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| Drinking window: Drink between 2013 and 2021 (based on 12 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.8 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 79 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by forceberry on 7/20/2022 & rated 90 points: A blend of Tempranillo (80%), Garnacha (15%), Mazuelo and Graciano, the grapes sourced from the El Bosque vineyard. Fermented spontaneously in old and very large oak fermenters, aged for 5 years in barrels and then for a further 3 years in bottles before release. 13% alcohol. Tasted in a Bosconia 2011-2002 vertical.
Deep and moderately opaque blackish-red color. Somewhat restrained, quite ripe and nuanced nose with aromas of dark forest fruits, some dusty old wood, a little bit of licorice root, light ferrous notes of blood, juicy hints of black raspberries and black cherries, a touch of sun-baked earth and a whiff of balsamic richness. The wine is moderately ripe, dark-toned and somewhat evolved with a light-to-medium body and dry flavors of crunchy cranberries and brambly black raspberries, some savory wood spice, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light funky notes of animale, a hint of licorice root and a ferrous touch of blood. The nice acidity feels fresh and high, whereas the tannins come across as very gentle and easy. The finish is dry, long and crunchy with savory, somewhat evolved flavors of tart cranberries and lingonberries, some ferrous blood notes, a little bit of mushroomy earth, light woody notes of old oak spice, fruity hints of black raspberries and black cherries and a touch of balsamico.
A nice, fresh and fine-tuned Rioja from a lighter vintage. Seems to be lacking a bit in substance compared to the other vintages we tasted, but otherwise coming across as wonderfully nuanced and extremely old-school by any standards. Not a big or impressive Rioja by any means - even for a Bosconia this is a quite restrained and even a bit lean effort - but with its sense of balance, freshness and elegance, this is a lovely food wine by all means. I feel the aging potential is a bit limited here, so while the wine might continue to improve for some years more, I really don't feel it calls for any additional aging. It's in a great spot right now - but it will keep just fine for years more. Terrific value at 20,20€. (1374 views) | | | Tasted by bags on 4/11/2021: I suppose I'll never really love Spanish reds--even with the oak pretty resolved here, it remained obvious to me in some sense. But this was good and in its drinking phase now. (1923 views) | | | Tasted by Paul S on 9/3/2020 & rated 91 points: Pleasant - the nose had a sweet, lifted cherry aromas alongside whiffs of fragrant cigarette smoke and menthol, all riding on a bed of earthy tones. The palate had mature sweet dried cherry flavours alongside a bed of earthy mineral, spice and smoke curling into a decent finish. Fresh blood orange acidity, fine tannins and a linger of sweet American oak toast filled up the rest of the palate into a decent finish. An enjoyable wine, if just a touch on the lean side, drinking nicely now. (2187 views) | | | Tasted by JimmyBubbles on 7/23/2017 & rated 95 points: En perfecto estado de revista, mezcla de vino añejo y sutil fruta aun viva.
Cueros, cerezas, ollín....un desfile de aromas, intenso y bastante abierto, unas vueltas en la copa y empieza el festival.
Lo mejor la boca. Increiblemente fina pero a la vez concentrada, un bisturí. Acidez maravillosa y un agarre en la boca de gran vino.
Comprado en La Guardia hace un par de años ayer fue el momento de gozarlo, mucha curiosidad por ver su evolución en esa rara añada 2002. Sorprendente, la pena no poder encontrar ya más botellas. (3628 views) | | | Tasted by forceberry on 3/25/2017 & rated 90 points: A blend of Tempranillo (80%), Garnacha (15%), Mazuelo and Graciano, the grapes sourced from the El Bosque vineyard. Fermented spontaneously in oak fermenters, aged for 5 years in barrels and then for a further 3 years in bottles before release.
Somewhat translucent, deep and slightly developed black cherry color with some bricking towards the rim. Quite dry and savory nose - especially compared to the two more fruit-forward vintages 2004 and 2005 that were tasted alongside. There are some notes of ripe dark berries and hints of blackberry marmalade, along with some more savory notes of sour plums, but overall the fruit department feels a bit restrained with notes of soot, tar, some smoke, hints of salty licorice and a touch of mushroomy earth on the fore. The wine is dry, medium-bodied and pretty tightly-knit on the palate with rather savory flavors of licorice, tar, brambly blackberries, some peppery spice, a little bit of wild strawberries, a hint of astringent chokeberries and a touch of cedar. Overall the wine is quite structured with its high acidity and firm, moderately high and quite grippy tannins. The finish is dry, lively and slightly grippy with long flavors of tart dark berries, ripe blackberries, some black pepper and lighter nuances of more exotic spices, hints of dry and cracking leather and a touch of more developed characteristics of mushroomy earth and slightly dried berries.
This is a pretty savory, somewhat restrained and rather dead-serious vintage of Bosconia, showing less fruit intensity and richness, thus coming across as quite dry, stern and a bit austere. Bosconia usually is lighter and more delicate is compared to Tondonia, but comparing this vintage to vintages 2004 and 2005 felt like comparing Bosconia and Tondonia again. The little oak what Bosconia might show while young was perfectly integrated with the fruit at this point - there were no vanilla notes to speak of and only things reminding of oak were very subtle nuances of cedar - and you could start noticing the first nuances of more developed tertiary character in the background. This particular vintage might never turn out as interesting and long-lived compared to the better vintages, but still this is a very lovely, serious and stylistically so very old-school Rioja, offering much more gastronomic and intellectual pleasure than so many of those modern Rioja Reservas and Gran Reservas the market is flooded with these days. Priced according to its quality at 20,20€. (3162 views) | | | Tasted by zbsussman on 5/8/2016: Gorgeous classic Lopez, but took a few hours in the decanter to really open up. Give it a few more years. (4784 views) | | | Tasted by Los 12 Glotones on 12/6/2015 & rated 90 points: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Els12golafres Wine Tasting Group: http://vinosclasicos.blogspot.com.es/2015/12/vina-bosconia-2002-reserva.html
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De color rubí granatoso de capa media, ligeramente más oscuro que otras cosechas similares. Límpido, sin precipitados. Reflejos rojizos y anaranjados, mate, poco brillo. Borde amplio, azafranado,
Muy suave, equilibrado, aromático, sacando notas de fruta roja reducida infusionada en maderas envinadas y un resto de marchitos y trasiegas. De carácter extremadamente clásico y muy reconocible. Hay apuntes de confitura de naranja amarga, tabaco rubio, cuero viejo y pimienta ahumada, melaza, moteado de tostados cremosos, cacao en polvo, y un deje vegetal de fondo a esparto y fibras vegetales; algo que curiosamente viene repitiéndose de forma habitual en los primeros años de guarda de las últimas cosechas del Bosconia reserva. Compacto, sin fisuras, muy completo pero con la sospecha de que aún va a necesitar más desarrollo en botella.
En boca es incluso menos accesible: seco, fresco, dotado de estructura y cierta tanicidad inicial, taninos marcados, amargosos, y una buena cantidad de fruta roja picante. Le falta integrarlo todo para ser un vino redondo. Todavía crudo, lo que puede darle cierta sensación de vino simplón. Se bebe muy bien y se intuye que hay fondo de gran vino pero dista mucho de estar en su mejor momento. Si la bodega pudiera retener estos Bosconia 5-10 años más en bodega antes de venderlos estaríamos ante cañonazos.
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80% tempranillo, 15% garnacho, 5% mazuelo y graciano. 12.5% vol.
- Toda la uva es de viñedos propios procedente de la finca el Bosque. Vendimia manual a lo largo de la segunda y tercera semana del mes de octubre. Realiza las fermentacines en viejas tinas de roble de 60 hectolitros sin control de temperatura. Transvasado a barricas usadas de roble americano de 225 litros en las que madura durante 60 meses. Sometido cada año a 2 trasiegas manuales por gravedad, de barrica a barrica. Clarificado con claras de huevos frescos. Embotellado sin filtrar. Producción limitada a 30.000 botellas de 75cl. Un mínimo de 3 años de guarda en botellero en los calados de la bodega antes de ser comercializado.
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An amazing bottle, even more so considering the cost. I can’t think of another style of wine that could provide this kind of experience in complexity and quality, keeping in mind the age component, for this price, other than traditional Rioja. All things considered, one of my wines of the year. It’s drinking gorgeously right now (obviously), but I’m sure it will continue to evolve and take many more delicious forms before its time is done many years from now. (4885 views) | | | Tasted by Ron Slye on 11/16/2014 & rated 92 points: Nice nose of wet earth/stone (almost like a humid basement), wet clay, soft red fruits. Soft palate of nice blackberries, black pepper, hints of strawberries, red currants, licorice, hints of red tabasco. Overall a very nice wine, everything nicely, and tightly, integrated. Some nice acidity leading into a medium long finish. Mmm, this gets more delicious with time in the glass. A very solid and serious wine at a very very reasonable price. Not a new world fruit bomb. This has those nice secondary mushroom and earth characteristics of an aged old world wine. Still a bit tight. This will develop nicely over the next 5-10 years I predict. (4482 views) | | | Tasted by CabernetMadMan on 10/21/2014 & rated 90 points: - Crimsom color and aromas of cherry. It's balanced and has flavours of cherry and mint with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a long finish - Nice nose...opened up in the glass after thirty minutes. Strong cherry flavor. Beautiful body, tight and dry. Bought this bottle from R.Lopez himself. (2604 views) | | | Tasted by robs_r on 4/12/2014: Tasetd alongside the 2003. The 2002 initally definitely more evolved but came together nicely with some air. Smooth as silk, refined and classy. Juicy acidity. Excellent and very healthy. Drink or hold. (4179 views) | | | Tasted by geeky? not sure on 12/29/2013: A little bit too port-like. (3937 views) | | | Tasted by MSPWineGuy on 11/29/2013 & rated 92 points: Wonderful cedar box aromas, dill and still-present warm red fruit. Medium acidity forms a nice backbone with medium-bodied fruit showing its age well. Silky tannins roll off the tongue to a medium length finish. Wonder how my other bottle will taste in a few years? (3830 views) | | | Tasted by J ARANTES on 11/24/2013 & rated 89 points: Unusual, incredible yelow color, still alive ! 11 yeras after.... (2884 views) | | | Tasted by AndrewR on 7/22/2013 & rated 95 points: Funny how great wine is sometimes opened with offensive food, or no food, or in a group, when you cant spend 3 hours in the company of a bottle. If you love wine, its essential one indulge in your own bottle of Lopez from time to time.
That said, its all here. The clay and orange bricking, feral spices and wood from Columbus'' ships. At once austere but still listening like your BFF. Beguiling, mysterious, and seemingly immortal. (3592 views) | | | Tasted by robs_r on 5/23/2013: Short impressions: bright garnet, wonderful nose of red fruits and spices, medium body, bright acidity - resolved tannins, silky mouthful, highly drinkable and moreish. Almost burgundian. Drinks well but will definitely hold and improve. Excellent plus. (3018 views) | | | Tasted by franm on 2/4/2013 & rated 87 points: cheers, I've been drinking a lot of Riojas lately and was looking forward to this bottle. It started fine, my first impression was good, but then it never opened up. In fact after an hour, it tasted a bit flat. 2002 is one of the worst vintages in recent Rioja history and this wine suffered from that. Riojas are a terrific bargain and I did enjoy this wine, but the 2002 isn't worth the money. Buy a different year. Nice color, decent on the nose, nice earthy taste up front, then a slightly metallic flat finish. (3278 views) | | | Tasted by agebob on 1/3/2013 & rated 92 points: Old world style wine - more a symphony than a rock band, with fruit, tannins, and terroir blending harmoniously. Very light texture, almost as light as a French pinot. Red currants, blueberry blend with subtle spices and cigar box. Mild and consistent tannins provide the background music. (3344 views) | | | Tasted by chcook on 12/29/2012: Restaurant purchase - note from memory. PNP. Dusty cherries and oak. Splashed into decanter. Color dark garnet. Nose shows a little mustiness, but primarily dense cherry and agree with some medicinal quality. Texture is great with soft mouthfeel and gentle generous finish. Was a perfect match with magret duck breast tonight. (2919 views) | | | Tasted by JandGCellar on 11/24/2012 & rated 92 points: From the get-go this wine stood out, revealing a complex and layered nose: Mushroom, leather and berry jam were at the forefront, accompanied by tea and rhubarb in supporting roles. That's out of the gate; with 20 minutes of air oak and vanilla assert themselves. Forty minutes and the bouquet shifts to cooked pie filling (strawberry) or maybe to the smell you'd find on strawberry hard candy. Once you're past an hour, chocolate begins to show up. By this time the early scents are attenuated, somewhat considerably, but still detectable, especially the jam, rhubarb and leather. The attack is juicy and light (certainly lighter than I expected given some of the heavier notes in the bouquet) with lots of fruit, all dark berries and cherry. The midpalate is consistent with the attack, the berries and cherry (especially the latter) are out in full force but are kept from turning the wine into a one-note wonder by a lovely metallic yet vegetal quality that I associate with steamed artichoke hearts and asparagus. There's also an undertone of star anise that rounds out the midpalate and creates a sort of flavor-triangle that really balances nicely. This wine is tremendously refreshing and eminently gulpable, especially once it's got some air. The finish is long and shows a lot of stamina. The big note was cocoa, lending the finish a pleasantly bitter flavor that was balanced by a rich cured meat quality along with some green olive. I drank this wine with a sandwich made with cotto, black forest ham and provolone with a side of kettle cooked potato chips. I was hoping to test the ever popular claim that Rioja is a great picnic wine. Test passed. The juicy tartness of the wine went head to head with the richness of the meat, cheese and chips while the wine's spice and vegetable notes played well with the seasonings and greens of the sandwich. This is a great wine, and I'm anxious to purchase several more bottles both to explore other pairings and to revisit this wine as it ages through its drink window. (1555 views) | | | Tasted by wickedwax on 11/12/2012: Aromas of graham cracker layered over red berry and cherry fruit, along with earth and leather notes. Medium bodied with a soft and velvety smooth texture. Good acidity to give it nice balance. I didn't hear of anything for Rioja to have a good vintage in 2002, but it's Lopez de Heredia and it's rare for them to make something that I don't like. (3173 views) | | | Tasted by Dubie on 9/30/2012 & rated 89 points: Another solid showing, similar comments to prior bottles. (3437 views) | | | Tasted by Saraghina on 8/19/2012: - Crimsom color with medium forming legs. It's balanced with a medium body. Round texture with a medium finish - Classical Rioja with fading crimson color, nice, farm-evoking aromas and a balanced mouth. Finish is shortish, but pleasant. Not a heavy wine, but withgood mature flavours. (3735 views) | | | Tasted by Riccardo Malocchio on 8/15/2012 & rated 92 points: Decanted 30mins. Garnet-ruby. More fruit-forward than the Tondonia, as is typical of Bosconia, with a beautiful cherry core, notes of orange rind, and a fantastic gaminess (which element may have carried over somewhat from the American lamb that accompanied the wine). Excellent structure, miles to go, with a plushly elegant mouthfeel, bright acidity, and only very slightly astringent tannins. Nice spice from the American oak, and no longer the dill bomb it was on release with the wood integrating very nicely at this point. (3324 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Sep/Oct 2011, Issue #35, Recently Tasted Spanish Wines: Great Old Rioja and An Embarrassment of Riches From Outside the Mainstream Regions
(Viña Bosconia Rioja Reserva- López de Heredia) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, September/October 2010, IWC Issue #152
(R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Bosconia Reserva Rioja) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (5/2/2011)
(R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Bosconia) Bricking medium red color with pale meniscus; nice, mature, focused, red berry, oak spice nose; tasty, red berry, oak spice palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (5 years in barrel) 91 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of View From the Cellar and Vinous 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.ReservaStill Portuguese table wines of designated origin may also be labelled "reserva", indicating an alcohol content of at least 0.5% higher than the legal minimum established by the respective DOC or VR; however, stricter requirements in individual DOCs may supersede this standard.
(Court of Master Sommeliers)Viña Bosconia 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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