Rioja

The words Rioja and Spanish wine are practically synonymous. The area is the most famous wine-producing region in the Iberian peninsula and has gained a deserved worldwide reputation for the quality of its red wines.

Located in the north of Spain in and around the historic city of Logroño, La Rioja was once the site of an inland sea. It is sheltered from the more extreme climates of the surrounding areas by the Ebro valley and the mountains that lie to the north and south. The area takes its name from the Río Oja, a tributary of the Ebro and is divided into three sub-regions known as Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Baja partly because of the different micro-climates and soils to be found in the area.



Rioja Alta, with its more continental climate, has the reputation for producing the best wines, better suited for aging, and accounts for some 42% of the production. Rioja Alavesa is characterised by young vines and relatively small producers, while Rioja Baja, with its more Mediterranean climate, is famed for its strong reds and rosés.

Vine cultivation in the upper Ebro valley dates back to Roman times, while the monasteries scattered across the region and close to the Camino de Santiago helped ensure the preservation and extension of production after the fall of the Empire. It was not until the second half of the 19th century, however, that Rioja really came into its own and developed the reputation that has made it so famous today. With the arrival of phylloxera in France in 1867, the demand for Rioja soared while many enologists relocated south of the Pyrenees bringing with them their extensive knowledge and experience.

One of the new arrivals was the Marqués de Riscal, Camilo Hurtado de Amézaga, who returned to Spain after studying in Paris and Bordeaux to set up the first modern French-style bodega in the zone in 1860. Fellow aristocrat the Marqués de Murrieta shared many of his ideas and they became the leading promoters of the new brand of Riojan wines.

Nowadays the annual production has reached 300 million litres, 85% of which is red wine. Together with Catalunya’s Priorat, Rioja is the only region in Spain to receive the DOC (Denominación de Origen Califacada) label which means its wine is subject to more rigorous controls.

The dark, thick-skinned tempranillo grape is the stalwart of Riojan reds, but it is often blended with the garnacha, mazuelo, graciano and viura varieties. The result is a mellow, medium-flavoured, smooth wine that provides an ideal complement to the characteristic red meat dishes that are popular throughout Spain.