Wine - Spain - Rioja And Navarra - General Information

Front 1

What was the first wine to receive DOCa status in Spain?

Back 1

Rioja

Front 2

What are the only two Spanish wines with DOCa status?

Back 2

Spanish Wines of DOCa Status:

Rioja
Priorat

Front 3

What is the trademark of Rioja wines?

Back 3

Oak. Oak is the basis of its fame and the reason it became Spain's first and greatest red-wine success, and while critics who suggest that these wines are too oaky for today's more sophisticated consumers may have a point, there is precious little left in most Rioja once you take away the oak.

Front 4

For how long has wine been made in Rioja?

Back 4

Since at least the 2nd century BC, when the Romans conquered the area.

Front 5

What advancement to winemaking occurred in Rioja by 1560?

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Its producers forbade the use of grapes from outside the region, guaranteeing the authenticity of their wines with a brand on the "pellejos" (goat skins) in which they were transported.

Front 6

When did wooden barrels come into use in Rioja?

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Wooden barrels came into use in the 18th century, but were five times the size of casks today and it was not until 1860 at Marqués de Riscal that the first Bordeaux "barriques" were used (although there seems to be evidence that Manuel Quintano was the first, c.1800).

Front 7

Who was Jean Pineau to Spanish winemaking history?

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Jean Pineau:

A particularly influential Frenchman, employed to teach French methods to local growers in Rioja. In 1868, upon completion of his contract, Pineau was employed by Don Camilo Hurtado de Amexaga, the Marqués de Riscal, who was an admirer of Médoc wines and had lived in Bordeaux for 15 years. He had planted Cabernet Sauvignon on his estate in 1863 and wanted Pineau to develop his new bodega in the manner of the most advanced wine châteaux in the Médoc.

Front 8

Where are Rioja's vineyards located?

Back 8

(p312)

Along the Ebro Valley, between Haro and Alfaro, and throughout its hinterland, with vines clustered around many of the Ebro's tributaries, one of which, the Oja River, has given its name to the region.

Front 9

What sorts of wines are made in Rioja, in general?

Back 9

Most Rioja is red and blended from wines or grapes (primarily Tempranillo and Garnacha) originating from the region's three districts, although many of the best-quality are single-district wines and a handful of single-estate Rioja have also emerged in recent years.

Front 10

What are the districts of Rioja?

Back 10

(p312)
Districts of Rioja:

Rioja Alta
Rioja Alavesa
Rioja Baja

Front 11

Discuss the Rioja Alta district of Rioja.

Back 11

(p312)
Rioja Alta:

Logroño and Haro, the principal towns of Rioja, are both in the Rioja Alta. Logroño is a very big town by Spanish standards, but Haro, at the western edge of the region, is an enclosed hilltop community and a much smaller, far more charming, older, and traditional place. The area's wine is Rioja's fullest in terms of fruit and concentration, and can be velvety smooth. Bodegas Muga makes fine examples of pure Rioja Alta, as do CVNE (Compañia Vinicola del Norte de España) - in the form of their Imperial line - in nine years out of every ten.

Front 12

Discuss the Rioja Alavesa district of Rioja.

Back 12

(p312)
Rioja Alavesa:

There are no large towns in the Alavesa, a district that is similar in climate to the Alta. Wines produced here are Rioja's fullest in body and reveal a much firmer character than those of the Alta and the Baja, with greater acidity. It was to the Alavesa that Pedro Domecq came, after years of intensive research, to plant a vast estate of 985 acres (400 hectares), cultivating his vines on wires as opposed to using the bush method traditional to the region. Aside from Bodegas Domecq, which produces mainly pure Alavesa wines, Remelluri and Contino, two single-estate Alavesas, are both typical of the district.

Front 13

Discuss the Rioja Baja district of Rioja.

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(p312)
Rioja Baja:

Baja is a semiarid area influenced by the Mediterranean, and is hotter, sunnier, and drier than the Alta and the Alavesa, with rainfall averaging between 15 and 17 inches (38 and 43 centimeters) per year, but falling as low as 10 inches (25 centimeters) at Alfaro in the south. Some 20% of the vines growing here come within, and can claim, the Navarra appellation. The wines are deep-colored and very alcoholic, some as strong as 18%, but lack acidity, aroma, and finesse, and are best used for blending.

Front 14

What grape varieties are permitted in Rioja?

Back 14

Grape Varieties Permitted in Rioja:

Tempranillo
Garnacha
Graciano
Mazuelo
Viura
Malvasia
Garnacha Blanca (little utilized)

Front 15

What are the properties of Tempranillo for Rioja wines?

Back 15

Tempranillo:

70% for its bouquet, acidity, and aging qualities. It ripens some two weeks before the Garnacha (temprano means "early"). Tempranillo has a naturally low oxidizing enzyme content, giving its wines exceptional longevity.

Front 16

What are some of the synonyms for the Tempranillo grape in Spain?

Back 16

Tempranillo:

Cencibel
Tinto Fino
Ull de Llebre

Front 17

What are the properties of Garnacha for Rioja wine?

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Garnacha:

15% for body and alcohol - too much can make the wine coarse. This is the Grenache of the Rhône, also known as the Lladoner and Aragonés. It is the major variety of the Rioja Baja, where it can produce wines of 16% alcohol.

Front 18

What are some of the synonyms for the Garnacha grape in Spain?

Back 18

Garnacha:

Lladoner
Aragonés

Front 19

What are the properties of Graciano for Rioja wine?

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Graciano:

7.5% for freshness, flavor, and aroma. A singular variety with the unusual property of thin, yet tough, black skin.

Front 20

What are the properties of Mazuelo for Rioja wine?

Back 20

Mazuelo:

7.5% for color, tannin, and good aging characteristics. This is the Carignan of southern France and is also known in Spain as the Cariñena.

Front 21

What are the properties of Viura for Rioja wine?

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Viura:

95% for freshness and fragrance. This grape has reasonable acidity and a good resistance to oxidation. It is also known as the Macabéo and Alcañón in other parts of Spain, and is one of three major Cava varieties.

Front 22

What are some of the synonyms for the Viura grape in Spain?

Back 22

Viura:

Macabéo
Alcañón

Front 23

What are the properties of Malvasia for Rioja wine?

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Malvasia:

5% for richness, fragrance, acidity, and complexity. This grape has a tendency to color a patchy red when ripe, so pressing must be quick to avoid tainting the juice.

Front 24

What are some of the synonyms for the Malvasia grape in Spain?

Back 24

Malvasia:

Rojal Blanco
Subirat

Front 25

What is Spain's most advanced viticultural and oenological research station?

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Estación de Viticultura y Enologia de Navarra (EVENA)

Front 26

Why has the Navarra region of Spain had such a difficult time throwing off its primarily rosado past?

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Navarra was once virtually synonymous with rosado and this style still accounts for almost half of total production, but what has really held back the reputation of this area has been the Garnacha grape. This modest-quality grape variety can make good rosado, but except as part of a blend, rarely excels in red wines. Garnacha makes up more than 65% of Navarra's vines, so the region is ill equipped to develop beyond its rosado horizon. Furthermore, Tempranillo, the grape upon which Rioja's success has been built and indubitably Spain's finest red-wine variety, represents just 15% of Navarra's vines. This proportion has, however, doubled since 1990 and with Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon making up 60% and 20% respectively of all new vines currently being planted, Navarra is set to achieve a tremendous boost in quality.

Front 27

What are the districts of Navarra in Spain?

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(p312)
Districts of Navarra:

Baja Montaña
Ribera Alta
Ribera Baja
Tierra Estella
Valdizarbe

Front 28

Discuss the Baja Montaña district of Navarra.

Back 28

(p312)
Baja Montaña:

Situated in the Montaña foothills, Baja Montaña is the highest and wettest area of Navarra and the vintage is considerably later here than in the south of the region, hence the greater importance placed on early-ripening Tempranillo. Extra rain causes the grape yield to be between 50 and 100% higher than that of any of the other four areas. The district produces some of Navarra's best rosados, fresh and fruity in aroma and flavor.

Front 29

Discuss the Ribera Alta district of Navarra.

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(p312)
Ribera Alta:

With twice the number of vineyards as Baja Montaña and Tierra Estella, this is one of the two most important of Navarra's districts. Ribera Alta borders the Rioja Alta and produces some of the region's finest wines. The rosados are smooth and aromatic, and the reds soft and fruity, but with as much as 40% Viura planted, this is a major white-wine player and the style is soft, dry, and fresh.

Front 30

Discuss the Ribera Baja district of Navarra.

Back 30

(p312)
Ribera Baja:

One of the two most important wine districts of Navarra, Ribera Baja is very hot and dry and includes approximately 20% of what is effectively the Rioja Baja district. The wines produced are mostly red, made principally from the Garnacha grape, and typically deep-colored, full, and robust. Muscat à Petits Grains accounts for 10% of the vines planted and produces a sweet Moscatel-style wine.

Front 31

Discuss the Tierra Estella district of Navarra.

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(p312)
Tierra Estella:

Viticulturally as important as Baja Montaña and climatically similar to Valdizarbe in the north, though gradually getting drier farther south, the Tierra Estella makes pleasant, fruity reds and rosados from the Tempranillo, which is heavily planted here. The Garnacha variety is less important since its wines tend to oxidize. Some crisp white wines from the Viura grape are also produced.

Front 32

Discuss the Valdizarbe district of Navarra.

Back 32

(p312)
Valdizarbe:

The smallest of Navarra's five districts, Valdizarbe has a slightly drier climate than the Baja Montaña and is an excellent source of good-value red and rosado wines, although some of these have an unfortunate tendency to oxidize.

Front 33

Where are Rioja and Navarra located, in Spain?

Back 33

(p312)

Situated in northern Spain in the upper valley of the Ebro River, Rioja and Navarra are bounded to the northeast by the Pyrenees and to the southwest by the Sierra de la Demanda. Navarra has the second-most northerly vineyards in Spain.

Front 34

What is the climate like in Rioja and Navarra?

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(p312)

The Cantabrian Mountains, a range that is modest in elevation yet impressive in structure, provide a major key to the quality of Rioja, protecting the region from the devastating winds whipped up over the Bay of Biscay and holding in precarious check the influence of the Atlantic and Mediterranean. That of the former is at its strongest in Navarra, and of the latter in the Rioja Baja. Temperature rises and rainfall decreases as one moves eastward to the Mediterranean. The Pyrenees also provide shelter from the north, but winters can be cold and foggy, particularly in Navarra. Rioja can suffer from hailstorms and the hot, dry "solano" wind.

Front 35

What is the aspect of Rioja and Navarra?

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(p312)

Vineyards are variously located, from the highest in the foothills of the Pyrenees in Navarra to those on the flatter lands of the Rioja Baja in the southeast. Generally, the best vineyards are in the central hill country of the Rioja Alta and the Alavesa.

Front 36

What is the soil like in Rioja and Navarra?

Back 36

(p312)

Although soils do vary, the common denominator is limestone. In Navarra, limestone contains between 25 and 45% "active" lime, and is coated by a layer of silty-alluvium near the Ebro or by weathered limestone and sandstone topsoil in drier areas. Limestone with either sandstone or calcareous clay and slaty deposits dominate the Rioja Alavesa and Alta, while a ferruginous-clay and a silty-loam of alluvial origin cover a limestone base in the Rioja Baja.

Front 37

What is the traditional vinification process in Rioja and Navarra?

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The traditional vinification process, which is still used to produce the local "vino nuevo," is a crude form of "macération carbonique" carried out in open vats; the grapes are trodden after the first few days of intercellular fermentation. This is much as Beaujolais wines used to be made, but the result here is much coarser, with a dark-damson color and lots of youthful tannin. Most wines are, however, vinified in the normal manner, but aged longer than other commercial wines. Although recent trends favor shorter oak-aging and longer bottle-maturation, the character of Rioja still relies heavily on oak, and it is essential for its future that it should remain so.

Front 38

What are the primary grape varieties in Rioja and Navarra?

Back 38

Tempranillo
Viura (syn. Macabéo)