Rioja 1990s: A vintage guide

The 1990s was probably the most exciting time in Spain’s recent history. The country began the decade lagging behind the rest of Western Europe, still traumatised by the memory of dictatorship, but finished it with modern infrastructures, easier access to world markets and lots of self-confidence.

It was also the period in which Rioja’s finest wine producers initiated the transition from branded wines to a more diverse proposal, including individual high-profile terroir wines. Investment in that period was huge; many new wineries were born during those years, fuelled by a then buoyant domestic market and increasing exports of fine wine.

Investments resulted in modern new wineries, the world’s largest programme of barrique investment (in 1990 Rioja wineries had a stock of half a million barriques, many of them old; 10 years later there were one million, far newer, barriques) and a massive replanting scheme. This favoured Tempranillo in vertical shoot positioned (VSP) trellising over Garnacha and Viura in bush vines. As a result, production grew enormously, from 160 million kg in 1990 to 300m kg in 2000.

Nature was particularly helpful, giving three of the greatest vintages in Rioja in half a century: 1994, 1995 and 1996. After the amazing 1964 – with the debatable exceptions of 1978 and 1982 – Rioja endured a 30-year ordeal of average vintages. Only the greatest winemakers, who mastered the art of compensating for climate inclemency by blending wines from different sub-regions, could produce great wines during that period.

In 1994, the new Rioja, which had been growing surreptitiously for some years, stepped brilliantly into the light. The new vineyards planted in the 1980s were old enough to render high quality, and the market was ready to pay for the best wines from old vines. 1995 and 1996 followed with very high yields and top quality, the best of both worlds. After these three glorious vintages, Rioja could afford the mediocre 1997, the plentiful but irregular 1998 and the very small and average 1999 vintages. Rioja’s best producers kept up their good standards in such a way that shortly afterwards they could benefit from the best vintage ever: 2001.

Many of today’s new-wave top wines were born in the 1990s. Some classic brands also awoke from a dark period in the decade.

All of this meant that by the end of the 1990s, Rioja had become Spain’s flagship. Exports had doubled. Even more importantly, an increasing number of Rioja wines became world benchmarks for quality.

1990

With hindsight, it is funny to recollect now the debates at the time. In 1990, mechanical harvesters were authorised, to the scandal of many. There was an investment frenzy, which focused on modernity and efficiency. Production set a record, and critics expressed scepticism as to how Rioja would be able to sell that much wine (160m kg, which is half of the current average production). The growing season was not good, with many extreme weather incidents and lots of diluted wines as a result. There were some great wines, but I would not bet on their capacity to stand the test of time. A possible exception is the La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904. Six years ago, I also very much appreciated Dominio de Conte from Bodegas Bretón.

1991

Distinguished by the smallest production in the whole decade, this vintage was strange in many respects. It was a great vintage for white wines. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva Blanco is still today a benchmark for top white Rioja. However, it was a vintage not well suited for modern-style, short- ageing wines; instead it was very good for the most classic expressions, those with long ageing in barrique. All great red 1991 wines are Gran Reserva. The best examples are Prado Enea from Muga, which is smooth and complex; CVNE Imperial; and Marqués de Cáceres, which at the time of its release was considered ‘modern’.

1992

The vintage of the rain. It was the wettest vintage period in 50 years, which ruined what was expected to be a great year. It started with a very dry winter, followed by ideal conditions during springtime and a relatively fresh but dry summer. But then it started raining at the end of September, and it didn’t stop until November. Rot and dilution were widespread. The situation in Rioja Baja (now known as Rioja Oriental) was different, but at that time the wineries in the sub-region were not focused on producing quality. There were many good white wines, but most of them are over the hill now. For red wines, I’m afraid I don’t recollect any memorable bottles. If you have some wines from this vintage, open them as soon as possible – though with low expectations.

1993

Again, a vintage that started with lots of good omens only to finish drowned in rain. The rains in 1992 left plenty of water in the subsoil, so that the vine cycle started very well. Then, although summer was extremely dry and hot, the soil reserves allowed the plants to grow healthily. At that time, the season was considered good and ‘Mediterranean’ (in Rioja, Atlantic vintages are those in which humid westerlies predominate; when dry east winds prevail, the vintage is Mediterranean). But temperatures continued to rise, blocking maturation and drying the grapes. In late summer, there were heavy storms and botrytis was generalised. Harvest took place later than usual, with many problems. As a result, this was the vintage where the greatest producers shone. It was necessary to apply very severe selection in both vineyard and winery, and few companies could afford to do this. Most of the wines tended not to improve in bottle. Some were delicious when young, but are now over the hill. Again, Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva Blanco is the exception.

1994

An almost perfect vintage – its only shortcoming is the relatively low volume. The season started earlier than usual because of a mild winter. In April, there was a spring frost that destroyed one-fifth of the buds. At a time when green harvests were out of the question, this was a blessing for the future wines, rather than a problem. Vines could develop over the rest of the season in ideal conditions; grapes received all the energy they needed to ripen perfectly. As a consequence, there was an early harvest at the beginning of September. The quality was amazing; very few people could remember so good a vintage. The only possible match was the mythical 1964. But in 1994 the wineries had far better technical capacities, and the international markets were ready to award great quality. Indeed, all classic wineries produced some of their best wines. Buy any of them; it is a safe investment. 1994 was also the first relevant vintage of some new producers such as Roda and Remírez de Ganuza, and the first vintage of Artadi Viña El Pisón; they started from the top. I drink 1994 Rioja as often as I can; most wines are in pristine shape and capable of becoming more complex with time in bottle. Some wines, too numerous to mention here, are absolute benchmarks for the best Rioja.

1995

This vintage was too good to be really good, until nature intervened. The season started very early, thanks to a mild winter. There were no frosts and no untimely rains, so the vines were heavily charged and healthy. Summer was dry and warm, and the vine cycle was advanced by almost three weeks. If things had continued like that, the grapes would have accumulated a lot of sugar before the tannins had time to ripen. Thankfully, a few days before harvest the weather turned cloudy and cool, but not rainy. The vines had time to reach phenolic maturity while not accumulating more sugars. Harvest was a time of exultation. Wineries were receiving more grapes than ever before, in excellent health, with very good indicators. As in 1994, the vintage was deemed ‘excellent’. In my view, this represents the mood of the day. Although great, 1995 is inferior to 1994. Indeed, in recent tastings 1995 wines often look older than their 1994 siblings. But it is still a great vintage, worth pursuing. All classics are excellent to buy blind. Among less well known names, the Gran Reservas from Martínez Lacuesta and Campillo and Culmen from Bodegas Lan are excellent. Among modern style wines, try Señorío de San Vicente.

1996

This is a vintage with two problems. First, only the great growers could get top quality from this abundant harvest; it was necessary to look after the vines carefully and to select. As a result, the best wineries produced some of the finest wines ever, while many others produced just good quality. The second problem is that it came after 1994 and 1995. 1994 was great, 1995 less so, but still so good and so abundant that it was also considered ‘excellent’. 1996 was even larger than 1995, and again very good quality, but the appellation could not afford three top vintages in a row, therefore it was downgraded to ‘very good’. Time is showing how wrong that judgement was. I am convinced that this vintage will become historic, for a good number of wines. Indeed, I prefer stocking 1996 to 1995.

Marqués de Riscal Barón de Chirel is an amazing example of a wine made for the next centuries. Contino Viña del Olivo is, in my view, the best ever. Torre Muga is less dense than 1994, but more elegant. Bodegas Vinícola Real 200 Monges Gran Reserva is one of the greatest. Considering that the market value of those wines is lower than 1994 and 1995, they are an excellent investment. There were also some great whites; Remelluri Blanco, a blend of 1996 and 1997, is a unique jewel.

1997

In Rioja, three great vintages in a row happen once every two centuries, but four do not happen. 1997 was a bad vintage. It rained a lot at the most untimely moments; mildew and rot were all over the place; vines were overcharged with low-quality fruit and weakened by excessive vegetative growth. In 1997, leaf removal became a common practice in the region. Production was the largest ever at the time, at more than 250m kg, but very few wines were worth ageing. The exception is La Rioja Alta, with its great Gran Reserva 904. Most other wines should already be gone.

1998

This was the largest harvest ever at the time, with record yields. Climate conditions were very good throughout the season. However, the situation deteriorated at the time of harvest, with low temperatures and rain. Those who picked early got average quality, but those who had the courage to wait were rewarded with an Indian summer, and excellent grapes. This is the vintage in which the dichotomy between average Rioja and great Rioja becomes more impressive. It is absolutely necessary to select only the great names; most of the other wines were past their best after five years. It is the first relevant vintage of Pujanza and of Izadi Expresión, two great achievements by relative newcomers, which are still great to taste.

1999

One of the most absurd vintages in Rioja. There was a heavy spring frost that decimated the production potential. Although there were many sprouts and production was able to recover a bit, volumes were relatively low. To make things worse, quality was not great, partly because of the irregular maturation process that followed the frost, and partly because of rains in September. But nature was not in line with the economy. It was the time of the millennium optimism, market expectations were great and there were many new wineries with no vineyards in operation. As a result, grape prices broke all records; indeed, 21 years later prices are still lower than in 1999. There were many good wines, but very few really excellent ones, and they are ageing quickly. Marqués de Murrieta 1999 is a wine that’s already hinting at its full potential, which it will reach in the next decade. Bodegas Ramón Bilbao Viña Turzaballa is another high point of this vintage.