Rioja Wine - What’s all the fuss about?
by Ben Curtis
Photo © Ryan Opaz
A few questions popped into my head recently about Rioja wines, about their predominance in the Spanish market amongst other things. Who better to clear up my doubts, I thought, than my good friend Ryan, at Catavino.net. Read on, and do check out his great site on Spanish wines.
Q: Why have a majority of people outside Spain only ever heard of La Rioja wines?
A: Marketing, that’s it really, and money. Rioja has invested early and well. Today the name Rioja stands apart from Spanish wine. In fact a recent survey by the Wine Academy of Spain found that 2 out of 10 wine drinkers recognized Tempranillo (primary grape used in Rioja) as a variety and 68% of wine drinkers thought Rioja was in Italy.
Q: Do they actually make some of the best wines in Spain?
A: Yes, and like any region in Spain they also make some of the worst. Wine is in most cases subjective, and therefore if you don’t like wine from Rioja don’t drink it, and if you do like it, well then do drink it. I would say that 80% or more of the Rioja on my supermarket shelf here in Terrassa, Cataluña, is pure rubbish. But the name sells so people buy it. Sad really.
Q: What Rioja wines should people look out for in Spain or abroad?
A: Really I think that most Rioja wines become interesting at the 10 euro price point. Sure there are cheaper ones worth considering, but in the end you get to 10 euros and most times you get a wine worth the money. Names I have always had luck with include: Muga, LAN, Lopez de Heredia, and RODA, none of which should surprise anyone, though I would look to new names such as Bodegas Tobia, a winery that is really tryinig to do new things, while at the same time respecting traditon.
Q: Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva - Does it really matter?
A: Yes and no. The best value you can get is from a Crianza. Usually they are not overpriced and are still full of fruit and vigor. Whereas Reservas and Gran Reservas can be over-priced and unless you know where to reach you can find yourself with a glass of tired grape juice.
Q: I want to do a bit of wine tourism in La Rioja, where should I head for?
A: Head to www.LaRiojaTurismo.com and check out what they have to offer. Rioja right now is working hard to show itself as a complete package. You can ride horses, take a balloon ride, see dinosaur tracks, visit ancient cities, and eat some amazing foods, all this and you’ll never be far from a great glass of wine.
Q: Any final La Rioja thoughts?
A: Follow us next week as we spend a week in Rioja tasting wines, visitng bodegas and doing a few things off the beaten track. I am a Rioja skeptic. I know Rioja makes great wines, but lately I’ve had trouble finding them. This next week is my chance to explore and search for some of the hidden treasures in Rioja. I’m really looking forward to what we find.
Thanks Ryan! Head over to catavino.net to follow Ryan as he spends a great week in La Rioja, and do let us know, do you drink it? Or do you venture into other wine regions of Spain?
Posted: February 21st, 2008 under General.
Comments: 11
Comments
Comment from Louise
Time: February 21, 2008, 2:28 pm
Living close to the wine regions of Ribera del Duero & La Rioja I drink & have favourites from both regions. Ribera del Duero has fantastic, good quality red wines but they tend to come at a price, which ultimately means we save them for an ‘occasion’.
We also get some fantastic table wine from La Rioja, which is pretty much the meal time staple in our house, as in typical spanish style we drink wine with our main meal everyday. Although I’ve only sampled a couple of different wines from there I cant fault what I’ve had to date & the fact that its delivered to our door once a month directly from the bodega makes it even better.
Comment from Parubin
Time: February 21, 2008, 3:35 pm
I’d like to point out that ‘La Rioja’ wines are not only produced in La Rioja Autonomous Region but also in ‘La Rioja Alavesa’ which actually belongs to the basque province of Alava (Basque Country). Both La Rioja and Rioja Alavesa are in the same valley and they share the Rioja ‘denominación de origen’ but they belong to different autonomous regions (La Rioja and the Basque Country).
I made that remark because the link that was provided before (www.lariojaturismo.com) is promoted by the board of tourism of the autonomous goverment of the region of ‘La Rioja’, thus you’ll be missing some amazing towns and wineries on the basque side of ‘La Rioja Denominación de Origen’.
It wouldn´t be wise to miss these towns in Alava wine-country : Labastida, Elciego, Laguardia and Lapuebla de Labarca with such wineries as ‘Bodegas Ysios’ (Laguardia) amazing architecture by Santiago Calatrava, Granja de Nuestra Señora de Remelluri (Labastida), and Bodegas Marques de Riscal (a real must) in Elciego with the superb architecture and desing of Frank Gehry (similar to the Guggenhein in Bilbao).
Those interested in wine-tourism in La Rioja, should check the above link as well as these two listed below :
Comment from ValenciaSon
Time: February 21, 2008, 4:56 pm
So who wins on wine ? Spain or France?
Comment from Graeme
Time: February 21, 2008, 5:58 pm
“So who wins on wine ? Spain or France?”
I think Spain does. It might just be that I have become used to the taste of Spanish wines, but the last few French wines I have tried have left me very unimpressed. Also I think France has lived too long off the fame of its wines and there is therefore less of the innovation that you see in other countires without the reputation.
Lat me second what Parubin says about the Rioja Alavesa - I spent a very pleasant weekend in Laguardia a few years back. Some of the bodegas have now turned their older buildings into hotels as their wine production shifted to shiny and clean new facilities - although some of these hotels can be much more expensive than staying in the nearest town.
Comment from ryan
Time: February 21, 2008, 6:00 pm
ValenciaSon you can’t win on a subjective subject! 
Parubin: Good point and we’ll be covering both regions this month coming up with visits to both sides of LaRioja!
Comment from ValenciaSon
Time: February 21, 2008, 6:31 pm
How are there wine competitions on a subjective subject? How are they decided upon?
Comment from Ben
Time: February 21, 2008, 6:41 pm
I’ll second Laguardia, it’s a stunning medieval hilltop town full of delicious wine.
Comment from Edith
Time: February 21, 2008, 7:30 pm
Comparing Spanish and French wine is like comparing Cabrales and Roquefort cheeses, respectively - both are delicious! 
Comment from UKMark
Time: February 21, 2008, 8:23 pm
If you add all the different wines - cava, Albarino, sherries, Moscatel de Valencia, Malaga sweet wines - an incredible range.
Of course if you talk about Iberian wines you can then include Port.
Comment from sandy
Time: February 25, 2008, 10:45 am
I second Graeme that Spanish wins. Euro for euro, Spanish wine is a much better buy than French wine or Italian wine. It is sad that Spanish wine is still not known in Asian countries. Only the very big wineries have made it there. I prefer the more modern wines with a kick from La Rioja. Some of the “Gran Reservas” from La Rioja are so flat and dead.
Comment from Ane Miren Lambe
Time: February 25, 2008, 11:42 am
My colleague, Anna, and I will be meeting Ryan Opaz in La Rioja this week. We’re planning to introduce him and Gabriella to a few interesting wineries, both traditional and modern. There’s no doubt about it, Rioja wines can still be fantastic, at all levels, but that’s not to say that other Spanish regions don’t also produce wines of comparable standards.
And I agree with Graeme, you can still get wines at very reasonable prices in Spain. To get a similar quality wine in France or Italy, you need to dig further into your wallet.
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