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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2007 and 2011 (based on 7 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.5 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 33 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by stevetimko on 2/7/2021: Still good, but maybe it’s lost some intensity because it’s on a downward slope. On the nose, I got a little bit of tobacco and tea. The red fruits seem darker than I remember. Silky texture. Gentle on the attack but a nice finish. I didn’t detect oak. This went better with Glen’s Super Bowl tri-tip than my Carlisle zin. A Bon Vivant import. (438 views) | | | Tasted by stevetimko on 7/30/2015: This is still holding up well. It tastes similar to my last note. It's light and showing lots of depth and elegance. One change is that I got dill this time I didn't get last time. Is that American oak? If so, you'd think it would be resolved by now. Red fruit on the nose and palate and a nice earthiness too. (1549 views) | | | Tasted by chablis28 on 8/9/2014 & rated 88 points: I may have hung onto this a tad too long as it seems to have lost a lot of its life and fruit even over the past 14 months since my last btl. Still something there but a shell of it's prior self. I do really like this producer though and would buy younger vintages again. This was a PnP. No decant. (1940 views) | | | Tasted by chablis28 on 6/22/2013 & rated 93 points: Yet another overall great btl that may be ever so slightly less vibrant that 2yrs ago. Still perfect example of complex aged Rioja. (2143 views) | | | Tasted by andtheodor on 2/10/2013 & rated 91 points: Raspberry, strawberry, leather, rustic nose with a little pickle/dill character. Soft, rich, nice texture, sexy, restrained, understated. Soil, leaves, savory. Low alcohol, feminine, and lovely. (2188 views) | | | Tasted by stevetimko on 6/25/2012: This was excellent. This was about the lightest red Rioja I can remember. Quite delicate and showing excellent depth. This might be light enough to go with fish dishes. This was more red fruit with maybe a little bit of tobacco and blood on the nose. I just loved how it felt from the attack through the midpalate and finish. And it has an excellent finish. It's the kind of texture that only comes with age. At $30 a bottle it's a steal. (2222 views) | | | Tasted by stephenhill8@msn.com on 4/28/2012 & rated 92 points: Excellent and a great value! Fruit was still lively after 15 years. Classic mature tempranillo profile, except lighter on tobacco than many favorites. No more detailed notes as this was at 40th Birthday Party. It really needed decanting for 1-2 hours to reach full volume and to reveal spicy complexity. (1233 views) | | | Tasted by andtheodor on 4/21/2012 & rated 89 points: Limpid, delicately perfumed, autumnal, sweetly woody, rapsberry. Reminds me of Valle d'Aosta stuff. (1431 views) | | | Tasted by andtheodor on 1/7/2012 & rated 89 points: Very light; cranberry, leather, dead leaves, tobacco nose. Dry fruit and piercing lemon juice acidity on the palate. Mature, classic Rioja. (1439 views) | | | Tasted by gordoyflaca on 12/18/2011 & rated 90 points: This is good, nice raspberry rubbed on a leather belt. (1535 views) | | | Tasted by chablis28 on 11/27/2011 & rated 95 points: Another great btl from this producerthat many others at tonight's Spainish offline admired too. I love traditional aged Rioja! (1637 views) | | | Tasted by Dave Dalluge on 11/27/2011 & rated 93 points: Spain and Portugal at Craftsman: The nose is dominated by exuberant red fruit with a slight hint of VA. Silky smooth on the palate with great red fruit flavors from the attack through the long lingering finish. Fully resolved tannin; this ones ready to go right now. One of my favorites and a favorite of the entire table. Great stuff. (2126 views) | | | Tasted by maxmanx on 10/22/2011: Even the cabernet lovers enjoyed it! Need to get tmore. (1792 views) | | | Tasted by psrv on 8/7/2011 & rated 91 points: PnP. Light in color. A traditional Rioja with aromas and flavors of dried cherries, strawberries, and tobacco. Soft, smooth, and velvety mouthfeel with a long finish. (1907 views) | | | Tasted by gwkozar on 7/29/2011 & rated 91 points: dried fruit, tobacca, subtle vanilla. very smooth, complex, and subtle tastest that need focused on to appreciate (1490 views) | | | Tasted by kenthargis on 7/25/2011 & rated 87 points: I liked better than K. Good raspberry and cherry flavors. Not a overly complex wine, but pleasant enough. On the decline a bit, but not so much it killed it. (1645 views) | | | Tasted by maxmanx on 7/1/2011 & rated 93 points: This is one of the first Rioja's I've had. I found this wine to be delicious an complex. If this had been tasted blind, I would have guessed a mature, restrained pinot from CA. Decent QPR at $30. Will buy a few more. (1939 views) | | | Tasted by chablis28 on 6/18/2011 & rated 95 points: In Praise of aged Rioja! Is your budget limited like mine or are you 55yrs old and not excited about being 70 before you pop your 09 Burgs with age? Check out aged Rioja. This is my fav new region I've been discovering these past couple years. The good news is its not a trendy region and that means you can get really complex aged wines at very modest prices. In fact, many store clerks will look at you with a blank face when you ask if they have any aged Rioja like Lopez Herdia. Tonight we had a '96 Bodegas Las Orcas Solar De Randez Reserva from Rioja that I picked up recently for $30. This wine easily drinks like a $100+ aged Burg. I was amazed by the complexity of both the aroma and the spicy dried red fruit, tobacco infused palate. Even more amazing was the mouth coating length of this lightly colored red. This has one of the longest finishes of any red I've ever had. There is so much in common with great Burgundy here that I can't believe more Burg guys aren't singing the praises of aged traditional Rioja! At age 15 this btl had very modest sediment, showed some light bricking and was extremely fresh. The cork was soaked up about 1/4". Kermit Lynch would be all over this wine but he didn't import it. If there was a cable show called "American Wine Pickers", they'd be all over this "pick"! (1844 views) | | | Tasted by Rivergirl on 3/23/2011 & rated 90 points: Good Rioja. Thought this would be past it's prime, but it was very tasty. A berry good start on the palate followed by a tartness that didn't bite. There are flavors underneath the berry, mild herbs and spice. The wine drank great the second day. (1835 views) | | | Tasted by tbailey540 on 2/15/2011 & rated 90 points: Nose is a little musty with dried fruit. Mouth has raspberry, dried cherry, very soft tannins coming to the end of its life, but to it's a great Rioja. (1915 views) | | | Tasted by korkd on 1/17/2011 & rated 92 points: Classic Rioja, golden tinge, light in color, smooth finish. Pefectly mature now. (1831 views) | | | Tasted by gwkozar on 9/24/2010 & rated 91 points: Classic Rioja, Medium body, great nose, ripe fruit (1855 views) | | | Tasted by cwm123 on 7/12/2010 & rated 91 points: Drinking very well right now. Very nicely integrated, classic Rioja. Medium body, excellent nose & mature rusting color. (2092 views) | | | Tasted by onewineheaven on 6/20/2010 & rated 89 points: After the other Riojas this gave an impression of sweetness. We would probably have like it better on its own. It just came across a bit grapey. (2248 views) | | | Tasted by RockinCabs on 6/3/2010 & rated 89 points: Nose: Dried Cherries, Raspberry, and Rosemary/Eucalyptus flavors. Palate: Light/Medium bodied. Dense Dried Black Cherry, tart blackberry, slight smoke, herb, and cardamon flavors. Finish: Tart, but full of almost raisny fruit flavors including dried cherry, apricot and cranberry. Lingered with a slight note of melted caramels. Tanins are slightly grippy, but not forceful.
A nice glass of wine, and a chance to try something unique. I am new to old world styles in Spain, but this was a good place to start. (1643 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Tempranillo Varietal character (Appellation America) | TAPAS: Tempranillo Advocates, Producers and Amigos Society
Tempranillo is the premium red wine grape variety from the Rioja and Ribera del Duero region in Spain. Tempranillo's aromas and flavors often combine elements of berryish fruit, herbaceousness, and an earthy-leathery minerality. Being low in acidity and sugar content, it is commonly blended with Carignan (Mazuela), Grenache (Garnacha), Graciano, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
WineAccess
The varietal is at its best in top Riojas, where oak aging is employed to generate increased complexity and harmony. From the best sites, these wines can be remarkably concentrated with great aging potential. New wines from this region are darker, and more robust, with more dynamic primary fruit flavors than traditionally styled examples. These wines seem to reflect the influence of Spain's other key region for Tempranillo, Ribera del Duero. Regardless of style, Riojas tend to be medium bodied wines, with more acid than tannins. These wines generally feature Tempranillo blended with Garancha, Mazuelo, and Graciano. For these wines, there are three quality levels, which will appear on the label. Everyday drinking wines fall under the category of "Crianza", "Reserva" denotes more complex and concentrated wines, and "Gran Reserva" refers to the most intense wines, made only in the best years.
The same labeling scheme applies to wines from Ribera del Duero, which, like Rioja, is dominated by Tempranillo and shares similar blending grapes. Again, Ribera del Duero wines are generally darker and more powerful than the most traditional Riojas. These wines also generally see less oak treatment than Riojas. From Rioja, we like wines from Allende, Marqués de Cáceres, Montecillo, and Cune. In Ribera del Duero, consider Dominio de Pingus, Emilio Moro, Convento San Francisco, and Pesquera.
Pair older-style Rioja with simple meats like chicken, leg of lamb, and pork loin. However, the newer style of Rioja and Ribera del Duero works especially well with bolder meat dishes or an aged Spanish cheese like Manchego or Idiazabal. Spain Vinos de España - Wines of Spain (Instituto Español de Comercio Exterior) | Wikipedia
Wine Map on weinlagen-info
Spain is the third largest wine producing nation in the world, occupying the majority of the Iberian Peninsula with vast diversity in climate, culture, and of course, wine. From inky, dark reds of the [Priorat] to dry, white Finos from Andalusia, Spain can easily boast of elaborating a wide variety of notable styles. Within Spain there are currently 62 demarcated wine regions, of which a handful have gained international recognition: [Rioja], Priorat and [Ribera del Duero]. Yet these regions are only a small sample of the high quality wines Spain produces. Regions such as Cava, Penedes, Somontano, Galicia, Rueda and Jerez are only a few of the numerous regions worthy of exploration throughout Spain. Spain can also lay claim to having the most land under vine in the world, growing up to, by some accounts, 600 indigenous varietals of which Tempranillo is their most well known. Other popular varietals include [Garnacha], Bobal and Monastrell for reds and for whites; the infamous [sic] Palomino Fino grape which is used in the production of sherry wine, Pedro Ximenez in Montilla Morilles, Albarino used in the creation of the bright, effervescent wines of Galicia, and Verdejo in Rueda. - Source: - Catavino.net
Spain is not in the forefront of winemaking for its dessert wines, other than for its sweet wines from Sherry country including the highly revered Olorosos (when sweetened). But apart from Sherry Spain has a range of styles of dessert wines, ranging from the those made from the Pedro Ximenez grape primarily in Jerez and Montilla-Moriles) to luscious, red dessert wines made in the Mediterranean from the Garnacha (Grenache) grape. Some good Moscatels are made in Mallorca, Alicante and Navarre. The northwest corner of Spain, Galicia, with its bitter Atlantic climate, is even making dessert wines, called “Tostadillos” in the village of Ribadivia (similar to France’s “Vin de Paille”). The Canary Islands have made interesting dessert wines for centuries (they are mentioned by Shakespeare, for example) and in recent years the quality of winemaking has been improved and the Canary Islands wines are being better marketed now. The winemaking styles for “Vinos Dulces” are also diverse, from “Late Harvest” (Vendimia Tardía) to “Fortified Wines” (Fermentación Parcial). Based on in-spain.info.La Rioja Consejo Regulador DOC Rioja - Control Board of the D.O.Ca. Rioja
Map on weinlagen-infoRioja Consejo Regulador DOC Rioja - Control Board of the D.O.Ca. Rioja
HISTORY
The wine region of La Rioja in Spain was first demarcated by the area's governing body, the Consejo Regulador, in 1926. The region extends for approximately 120 kilometres along both sides of the Ebro River and is, at its widest point, bounded by mountains on either side. In fact, the word 'Rioja' is a derivation of the two words 'Rio' (River) and 'Oja (the name of a tributary of the Ebro that runs right through La Rioja creating a series of microclimates and providing much needed water for the vines).
La Rioja has always been a vital part of Spain's history. Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Moors, and finally, medieval Crusaders have all played a part in the area's history. The Romans, however, made wine a part of their culture wherever they travelled, and La Rioja was no exception. Ancient sites of Roman wineries still exist in and around the area today.
After the Romans came the Moors, and winemaking all but ceased. It wasn't until after the famous 'El Cid' liberated Spain, and medieval Christianity brought trade via the Crusaders through the region, that it flourished again. The Benedictine monks of Cluny in Burgundy, known for their viticulture, helped to establish three monasteries in the area. The vines they planted were mostly white grapes. In the fourteenth century, English traders acquired a taste for a local Rioja wine, which was a blend of white and red wines called Blancos Pardillos. Over time, development of lighter reds came about satisfying eighteenth century English and French courts.
The real improvements to Rioja's viticulture began around 1780 when the need to prolong wine during transport brought about experimentation with different woods and preservatives. Studies were made of the techniques used by great chateaux in Bordeaux. With the outbreak of the Peninsular War, progress was halted until 1852, when the Bordelais came south to Rioja seeking vines because their vineyards had been blighted with oidium. French winemaking methods were eagerly taken up by great rivals the Marques de Murrieta and Marques de Riscal (who both claim to have been the first in Rioja to make wine in the Bordeaux fashion).
When phylloxera devastated Bordeaux in the 1870s and the French influence really took hold in Rioja, many of the region's finest bodegas started production on what we now consider as the great wines of Rioja. It’s important to remember that Bordeaux winemaking methods then were very different to those employed today in France, and involved long ageing in barrel, a factor that the Riojans took up enthusiastically. So enthusiastically in fact that to this day there are a number of Bodegas that still make their wine in a surprisingly similar fashion to that of the Bordelais in the later part of the 1800s and this also explains why oak ageing is such an important part of Riojan winemaking.
USE OF OAK
Pronounced vanilla flavours in the wines are a trademark of the region though some modern winemakers are experimenting with making wines less influenced by oak. Originally French oak was used but as the cost of the barrels increased many bodegas began to buy American oak planks and fashion them into barrels at Spanish cooperages in a style more closely resembling the French method. This included hand splitting the wood, rather than sawing, and allowing the planks time to dry and 'season' in the outdoors versus drying in the kiln. In recent times, more bodegas have begun using French oak and many will age wines in both American and French oak for blending purposes.
In the past, it was not uncommon for some bodegas to age their red wines for 15-20 years or even more before their release. One notable example of this is Marqués de Murrieta which released its 1942 vintage Gran Reserva in 1983 after 41 years of ageing. Today most bodegas have shifted their winemaking focus to wines that are ready to drink sooner with the top wines typically ageing for 4-8 years prior to release though some traditionalists still age longer. The typical bodega owns anywhere from 10,000 to 40,000 oak barrels.
The use of oak in white wine has declined significantly in recent times when before the norm was traditionally 2-5 years in oak. This created slightly oxidised wines with flavours of caramel, coffee, and roasted nuts that did not appeal to a large market of consumers. Today the focus of white winemakers has been to enhance the vibrancy and fruit flavours of the wine.
WINE CLASSIFICATION
Most Riojan Bodegas believe that the ageing of a wine should be the responsibility of the producer rather than that of the consumer, and this is why much Rioja is more mature than wines from other countries. Rioja red wines are classified into four categories. The first, simply labelled 'Rioja', or 'Sin Crianza' (meaning 'without ageing') is the youngest, spending less than a year in oak. A "Crianza" is wine aged for at least two years, at least one of which is in oak. 'Reserva' is aged for at least three years, of which at least one year is in oak. Finally, 'Gran Reserva' wines have been aged at least two years in oak and three years in bottle. Reserva and Gran Reserva wines are not necessarily produced each year. Also produced are wines in a semi-crianza style, those that have had a couple of months of oak influence but not enough to be called a full crianza. The designation of Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva might not always appear on the front label but may appear on a neck or back label in the form of a stamp designation known as Consejo.
SUB REGIONS
Rioja Alta
Located on the western edge of the region, and at higher elevations than the other areas, the Rioja Alta is known for more fruity and concentrated wines which can have very smooth texture and mouth feel.
Rioja Alavesa
Despite sharing a similar climate as the Alta region, the Rioja Alavesa produces wines with a fuller body and higher acidity. Vineyards in the area have a low vine density with large spacing between rows. This is due to the relatively poor conditions of the soil with the vines needing more distance from each other and less competition for the nutrients in the surrounding soil.
Rioja Baja
Unlike the more continental climate of the Alta and Alavesa, the Rioja Baja is strongly influenced by a Mediterranean climate which makes this area the warmest and driest of the Rioja. In the summer months, drought can be a significant viticultural hazard, though since the late 1990s irrigation has been permitted. Temperatures in the summer typically reach 95°F. Twenty percent of the vineyards actually fall within the Navarra appellation but the wine produced from the grapes is still allowed to claim the Rioja designation. The predominant grape here is the Garnacha which prefers the hot conditions, unlike the more aromatic Tempranillo. Consequently Baja wines are very deeply coloured and can be highly alcoholic with some wines at 18% alcohol by volume. The wines typically do not have much acidity or aroma and are generally used as blending components with wines from other parts of
the Rioja.
The Riojans are master blenders (as they have to be because there are relatively few single estates in the area, the norm being to blend from a wide variety of vineyards and wine areas). Consequently they are able to reduce vintage variation by careful blending and many of the best wines vary relatively little between vintages.
VITICULTURE & GRAPES
Rioja wines are normally a blend of various grape varieties, and can be either red (tinto), white (blanco) or rosé (rosado). Rioja has a total of 57,000 hectares cultivated, yielding 250 million litres of wine annually, of which 85% is red. The harvest time for most Rioja vineyards is September-October with the northern Rioja Alta having the latest harvest in late October. The soil here is clay-based with a high concentration of chalk and iron (which provides the redness in the soil that may be responsible for the region's name, Rioja, meaning red). There is also significant concentration of limestone, sandstone and alluvial silt.
Among the Tintos, the best-known and most widely-used variety is Tempranillo. Other grapes used include Garnacha Tinta, Graciano, and Mazuelo. A typical blend will consist of approximately 60% Tempranillo and up to 20% Garnacha, with much smaller proportions of Mazuelo and Graciano. Each grape adds a unique component to the wine with Tempranillo contributing the main flavours and ageing potential to the wine; Garnacha adding body and alcohol; Mazuelo adding seasoning flavours and Graciano adding additional aromas.
With Rioja Blanco, Viura is the prominent grape (also known as Macabeo) and is sometimes blended with some Malvesia and Garnacha Blanca. In the white wines the Viura contributes mild fruitness, acidity and some aroma to the blend with Garnacha Blanca adding body and Malvasia adding aroma. Rosados are mostly derived from Garnacha grapes. The 'international varieties' of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have gained some attention and use through experimental plantings by some bodegas but their use has created wines distinctly different from the typical Rioja.
Some of the most sought after grapes come from the limestone/sandstone based 'old vine' vineyards in the Alavesa and Alta regions. These 40 year old plus vines are prized due to their low yields and more concentrated flavours. A unique DO regulation stipulates that the cost of the grapes used to make Rioja must exceed by at least 200% the national average of wine grapes used in all Spanish wines.
VINTAGE CHART
Rioja (Red) Year %
2004 Superb vintage, classic wines Drink or Hold 94
2003 Hot, dry year, long-ageing wines Drink or Hold 91
2002 Smallest vintage in 10 years. Variable quality.
Keep to top names Drink or Hold 87
2001 Excellent year for long ageing Reservas
and Gran Reservas Drink or Hold 94
2000 A generally good vintage with fine Reservas Drink or Hold 89
1999 Smaller vintage of good quality Drink or Hold 88
1998 Good vintage Drink or Hold 97
1997 Unexciting so far, but quaffable Drink or Hold 84
1996 Good year, plenty of ageing potential Drink or Hold 89
1995 Very good vintage, Reservas now showing excellent fruit Drink or Hold 92
1994 Outstanding, some great long-ageing wines Drink or Hold 94
1993 Lesser wines, apart from best-known names Drink 77
1992 Rather light vintage Drink 80
1991 Still improving, average quality Drink or Hold 85
1990 Fairly ordinary but quaffable Drink 84
1989 Good, firm structure Drink 88
Rioja Reserva & Gran Reserva – Vintages of the Eighties Year %
1989 Goodish vintage, well balanced Drink 88
1988 Fairly good vintage, well balanced wines Drink 88
1987 Very attractive vintage, now at peak Drink 90
1986 Average year, now drinking well Drink 87
1985 Average year, now drinking well Drink 87
1984 Disappointing, with problem weather Avoid 80
1983 Don't keep it any longer Drink 86
1982 Now past its best Drink 83
1981 Superb wines, finest will keep longer Drink 90
1980 Average vintage, don't keep any longer Drink 86
More vintage charts
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