are visible from high vantage points. That diversity of microclimates, soils, and winemaking practices has led to a proliferation of styles and expressions.

María Urrutia, the director of marketing at CVNE, her family’s winery that is now run by the fifth generation, says that when people come to visit her in Rioja, her favorite place to take them is the Castillo de Davalillo in San Asensio, one of the few remaining castles in Spain. Here, with a bit of a climb, she says, you discover the most incredible view. 

“You see the Ebro River winding through the valley, the mountains in the distance, and plots and plots of vineyards stretching out everywhere,” Urrutia says. “It’s one of those moments that really captures the spirit of Rioja.”

It’s More Than Tempranillo

Rioja has become synonymous with Tempranillo, a red grape that showcases flavors of ripe red fruits, vanilla, leather, and hints of tobacco. Pérez Cuevas credits Tempranillo for helping create Rioja’s international icon status as a widely recognized noble variety outside of the typical Bordeaux and Burgundy grapes. 

But Spanish winemakers consider it an oversimplification to define Rioja wines by a single grape. 

The famous red wines of Rioja are intentional blends of grapes such as Garnacha, Mazuelo, and Graciano alongside Tempranillo, and it’s the marriage of the various grape characteristics that gives Rioja its finesse, balance, and longevity. A deep knowledge of how to cultivate the vineyards, coupled with sophisticated winemaking skills, is what has elevated many Rioja winemakers to an elite level. 

“[Tempranillo] is the backbone of Rioja wines, and some of the oldest, most age-worthy and elegant wines in Spain are built around it,” says Urrutia. “But one thing that excites us is the renewed focus on wines that speak of origin, not just grapes — wines from specific villages or even single vineyards. It’s the idea that the land and the location really come through in the glass.”

Pictured: María Urrutia, director of marketing at CVNE

Rosado All Day

Rioja is a great region for red wines, but the sleeper hits are the rosé wines, labeled as rosado. Once you try one, it’s tough not to fall for them.

Often made in the traditional“clarete” style and mainly in the Rioja Alta, these rosados are a blend of red and white grapes which give the resulting wine a fresh, mineral, and, as Miguel Merino says, “electrical” quality. 

Thanks to the local grapes used in these rosé wines, they have exceptional complexity and depth of flavor. Tempranillo provides structure and classic red fruit flavors. Garnacha adds juicy strawberry notes and contributes to the vibrant pink hue. Graciano offers hints of spice and herbs. Viura, a native white grape, gives floral aromatics along with citrus on the palate.

It’s this combination that makes Rioja rosado a versatile rosé wine that maintains freshness and elegance that pairs with a variety of dishes. Miguel Merino says they are the most interesting wine styles happening in the region today.

Pictured: Miguel Merino Navajas, second-generation winemaker at Miguel Merino

Welcoming the New Generation

A number of wineries in Rioja are being run by new generations of established families, which has proven to be the key to innovation. In Rioja, tradition is considered a value marker, not an outdated prescription for how to make wine. With that comes a diversity of styles and flavor profiles.

Pérez Cuevas explains that the collective mentality of the DO has led to true transformation over the years, and today, she is seeing yet another evolution. “Young winemakers and winegrowers are beginning to bring their vision to the DOCa, and this is the key to lasting another 100 years,” she says.

With fresh approaches to winemaking released in top-quality label classifications, Rioja represents real wine diversity.  Not only are the wines demarcated with quality by the Rioja DO and the age classifications (Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva), but producers are starting to note single vineyards and villages, much as they do in France. 

Miguel Merino is keeping an eye on the wines coming from second-generation ­“cosecheros,” or vignerons, who are studying wine abroad then coming back to Rioja to experiment with other approaches beyond the traditional red wines that are made and sold locally. He believes they will be among the future changemakers in the region. Miguel Merino also sees a future for the region’s Viura-based white wines, which range in styles from aromatic and delicate expressions to those that are oak-aged, with cellar-aging potential in mind.

“There is a whole palate of flavors and moods in our region,” Urrutia adds. “Rioja has this amazing history behind it, but it’s not stuck in the past. The wines feel alive and modern, yet they still carry that classic Rioja soul.”

This article is sponsored by Rioja.

The article Rioja Winemakers Reflect on the Spirit of Rioja, 100 Years Later appeared first on VinePair.