Rioja

1. The Region

Rioja is Spain’s most famous wine region, found along the Ebro River in the north of the country.
It is divided into three areas: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Oriental.
Each has its own personality:

• Rioja Alta – cooler and higher, making elegant wines with freshness.
• Rioja Alavesa – limestone hillsides giving fine, perfumed reds.
• Rioja Oriental – warmer and drier, producing riper, fuller wines.

The climate mixes Atlantic, continental, and Mediterranean influences, which gives Rioja its balance of freshness and ripeness.
Most of the vineyards grow on clay and limestone soils, often on beautiful rolling slopes.

2. The Grapes

Around 90 % of Rioja’s wines are red, made mainly from Tempranillo, Spain’s best-known black grape.
Tempranillo makes wines with medium body, fine tannins, and flavours of cherry, plum, and spice.
In Portugal, the same grape is called Tinto Roriz or Aragonez.

Other important black grapes include:

• Garnacha Tinta – adds warmth, red fruit, and body.
• Graciano – gives perfume and freshness for ageing wines.
• Mazuelo (Carignan) – adds colour and tannin.

White grapes like Viura (Macabeo) and Garnacha Blanca make crisp or creamy whites, depending on whether they’re aged in oak.
Rioja also produces small amounts of rosé (rosado), mainly from Garnacha.

3. The Wines

Rioja is famous for its ageing system, which shows how long a wine has matured before release:

Styles

• Traditional Rioja – long-aged in American oak, showing flavours of vanilla, leather, and dried fruit.
• Modern Rioja – aged in French oak, with richer fruit, darker colour, and less oxidation.
• White Rioja – from Viura, fresh and citrusy when young, or nutty and creamy when aged in oak.
• Rosado (Rosé) – light, dry, and refreshing.

4. Producers to Know

• Classic Wineries: López de Heredia, La Rioja Alta, Marqués de Murrieta, CVNE.
• Modern Names: Artadi, Remelluri, Palacios Remondo, Bodegas LAN.
• Emerging Producers: Bodegas Bhilar, Tentenublo, Exopto – making fresh, site-focused wines.

5. Summary

Rioja is the heart of Spanish wine — a region that combines tradition and innovation.
Its mix of climates and soils creates wines that range from silky, aged Tempranillos to vibrant, fruit-filled Garnachas.
Whether traditional or modern, red, white, or rosé, Rioja remains a benchmark for Spanish quality and character.