Best Rioja: Top wines to try
Some of the top Rioja wines recommended by Decanter's experts, plus some value alternatives...
Spanish wine experts discuss quality, new legislations and value in Rioja…
Sarah Jane Evans MW:
‘Change is in the air in Rioja. Not just among those who are questioning the regulatory body’s rules. You will meet an encouraging new generation of Rioja producers starting their own bodegas.
‘Only recently has Rioja bowed to the demand to identify single vineyards. It’s a great leap forward, letting consumers easily discover where a wine comes from and associate the wine with its landscape. This emphasis on origin also offers a chance to talk about terroir.
‘Originally the Rioja map was drawn with an eye to provincial boundaries. But within the DOCa sub-regions of Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental, the soils are very varied, a mix of iron-rich clay, calcareous clay and alluvial. Add in varied aspects and altitudes, and Rioja has potential for great diversity.
It’s also worth pointing out that Rioja has some exceptional whites.’
Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW:
‘The Rioja appellation has worked to develop a system that provides guarantees on wines from individual plots, the viñedo singular (VS). Launched in 2019, its purpose is to control and protect wines that are made with grapes cultivated in a demarcated area, whose characteristics are deemed worthy of protection.
‘The new measures are not a substitute for the classic system for evaluating quality in Rioja – ageing. Rioja was born to the fine wine world because of the capacity of its wines to reveal their greatness after oak ageing.
‘Even now, a Rioja gran reserva label is very likely to guarantee the wine lover a wine of very good quality and great personality. What’s more, the appellation has introduced modifications to the regulation in terms of minimum ageing requirements, which should sustain this image.’
Pierre Mansour:
‘Rioja producers should be applauded because this is a region that has the weight of heritage, legacy and history on it, and yet, we currently see some really incredibly interesting and innovative approaches to making wine, whether it’s to reflect the vineyard or the winemaking.
‘In the £10-£20 price range, drinkers will be getting seriously good wines of real complexity, real interest and distinct typicity for a price that’s relatively unbeatable around the world in terms of the quality they offer.’
Tim Atkin MW:
‘In Rioja, all but a handful of the DOCa’s finest wines are comparatively inexpensive. There are oceans of cheap supermarket Rioja, which suppress the prices of the good stuff, at least for now.
You don’t need to spend much more to trade up from something that’s simple, fruity and oaky to something that is complex, balanced and ageworthy.’
Best Rioja: Top wines to try:
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Artadi, Viña El Pisón, Northern Spain, Spain, 2012
Always one of Rioja’s – indeed, Spain’s – best wines, this is from a 2.4ha vineyard in Laguardia, planted in 1945. It’s a superdense, richly...
2012
Artadi
Finca Allende, Aurus, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2010
<p>The grapes for Aurus come from vines that are at least 60 years old, picked as late as 11 November in 2010. It’s a very...
2010
Finca AllendeRioja
Contador, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2014
‘You can’t spit this,’ Benjamín Romeo told me when I tasted it from barrel. It wasn’t the finished blend, but after a gap in production...
2014
ContadorRioja
Bodegas Olarra, Cerro Añon Gran Reserva, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2010
Founded in 1973 on the outskirts of Logroño, Olarra is known locally as the ‘Cathedral of Rioja’ owing to the beauty and grandeur of its...
2010
Bodegas OlarraRioja
Burgo Viejo, Licenciado Reserva, Rioja, Baja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2016
95
Bodegas Burgo Viejo is the property of six farming families and comprises more than 200ha of vineyards in the Rioja Oriental region, from where the more full-bodied styles of Rioja are produced (see ‘Regional Profile’, p42). Historically, the bodegas sold their high-quality grapes to neighbouring wineries, until the arrival of the young winemaker Gorka Etxebarria, who saw the potential for them to produce excellent wines themselves. Tempranillo is a firm favourite for this producer, despite Garnacha being the most widely planted grape in the area, and they certainly make a success of it, going by the many accolades they have received over the years. Sarah Jane Evans MW: Distinctly pure, vivid reserva, precise style: limpid fruit, brisk acidity, notable but well balanced oak. Classic. Simon Field MW: Intense colour, powerful aromas of tar and blue fruit; minty savoury, rich, lifted and long; an impressive reserva statement of intent. Pierre Mansour: Classy, spicy black fruit, full, round, generous – depth yet beautifully balanced, very classy, effortless.
2016
Burgo ViejoRioja
Escudero, Serna Imperial Reserva, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2010
95
The Escudero family started making wine in 1852 and, four generations on, it is still very much a family business. They own a total of 150ha of vineyards, of which 120ha are located on the southern slopes of the Monte Yerga mountain range, where the grapes for this wine are produced. The vines are grown at between 450m-800m above sea level and are approximately 40 years old. Predominantly made from Tempranillo blended with Mazuelo and Garnacha, this reserva was aged for 14 months in five-year-old American oak barrels followed by a further 28 months in bottle. Sarah Jane Evans: Supple, juicy, well-balanced, fully rounded. A lovely vintage and a great wine. Simon Field: A broad and generous mouthfeel, the tannic grip still persuasive, but acidity is wrapped around the black fruit core with subtle conviction. Pierre Mansour: Liquorice and dark fruit, compact, quite complex, framed by muscular tannins, underlying depth that unfurls in the glass, and really good length.
2010
EscuderoRioja
R López de Heredia, Viña Tondonia, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 1994
<p>It’s a real surprise just how suddenly these terrifically aged wines have become so fashionable. This gran reserva is magisterial: a combination of power and...
1994
R López de HerediaRioja
Roda, Roda 1, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2012
Powerful, vivid Rioja: well-structured with firm tannins, notes of tobacco interleaved with redcurrant, blackberry and balsamic notes, lifted by the small seasoning of...
2012
RodaRioja
Bodegas Montecillo, 22 Barricas Gran Reserva, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2010
Complex and intriguing, with a savoury appeal to its dark fruit and elegant yet grippy tannins. Promises a distinguished future.
2010
Bodegas MontecilloRioja
Bodegas Riojanas, Monte Real 125 Reserva, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2010
Sumptuous French oak interwoven with plump, perfumed Tempranillo. Lovely now with its juicy savoury fruit and lively freshness, but will continue to develop.
2010
Bodegas RiojanasRioja
Marques de Murrieta, Castillo Ygay, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2005
<p>In contrast to 2007, 2005 was a warm year and has bequeathed a wine of great power and pedigree; sweet and savoury notes accompany nose...
2005
Marques de MurrietaRioja
Arizcuren, Solo Mazuelo, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2015
A rare gem, this Mazuelo (France’s Carignan) has been cultivated at 500m in the hills above the village of Quel and aged for four months...
2015
ArizcurenRioja
Bodegas Muriel, Viña Muriel Gran Reserva, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2010
A powerful nose of bilberry, incense and woodsmoke leads to a palate that's finely structured, with firm acidity and impressive length, though needs some time...
2010
Bodegas MurielRioja
Remírez de Ganuza, Reserva, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2012
95
Remírez de Ganuza's addition of a pied de cuve of white grapes to its Reserva gives it the lift and juicy florality, underpinning the muscular core of black and blue fruit that have made it its trademark. This 2012 is drinking beautifully now, with a vivid palate, soft yet pulling tannins and a great balance to the fruit, luscious but already showing broody dryness. Lovely on the mid palate, with succulence offset by great acid drive.
2012
Remírez de GanuzaRioja
Bodegas Altanza, Lealtanza Artistas Españoles J Sorolla Reserva, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2010
Located in Fuenmayor in the Rioja Alta, Bodegas Altanza was founded in 1998, with its estate currently spanning 220ha of vineyard. The wines are made...
2010
Bodegas AltanzaRioja
Conde de los Andes, Conde de los Andes, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2004
A wine for lovers of traditional Riojas. Bodegas Ollauri has a remarkable set of old vintages which it is releasing in limited quantities under the...
2004
Conde de los AndesRioja
