Overview. Located in north-central Spain, the DOCa Rioja wine region extends across the autonomous communities of La Rioja, the Basque province of Álava, and Navarre, with one registered winery in an enclave of Castilla y León. Wine has been produced in the area since at least Roman times, although the region’s wine culture is older than the modern Rioja designation (Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, n.d.-c, n.d.-d).
Rioja became a major modern wine region during the nineteenth century, when Bordeaux-style production and oak aging arrived through pioneers such as the Marqués de Murrieta and Marqués de Riscal. Luciano de Murrieta began making wine with techniques learned in Bordeaux in 1852, while Marqués de Riscal began producing Bordeaux-style wines in 1858 (Marqués de Murrieta, n.d.; Marqués de Riscal, n.d.).
Rioja wines became particularly known for extensive aging in oak and bottle. For many years, wine style was often communicated less through a vineyard or brand than through aging categories such as Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva. Traditional Rioja commonly underwent long aging in older barrels, often American oak, with substantial bottle aging before release. Historic wineries also maintain deep cellar stocks, making mature Rioja more available than older wines from many other regions.
Beginning in the late twentieth century, modern styles expanded alongside these traditional wines. Some producers adopted newer French oak, shorter barrel aging, greater fruit concentration, and earlier release. Other producers continued making fragrant, softer wines through long periods in older barrels and bottle. Contemporary Rioja therefore includes traditional, modern, and intermediate styles rather than one method having entirely displaced another (The Wine Society, n.d.).
Rioja received official designation protection in 1925 and became Spain’s first Denominación de Origen Calificada in 1991. New origin-based classifications—including municipal wines and Viñedo Singular—were incorporated in 2017. In 2018, the region launched the global brand message Saber quién eres, or “Know who you are” (Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, n.d.-a, n.d.-c, 2018).
Want to visit the historic heart of Rioja wine? Haro, near the Ebro River in Rioja Alta, is home to the Barrio de la Estación and an extraordinary concentration of longstanding wineries.
Major Varieties. Rioja encompasses more than 66,000 hectares of vineyards, around 91% of which are planted with red grapes. Tempranillo dominates production, accounting for approximately 80% of the total vineyard area. It is followed by Garnacha at approximately 6%, Graciano and Mazuelo at approximately 2% each, and Viura at approximately 6% (Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, n.d.-d, n.d.-i, n.d.-j, n.d.-k, n.d.-l, n.d.-m).
Tempranillo
- A black grape that produces medium- to full-bodied red wines.
- Its name refers to its relatively early ripening.
- Generally less overtly aromatic than Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir, but often shows plum, strawberry, other red and black fruits, and floral notes.
- Long aging can introduce notes of vanilla, cocoa, licorice, tobacco, and leather (Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, n.d.-i).
Garnacha Tinta
- A dark, spicy grape originating in Spain.
- Often shows red fruit, dried plum, floral, and pepper notes.
- May be blended with Tempranillo to add body, alcohol, fruit, and aromatic complexity.
- Particularly important in warmer parts of Rioja and in rosé production (Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, n.d.-j).
Mazuelo, or Carignan
- A productive, late-ripening grape that has been grown in Rioja for several centuries.
- Contributes deep color, acidity, and substantial tannins.
- Often blended with Tempranillo to strengthen wines intended for long aging (Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, n.d.-k).
Graciano
- A dark, indigenous blending grape.
- Known for its color, acidity, aromatic intensity, and aging potential.
- Often adds red and black fruit, floral, licorice, and balsamic qualities to a blend (Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, n.d.-l).
Viura, or Macabeo
- Rioja’s most widely planted white grape.
- Used in both young and aged white Rioja and in Spanish sparkling wines.
- Generally shows moderate floral and fruit aromas with notable acidity.
- Oak aging is a longstanding tradition for white Rioja, although many modern versions emphasize fresh fruit and acidity (Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, n.d.-m).
Other Authorized Varieties
- Red: Maturana Tinta.
- White: Garnacha Blanca, Malvasía, Maturana Blanca, Tempranillo Blanco, Turruntés, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Verdejo.
- Rioja rosé and claret must contain at least 25% red grapes. Rioja red wines may include up to 15% authorized white grapes (Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, n.d.-b, n.d.-e).
Classification and Production. Rioja wines are classified according to both origin and aging. The region contains 144 recognized wine-producing municipalities. Labels may identify the broad DOCa Rioja, one of its three zones, a municipality, or an officially recognized Viñedo Singular, a delimited individual vineyard site (Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, n.d.-a).
Fuller-bodied red wines intended for aging are generally destemmed before fermentation. Lighter, fruitier reds may be produced through whole-cluster carbonic maceration or a combination of destemmed and whole-cluster fermentation. White Rioja was traditionally associated with oak aging, but contemporary styles range from fresh, fruit-focused wines to complex barrel-fermented and barrel-aged versions (Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, n.d.-e).
Aging Classifications
- Generic. No required Crianza, Reserva, or Gran Reserva aging regimen. These wines are often young and fruit-driven, although the category may also include wines made through other aging approaches.
- Crianza. A minimum of two years of aging. Reds must spend at least one year in 225-liter oak barrels. Whites and rosés must spend at least six months in barrels.
- Reserva. Reds must age for at least three years, including at least one year in oak and six months in bottle. Whites and rosés must age for at least two years, including six months in oak.
- Gran Reserva. Reds must age for at least five years, including at least two years in oak and two years in bottle. Whites and rosés must age for at least four years, including at least six months in oak.
- Espumoso Genérico. Traditional-method sparkling wine aged in bottle for at least 15 months.
- Espumoso Reserva. Traditional-method sparkling wine aged for at least 24 months.
- Espumoso Gran Añada. Hand-harvested traditional-method sparkling wine aged for at least 36 months (Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, n.d.-a).
Rioja DOCa Zones
Rioja Alta. Rioja Alta, together with Rioja Alavesa, has traditionally been associated with many of Rioja’s most celebrated wines. It is a relatively high-elevation growing area with an Atlantic climatic influence. Higher sites experience slower ripening, helping preserve acidity, freshness, and aging potential. Soils include clay-limestone, iron-rich clay, and alluvial deposits. Rioja Alta contains 77 municipalities (Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, n.d.-g).
Rioja Alavesa. Rioja Alavesa lies north of the Ebro River in the Basque province of Álava. Its vineyards are often arranged in terraces and relatively small plots, and approximately 95% of its soils are clay-limestone. The Sierra de Cantabria helps shield the vineyards from cold, wet Atlantic weather. Its wines are often structured, aromatic, and marked by fresh acidity. Rioja Alavesa contains 18 municipalities (Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, n.d.-f).
Rioja Oriental. Rioja Oriental, formerly called Rioja Baja, has greater Mediterranean influence than Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa. Lower elevations are generally warmer and drier, often producing riper wines with more body and higher alcohol. Mountainous portions can be much cooler, creating considerable variation within the zone. Garnacha has historically been especially important here. Rioja Oriental contains 49 municipalities (Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, n.d.-h).
Best Vintages. Historically celebrated Rioja vintages include 1948, 1955, 1958, 1964, 1970, 1975, 1981, 1982, 1994, and 1995 (“Mature Rioja,” 2018). Among more recent vintages, the Rioja Control Board has rated 2001, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2019, and 2025 as Excellent. It rated 2008, 2015, and 2016 as Very Good and 2013 as Good. These region-wide ratings provide a useful starting point, but producer, vineyard, wine style, and bottle storage remain essential considerations (Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, n.d.-n).
Our Wines
Sumarroca Insito Extra Brut Cava
- Origin. Penedès, Catalonia. This is not a Rioja wine.
- Producer. The Sumarroca family moved to Penedès during the 1980s and purchased the Molí Coloma estate in Subirats.
- Varieties. A nearly equal blend of Macabeu, Xarel·lo, and Parellada.
- Production. Made from estate-grown fruit and aged for approximately 16 months before disgorgement.
- Style. Extra Brut.
- Tasting notes. Apple, candied lemon, lime, and white pepper (LeBeau, 2018).
Asúa Crianza 2016
- Producer. Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España, or CVNE, founded in Haro in 1879 by brothers Raimundo and Eusebio Real de Asúa and still under family ownership.
- Origin. Rioja Alta.
- Grape. Tempranillo.
- Production. Aged in oak in accordance with Rioja Crianza requirements.
- Style. Full-bodied, with the oak integrated rather than dominant.
- Tasting notes. Black fruit, wood, spice, balsamic qualities, and some floral notes (CVNE, n.d.; The Wine Society, n.d.).
Valserrano Rioja Reserva 2015
- Producer. Bodegas de la Marquesa.
- Origin. Rioja Alavesa.
- Varieties. 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano.
- Production. Made using a pre-fermentation cold maceration and temperature-controlled fermentation to preserve fruit aromas. Aged for approximately 24 months in French and American oak, followed by further maturation before release.
- Tasting notes. Cherry, red berries, and plum, with vanilla, cocoa, mocha, spice, nutmeg, and cedar (Bodegas de la Marquesa, n.d.).
Montecillo Rioja Reserva 2013
- Producer. Bodegas Montecillo, founded in 1870 and generally described as the third-oldest winery in Rioja.
- Recognition. Ranked twenty-fifth in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2020.
- Vintage. A difficult growing year marked by relatively low summer temperatures and heavy rainfall near the end of the season, requiring careful vineyard selection.
- Varieties. 90% Tempranillo, 7% Mazuelo, and 3% Garnacha.
- Production. Aged for 25 months in French and American oak barrels—approximately 70% French and 30% American—and then matured for another 20 months in bottle.
- Tasting notes. Ripe cherry and plum, with cinnamon, sandalwood, smoke, cedar, and other warm, savory spice notes (NueveCuatroUno, 2020).
References
Bodegas de la Marquesa. (n.d.). Valserrano Reserva 2015 [Technical sheet]. https://valserrano.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Valserrano-Reserva-2015-EN.pdf
Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja. (2018, March 7). Rioja presenta “Saber quién eres,” su nuevo mensaje de marca mundial. https://riojawine.com/es/noticias/rioja-presenta-saber-quien-eres-su-nuevo-mensaje-de-marca-mundial/
Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja. (n.d.-a). Classification. https://riojawine.com/en-us/the-designation/classification/
Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja. (n.d.-b). Grape varieties. https://riojawine.com/en-us/the-designation/grape-varieties/
Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja. (n.d.-c). History. https://riojawine.com/en-gb/the-designation/history/
Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja. (n.d.-d). Production areas. https://riojawine.com/en-gb/production-areas/
Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja. (n.d.-e). Red wines. https://riojawine.com/en-us/the-designation/types-of-wine/red-wines/
Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja. (n.d.-f). Rioja Alavesa. https://riojawine.com/en-us/production-areas/rioja-alavesa/
Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja. (n.d.-g). Rioja Alta. https://riojawine.com/en-us/production-areas/rioja-alta/
Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja. (n.d.-h). Rioja Oriental. https://riojawine.com/en-us/production-areas/rioja-oriental/
Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja. (n.d.-i). Tempranillo. https://riojawine.com/en-gb/the-designation/grape-varieties/tempranillo/
Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja. (n.d.-j). Garnacha tinta. https://riojawine.com/en-us/the-designation/grape-varieties/garnacha-tinta/
Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja. (n.d.-k). Mazuelo. https://riojawine.com/en-gb/the-designation/grape-varieties/mazuelo/
Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja. (n.d.-l). Graciano. https://riojawine.com/en-us/the-designation/grape-varieties/graciano/
Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja. (n.d.-m). Viura. https://riojawine.com/en-us/the-designation/grape-varieties/viura/
Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja. (n.d.-n). Vintages. https://riojawine.com/en-us/the-designation/vintages/
CVNE. (n.d.). Asúa Crianza. https://cvne.com/en/wines/asua-crianza/
LeBeau, A. (2018, April 4). 60 second wine review—Insito Extra Brut Cava. SpitBucket. https://spitbucket.net/2018/04/04/60-second-wine-review-insito-extra-brut-cava/
Marqués de Murrieta. (n.d.). About us. https://marquesdemurrieta.com/en/pages/sobre-nosotros-marques-de-murrieta
Marqués de Riscal. (n.d.). Our history. https://www.marquesderiscal.com/en/our-history
Mature Rioja. (2018, March). Decanter, 89.
NueveCuatroUno. (2020, December 15). Montecillo Reserva 2013, el vigesimoquinto mejor vino del mundo en 2020. https://nuevecuatrouno.com/2020/12/15/vino-rioja-montecillo-reserva-mejores-vinos-2020/
The Wine Society. (n.d.). Asúa Crianza Rioja 2016. https://www.thewinesociety.com/product/asua-crianza-rioja-2016/