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| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.5 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 67 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Keith Levenberg on 2/11/2024 & rated 98 points: Majestic wine that emerged triumphant by acclamation (alongside the 1970 Unico) amongst a sea of wines all just as majestic on paper. Arresting aromas here, barnyard and truffles like old Burgundy (what's the Spanish term for sous bois?) oscillating back and forth with fresh, leafy, minty scents. The color is pale, but still clearly red and well-preserved. It's sweet and grippy, loaded with tobacco, sassafras, and assorted botanicals, and blossoms again on the back end. This is Lopez at peak. (1184 views) | | | Tasted by mimik on 7/23/2023 & rated 92 points: Sublime. Would have been better probably 5 to 10 years ago, but it was still a nice drink with acidity and some interesting, rhubarb and cherry/strawberry notes. (1274 views) | | | Tasted by ekessler on 2/27/2023: Drank at Choco Ona, Espelette, France. Fantastic bottle. Cork broke even with Durand, so bottle was decanted. Smooth, fresh, and as fragrant as a great burgundy. No funk or oxidation. (1571 views) | | | Tasted by ThijsV on 10/8/2022 flawed bottle: The capsule looked good, but when opened the cork had fallen into the wine long ago. Only vinegar left
Pretty amazing that the capsule alone was watertight, as there was no leakage at all (2022 views) | | | Tasted by FEDEVIDAL on 4/30/2022 & rated 96 points: El tapón salió completamente mojado y en dos pedazos pero no llegó a desintegrarse. El color es totalmente atejado, llegando a marronoso. No se decantó, pero ciertamente al abrirlo producía unos aromas muy sucios de reducción embotella y para eliminarlos se tuvo que trabajar el vino en copa durante más de 20 minutos. Quizá una breve decantación hubiese ido mejor pero en vinos tan viejos hay que pensárselo mucho. Se probó en distintos tipos de copa y la que mejor resultado dio fue la Riedel Borgoña. El vino, una vez pacificado, entrega un aroma intenso, totalmente terciario, sin rastros de fruta, pero bonito y atractivo, hay tabaco negro, madera vieja, cueros, y todo muy equilibrado. La boca es extraordinaria, vivísima, intensa, estructurada y hasta tensionada, mantiene una acidez increíble y expresa altas sensaciones como ahumados, olivas negras, tabaco negro y un final muy largo y ligeramente licoroso.
Probar un vino en estas condiciones resulta emocionante y una experiencia memorable. (2419 views) | | | Tasted by Cailles on 11/29/2021 & rated 94 points: 11x Mature Rioja (1928-1999): Three Tondonia Grand Reservas tasted side by side. All three showed impressively that the Tondonias can age gracefully for decades. They all showed surprisingly fresh and with lots of fruit with probably a bit more tertiary aromas missing for the best possible harmony and complexity. To the wines: True to the vintage hierarchy, this was a clear win for the 1970 (rated 94+ pts) which delivered a convincing performance with lots of fresh fruit, good complexity, high precision, fine structure with lots of tension. I’m convinced that this could have achieved a 95-97 pts rating If I would have been able to follow it over one or the other hour. The 1980 (rated 92 pts) showed the same freshness and also a lot of fruit but it is a touch too ripe and lost a bit of its tension towards the finish and with some time. The 1954 (rated 89 pts) was did not have fully clean lines and was missing a bit of substance.
TN: This is an impressive wine. Expressive bouquet with lots of ripe, fine dark fruit, honey notes, herbs and minerality. Sexy, inviting nose. On the palate this showed more mature notes of leather and mushrooms wrapped around the same sweet but fresh forest fruit and honey core. Additional layers of minerality and herbs. Quite complex and very precise. Good structure with fine tannins, well-integrated high acidity, fresh, weightless texture and feel with the right amount of creaminess and overall very good balance. Good weight on the finish too. This is the second time I get to taste this 1970 and both times I’ve been lucky to get a well stored, singing bottle (rated 93 pts back in 2019). 94-95 pts. (3770 views) | | | Tasted by sirpat00 on 10/27/2021 & rated 92 points: Old Rioja tasting: Old Rioja tasting, privately organized. Even though 3 out of 11 bottles were flawed, the tasting was once more testament to the outstanding ageability of Rioja. While clearly not a representative sample, the Tondonias were all intact while 2 out of 3 CVNEs were flawed. That said, where the one that was still intact (1964) easily beat the Tondonia. The WOTN was neither, however, but a Paternina from 1928 (95).
Tasting note:
Quite amazing intensity from the get go, plenty of leather and earth with floral elements and fresh berry fruit. Nicely aged, light and balanced palate with juicy undertones, leathery top notes and a herbal background. Much more lively than the 1954, but not quite as elegant and refined as the 1980 in this flight. (2636 views) | | | Tasted by Torchy on 10/24/2021 & rated 84 points: Spain (Home): The wine is light brown, transparent. Smells like tea and overripe fruit. Broth, spices and tar. Tastes anise and prunes, and thin fruit. The wine still has some tannins and acid. Soaked cork, and most likely a non-optimal bottle. More interesting than good. (2214 views) | | | Tasted by Alex G. on 2/9/2021: Gorgeous wine, so elegant and effusive. Like a very fine Burgundy, power without weight, and heavenly aromas. Unanimously loved at the table today, this is stupendous. (2597 views) | | | Tasted by Cailles on 8/30/2019 & rated 93 points: Spain Trip (w/ some Rioja gems): This Gran Reserva was still drinking very nicely at the age of 50 displaying a quite layered aromatic profile embedded in a melted structure. Compared to some other old Riojas we had that week, especially some other Gran Reservas, it showed inferior in terms intensity, precision and tension. It is definitely on the downward path but still a very good wine. Perfect provenance, good fill level.
TN: Lots of tobacco, black olives, green herbs and some red fruit on the nose. Dark red berries, black currant, herbs, soft tobacco, earthy notes, some oak aromas and a touch of rocky soil on the palate. Very good freshness, melted tannins, medium intensity and precision, medium+ length and overall very well balanced. More tension and precision missing.
Decanting: No extensive decant needed, it will open up quickly in the glass. (4378 views) | | | Tasted by TBean on 7/19/2019 flawed bottle: Cork fell into the wine. Need to open the bottle immediately. Wine was slight oxidize (3125 views) | | | Tasted by PacoHigon on 5/25/2019: 75% tempranillo, 15% garnacho y 10% de graciano y mazuelo. Nueve años de crianza en barricas usadas. Añada que devino mítica. Nariz seductora con toques de champiñón, fruta roja licorosa, flores ajadas, aceitunas negras, cueros finos y algo de bosque umbrío sobre un fondo levemente especiado. En boca tiene buen ataque, pasa fluido, fresco, con un tanino etéreo, muy fino, largo y seductor. En el retronasal aparecen recuerdos a patata nueva. (3250 views) | | | Tasted by forceberry on 12/8/2018 & rated 94 points: Developed and somewhat hazy reddish mahogany color. Nuanced and developed but also somewhat restrained nose of pruney dark fruits, some cigar smoke, a little bit of cedar, light soy sauce tones, a hint of lifted, liqueurish red fruit character and a touch of raisiny fruit. The wine is ripe, moderately full-bodied and quite tertiary on the palate with complex flavors of wizened cherries, some tobacco, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light dried-fruit notes of sweet figs and dates, a hint of raisin and a somewhat oddly dank, green-toned hint of pot. The wine feels enjoyably structured with its high acidity and gently grippy medium tannins. The finish is very long, complex and tertiary with layered flavors of dried leather, raisins, some tobacco, a little bit of wizened cherries, light smoky tones, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and an umami touch of beef consommé.
A beautiful, harmonious and complex Tondonia Gran Reserva that is in a wonderful phase right now. Felt slightly lighter, more developed and slightly less impressive than the outstanding bottle I had a year ago (June 2017), but a wonderful old Rioja all the same. Seeing how this wine felt slightly lighter and more developed, this is either on a decline or then just a bottle that was kept in slightly less optimal conditions, or then this bottle was just different - at this age, bottle variation is a fact. An extremely pleasant experience, as older Tondonia Gran Reserva always seems to be. Pricey at ~80€, but delivers for the price. (3373 views) | | | Tasted by honest bob on 7/9/2018 & rated 94 points: From 75cl, bottle neck removed with port tongs, but the cork was almost pristine - incredible after so many years. Decanted immediately before serving, this orange-brown coloured wine only really showed its class a full hour later. Initially closed, musty and crabby, it blossomed into a supreme sour-sweet dream of mature Rioja almost exactly as I recorded here on 12.07.2015 (retronasal sandalwood is spot on). Long may it continue to give those fortunate enough to taste it such pleasure! 94P (4033 views) | | | Tasted by cardsandwine on 1/23/2018: PNP. Wet cork, but yet another glorious bottle of wine. Tastes like it’s 10 years old, not 48. Amazing translucent red hue, with just a hint of bricking. Bouquet wafts from the glass in sublime seduction. On the palate it is pure elegance and finesse that evolves with each sip. Truly a wine with soul that probably has another 30+ years left. (3342 views) | | | Tasted by Burgnick on 12/3/2017 & rated 90 points: Clear ruby colour with almost no sediment. Nose has exotic herbs, green peppers, tea, and earth. Palate has some tea with a tint of herbal note and some prunes and plums. Like the 1954, this wine is on the light and simple side. Drinking at peak. (3565 views) | | | Tasted by Vitisconcierge on 9/2/2017 & rated 89 points: A predictable oxidative character on nose and palate. Hawthorn berry (山楂) is the defining characteristic on the nose. Low alcohol, not more than 11% I reckon, and devoid of tannins, this goes surprisingly well with food. A good amount of preserved fruit and a strong acidic backbone will probably suit smoked and fried items, and possibly fresh goat's cheese. Well balanced and light bodied but lacked that complexity and depth of finish. But for less than Sgd 70, simply a steal. (2798 views) | | | Tasted by forceberry on 6/3/2017 & rated 97 points: Translucent dark cherry color with a quite noticeable, mature terracotta hue. Developed nose with prominent and somewhat sweet dried fruit character, complex tertiery notes, wizened red cherry, some baking spices, a little mocha and a hint of sweet VA lift intermingling with the sweet fruit notes. On the palate the wine feels medium-bodied and lively with bright, relatively high acidity, moderate tannic grip and complex, ripe and developed flavors of sour cherries, earthy spice, some bitterness, a little bit of sour plums, a hint of sweet volatility and a touch of tart dark berries, The finish is long, expansive and lively with layered, mature flavors of baking spice, some prunes, a little bit of leather, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a hint of grippy tannic grit.
At over 45 years of age the wine was still in remarkable condition and even though there most likely isn't going to be much room for development in the wine, I can imagine the wine to keep in beautiful condition for at least a decade more, if not longer. Stunning depth, complexity and harmony here with terrific structure and wonderfully bright, lively flavors. A true testament to the spectacular style of RLdH. Amidst a lineup of superlative wines, this shone brighter than any other; definitely my WotN. (4665 views) | | | Tasted by Mige on 6/3/2017: THIS IS ARDANZAA!!! AND TONDONIAAA!!! (Espoo, Finland): This was The Wine of the Evening for me. It was really tough battle between this and 1970 Ardanza. Lively and complex nose. On the palate velvety smooth and still really well balaced. Just perfect! (3674 views) | | | Tasted by morpheusrising on 1/27/2017 & rated 94 points: Wonderful! Light rusty color and a slight meniscus on the edge, so it has time. Feels like it's at plateau.
Great color, pallette of tar, tobacco, still has some bright cherry and all the classic notes of orange peel. Really great, should go on for another decade or more, but great now. Drink up! (3526 views) | | | Tasted by Lype on 11/11/2016 & rated 92 points: Elegantly light and burgundy type of attractiveness, beetroot and pleasant sour tones, lingers and evolves in the glass for a long time. (1552 views) | | | Tasted by AV2012 on 8/28/2016 & rated 92 points: A bit below in quality than the first bottle that I tasted in 2013. Super clean and nuanced, a whisperer of a wine. Nose overdelivers, palate a bit lacking intensity this time. (3610 views) | | | Tasted by Papies on 8/27/2016 & rated 95 points: Bottle variation is always an issue but this sourced straight from the cellars of the excellent Rekondo in San Sebastián was perfect.
Be aware of sediment so bottle should be handled with care.
Still very much alive, well aged and takes its time to open up but once it does it sings. Earthy, tobacco feel, red fruits, cherries, dried cherries, and cedar. Super complex nose. On the palate it is a fine dancer, elegant, full of class and was a masterful wine. Kicked the 1990 Vega Sicilia we had side by side ( Papies 93) out of the park. 94-95 and just beautiful. A privilege to have had this pristine bottle. (3704 views) | | | Tasted by honest bob on 7/12/2015 & rated 93 points: From 75cl, sealing-wax capsule broke off cleanly, but cork soaked through and v. loose, so neck of bottle removed with port tongs. Light orange/brown/red colour. Decanted clear, very little powdery deposit. No scent on decanting, but be patient: After 15 minutes gorgeous strawberry jam and dried cranberry perfume, after 30 minutes with added fresh blood, old leather and – magical – forest floor. The strong acidity dominates the lithe, taut, slender palate: After 30 minutes fresh morello cherry, retronasal sandalwood(?) and cedar. Amazingly, there is still a touch of tannic grip on the finish (could have been scary to meet this wine down a dark alley when it was a tough young kid). A wonderful experience, best 30-60 minutes after decanting. 93-94P (4361 views) | | | Tasted by tinybubbles on 6/14/2015 & rated 92 points: Wood sap, some sweet spice, and dry earth on the nose. Palate on this bottle had red cherry, light earth, and some leathery undertones. However, astringent backpalate as the fruit did not hold up well. Paired with sauteed skate. Not my best bottle, not my worst, but rather somewhere middle of the road. Poured and consumed within one hour. (4054 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, May/Jun 2018, Issue #75, The Summer of 2018 Report On Spanish Wines
(Rioja “Viña Tondonia” Gran Reserva- López de Heredia) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, Spain’s New Releases, Part 2: Triumphs and Travails (May 2017) (5/17/2017)
(R. Lopez De Heredia Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva (rioja) Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Jan/Feb 2015, Issue #55, Recently Tasted Spanish Wines- February 2015 And More Notes from October 2014 Visit to Spain
(Viña Tondonia Rioja “Gran Reserva”- López de Heredia) Login and sign up and see review text. | The World of Fine Wine, June 2011, Issue #32
(R López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (2/3/2011)
(López Heredia, Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva Rioja Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Jan/Feb 2009, Issue #19, López de Heredia: Rioja’s Great Bastion of Tradition
(Viña Tondonia Rioja Gran Reserva- López de Heredia) Login and sign up and see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Sep/Oct 2006, Issue #5, Paradise Lost: Traditional Rioja in the Plague Years
(Lopez de Heredia Rioja Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (4/1/2009)
(R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia) Light medium brownish red with ruby lights and pale meniscus; VA, mature, mushroom, truffle and light cigar box nose; tasty, cigar box, smoke, mautre tart orange flavor and acidity, resin, tart hazelnut cream palate; long finish (has years to go) 93 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of View From the Cellar and Vinous and The World of Fine Wine and JancisRobinson.com and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| R. López de Heredia Producer WebsiteTempranillo BlendTempranillo is the backbone of wines made ihvhhcn the best well-known Spanish regions Rioja and Ribera del Duero, but is also grown as far afield as Mexico and Australia.
As a flavor profile, red fruits like strawberries and cherries can predominate - but with a rustic edge. The Many wines made from Tempranillo will spend a few years in barrel and bottle before reaching the consumers . Many Tempranillo-based wines see a few years of oak - add that to a few years of bottle and the wine can give a subtle - and occasionaly not-so-subtle - leathery mouthfeel. The combination of the tart fruit and tannins make this wine very food friendly.Gran ReservaTradition Ascendant in Rioja
By ERIC ASIMOV
August 11, 2009
One of my stops on my recent trip to Spain was Rioja, where I was able to spend quite a bit of time at the venerable winery López de Heredia, which is the focus of my column this week.
As those of you who have been reading this blog for a long time may guess, I’ve had a long love affair with the wines of López de Heredia. In fact, my second post ever was about its wonderful rosado, which, unusually for any wine, let alone a rosé, is generally released when it’s about 10 years old.
It’s almost reflexive when talking about López to describe it as classic or unyielding, because it is quite immune to the trend-following that so often guides decision-making in the world of wine. That is true. But it took me this visit to realize that in its own way, López de Heredia is now a cutting-edge winery.
It’s a case of what goes around comes around, as forward-thinking winemakers have in many ways come around to López de Heredia’s ways of doing things. This is particularly true in the vineyard, where its gentle, natural viticultural approach is now the preferred approach my many of the world’s great producers. In the winery, it’s harder to say, except that Lopez’s gentle handling, reliance on natural yeasts and overall artisanal methods are likewise an ideal today.
Of course, the fact that Lopez uses old barrels, including enormous wooden fermentation vessels that have been around almost as long as the 132-year-old winery itself, leaves a lot of room for debate. Very few producers use barrels that old, though one that comes to mind is Biondi Santi in Montalcino.
Still, styles oscillate over the years, and I believe we are now retreating from an era of overly oaky wines, back to wines where the barrel regimen is as much if not more about imparting texture as it is flavor.
In fact, oaky flavors can be important in López de Heredia wines. All you have to do is taste one of its wonderful older white wines, like the 1991 reserva, to taste the hazelnut, coconut flavors of American oak beautifully integrated with the wine. And if you ever get a chance to taste a rare 1964 white, as I did in Rioja, you will be rewarded with a rich, pure wine tasting almost entirely of minerals.
The strange thing about López de Heredia is that because its wines have never changed, people tend to think of the company as a dour, humorless, rigid sort of place, haunted by the imperative of adhering to tradition. Nothing could be further from the truth.
For instance, while the winery is largely a sturdy example of late 19th century architecture, the new boutique for visitors, designed by the Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid, is fully in keeping with the non-linear architectural look of modern Rioja. It was in the boutique that I watched one afternoon as Maria José López de Heredia, along with her sister, Mercedes, and father, Pedro, about to turn 81, regaled tourists with a boisterous Spanish drinking song.
Many people might be surprised, for example, at some of the winery’s plans for tourism. Maria José, who often takes the lead role in public but runs the winery with her sister, father and brother, Julio César, would like to build a little train line to take tourists back and forth between the winery and its most famous vineyard, Viña Tondonia, just across the Ebro River.
“Why not?’’ she said. “It’s very important to teach people, and it’s easier to teach them if you give them a good time.’’
Of course, she has a serious reason as well. “It’s impossible for people to understand the soul of a wine if they don’t know how the grapes are grown,’’ she told me.
For people who do have the opportunity to visit López de Heredia, doubtless the most striking moment is seeing the thousands of bottles of gran reserva wines, aging in a cellar covered in mold and cobwebs. For people who are used to the squeaky clean hygiene of New World cellars (or for somebody like my mother, for example, who did not permit dirt in her kitchen) such a sight might prove troubling.
But the mold and cobwebs are typical of more than a few old Old World cellars, where they are considered an intrinsic part of the terroir. Maria José, for example, insists that the mold and webs are absolutely beneficial to the wines, and that cleaning them out under the mistaken notion of pursuing hygiene would have many unintended consequences.
“It’s protection, not affliction!’’ she said, and I don’t doubt her. Her wines, at least, are paragons of purity.Viña TondoniaJay Miller in WA, June 2010
A visit to the venerable Bodega Lopez de Heredia, located in the Rioja Alta capital of Haro, is akin to entering a time machine taking you back 100 years. Construction of the Bodega began in 1877 and continues without any apparent changes to the present day. The winery is operated by the voluble Maria Jose Lopez de Heredia, her sister Mercedes, and their father Pedro, still active into his 80s. All of the wines are produced from estate grown bush vines. Tondonia and Bosconia are two different vineyards; Bosconia has a larger percentage of Tempranillo and a different orientation. For an excellent overview of the estate, read Eric Asimov’s blog in the New York Times dated August 11, 2009.
Map on weinlagen-infoSpain 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-infoLa Rioja Alta 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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