Aged white Rioja back to 1920: What does it taste like?

Ever wondered what old white Rioja tastes like, or how long you should keep it? Read on for Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW's top ageable whites, dating back to 1920.

White Rioja can mix it with the best when it comes to ageing, according to Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW – and with age comes complexity, nuance and uniqueness.

Scroll down for Pedro’s tasting notes & scores

What does aged white Rioja taste like?

Like all wines, the fruit character fades over time to leave a residue of tertiary flavours.

Old white Rioja is particularly adept at ageing well as it benefits from a long maturation period in oak before bottling, imparting complex notes of spices and nuts that are still there long after the fruit has gone.

The wines below have profiles that range from tasting like an old Tokaji and an old dry Sherry, to an aged white from Pessac-Léognan.

It’s worth noting how fresh many of the wines still appear. This could be down to the vintage, such as a cooler year yielding more acidity, or the grape variety, or both.

Viura is one of the key varieties for whites in the region, and when picked early it retains a good level of acidity. Tight bunches on the vine also mean that berries are less prone to rot.

Below are some old white Riojas tasted by Pedro, going all the way back to 1920. Do you have any in your cellar?

Exploring aged white Rioja back to 1920:

Good value white Rioja

Mature Rioja: Panel tasting results

Mature New Zealand wines from the cellar

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Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW is a Decanter contributor and joint Regional Chair for Spain at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2019 alongside Ferran Centelles. He has studied around the world, including Spain, France, USA and Germany. He holds a degree in agro-food engineering and a masters in viticulture and oenology among his qualifications. A columnist for magazines in Spain and Belgium, he works in four languages. He sits at the governing board of the Unión Española de Catadores (the Spanish wine tasters’ union), the board of the International Federation of Wine and Spirit Journalists and Writers, the wine committee of the Basque Culinary Centre, and acts as expert at the OIV (International Organisation of Vine and Wine). He is a VIA Certified Italian Wine Ambassador, a member of Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino, and has been awarded the Spanish Command Order of Agricultural Merit.

Aged white Rioja back to 1920: What does it taste like?

Scroll down for Pedro’s tasting notes & scores

What does aged white Rioja taste like?

Exploring aged white Rioja back to 1920:

You might also like:

Good value white Rioja

Mature Rioja: Panel tasting results

Mature New Zealand wines from the cellar

Marques de Murrieta, Castillo Ygay Especial, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 1946

Bodegas Paternina, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 1920

Marques de Murrieta, Castillo Ygay Especial, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 1970

Bodegas Franco-Españolas, Viña Sole, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 1937

Marques de Murrieta, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 1942

Bodegas Franco-Españolas, Viña Sole Tête de Cuvée, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 1964

R López de Heredia, Blanco 6° Año, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 1964

CVNE, Monopole (Half Bottle), Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 1971

R López de Heredia, Viña Tondonia, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 1981

CVNE, Monopole, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 1988

Marques de Murrieta, Ygay, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 1956

Bodegas AGE, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 1946

Bodegas Paternina, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 1930

Marques de Murrieta, Ygay, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 1948

CVNE, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 1970

La Rioja Alta, Viña Ardanza Blanco, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 1986