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Rioja

Rioja: A legend in upheaval

It is the flagship of the Spanish wine industry: the Rioja region, with its elegant, yet storable wines, most of which are dominated by the Tempranillo, has decisively influenced the image of Spanish wine. Above all, the Reservas and Gran Reservas, aged for years in barrels, enjoy a magical reputation. For about 20 years, the Rioja houses have created a sensation with modern-designed, fruity wines, which are marked more by their terroir than their aging processes.

White wines from Rioja

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Red wines from Rioja

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La Vendimia 2021

DOC Rioja, Bodega Palacios Remondo, 750 ml
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The international success of Rioja began after 1840. At the time, phylloxera was destroying the vineyards of Bordeaux. The French wine merchants searched for replacements and found them in Rioja. The formidable cellars in the neighbourhood around Haro’s main train station, from which wines were once transported to Bordeaux, still bear witness to the boom of those years. When phylloxera reached Rioja after 1900, this boom turned to bust.

Aged wines

The area only began to experience a renaissance after 1970, thanks to the introduction of a rating system with the designations: Gran Reserva (aged at least five years before sale), Reserva (aged at least three years) and Crianza (aged at least two years). Traditional houses often put their Gran Reservas on sale only after seven or ten years. In recent years, however, Riojas are also increasingly coming onto the market that are referred to as "designer wines" (created by wineries) or crus (selections from individual vine plots). These often have greater concentration and fruitiness than the classical Riojas.

Three subregions

The Rioja region is a 100-kilometre-long and 40-kilometre-wide strip along the Ebro. Alluvial soils with high gravel content dominate near the river; otherwise, the vines are rooted in clay with varying proportions of lime and iron. The valley is bounded to the north by the Sierra de Cantabria and lies at the junction of cooler Atlantic air and a moderate Mediterranean climate. The total vineyard area of 62,000 hectares is divided into three subregions. From the Rioja Alta and the adjacent Rioja Alavesa, elegant and storable wines emerge in relatively high positions with the influence of the cool Atlantic, while fuller wines are produced in the warmer Rioja Baja.

The Tempranillo dominates

The classic Rioja is a blend of Tempranillo (for strength and support), Garnacha and Mazuelo (to provide fruit and melodiousness) and the acidic Graciano. Over the past 30 years, however, the Tempranillo has steadily gained in importance. Elegant white wines are also produced.

Region

Galicia
Spain

Galicia

Galicia: shaped by the cool Atlantic

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California
USA

California

California: Lots of fruit and ripe tannins

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Hawkes Bay
New Zealand

Hawkes Bay

Hawke’s Bay is located in the east of New Zealand’s North Island and is the country’s oldest and second-largest wine-growing region (approx. 4640 hectares), dating back to 1851. Hawke’s Bay is New Zealand’s largest wine-growing region for high-quality red wines, accounting for over 80 percent of its total production of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. Chardonnay and the two varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot make up around 50 percent of total production at Hawke’s Bay. White and red wines are produced in approximately equal amounts. The region produces a total of 10 percent of all New Zealand wines.

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