Rioja – One Fine Spanish Wine
When you think of Spain, wine is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Maybe the Conquistadors, Andalusian horses, soccer or bull-fighting…but wine?
In reality, the country does have a long history regarding the grape, with written evidence dating back to the late 800’s.
Rioja (reo-ha) wine comes from the Rioja winemaking region – government controlled in a similar manner as the French (example: the Burgundy region and Burgundy wines). Named after the Rio Oja, the region is located in northern Spain, just south of the Cantabrian Mountains.
Of course to make things more complicated, the Rioja wine region is subdivided into three more regions, each lending different characteristics to their wines due to differences in climate, soils, etc:
· Rioja Alta – fruit forward and velvety wines.
· Rioja Alavesa – higher acidity and fuller-bodied.
· Rioja Baja – higher alcohol levels and deep colors.
Most of the Rioja wines are red or tinto – about 80 to 85% - but white (blanco) and rosé (rosado) are also represented. Tempranillo is the most common red varietal, and is commonly blended with Grenache, Graciano and Mazuelo. The Rioja Blancos are based on the Viura grape and often blended as well.
Now that you are in the know, the next time you have a few plates of tapas in front of you, order a nice Rioja and enjoy. Salud!
In reality, the country does have a long history regarding the grape, with written evidence dating back to the late 800’s.
Rioja (reo-ha) wine comes from the Rioja winemaking region – government controlled in a similar manner as the French (example: the Burgundy region and Burgundy wines). Named after the Rio Oja, the region is located in northern Spain, just south of the Cantabrian Mountains.
Of course to make things more complicated, the Rioja wine region is subdivided into three more regions, each lending different characteristics to their wines due to differences in climate, soils, etc:
· Rioja Alta – fruit forward and velvety wines.
· Rioja Alavesa – higher acidity and fuller-bodied.
· Rioja Baja – higher alcohol levels and deep colors.
Most of the Rioja wines are red or tinto – about 80 to 85% - but white (blanco) and rosé (rosado) are also represented. Tempranillo is the most common red varietal, and is commonly blended with Grenache, Graciano and Mazuelo. The Rioja Blancos are based on the Viura grape and often blended as well.
Now that you are in the know, the next time you have a few plates of tapas in front of you, order a nice Rioja and enjoy. Salud!