Rioja
Basque-ing in Rioja
Spain’s most famous wine from its most famous wine region, Rioja is generally a blend of grapes beautifully fused in French oak barrels.
Hailing from the Basque region up north, Rioja is representative of the cultural flowering of modern Spain: combining tradition and wild innovation. Rioja’s star power has recently attracted world-class architects to design wineries with designs to match the fireworks in the glass.
Goes great with: Chicken and lamb, Manchego cheese, your favorite boots, a gypsy spirit.
Basque-ing in Rioja.
I think it’s a tad pretentious when I order Arroz con Pollo at my local Spanish diner, and the waiter rolls the R like he’s an exotic cat. But when I order a Rioja? Heck, I roll the R myself.
Location, location, location – in northern Spain, Rioja is magically sheltered from the cold Atlantic by the Cantabria mountains. This is good for the big local grape, the thin-skinned, masculine Tempranillo (leather and tobacco on your tongue). This is often blended with the sweet, plump Garnacha (or Grenache). Their marriage is a medium to full-bodied wonder.
Rioja’s fame was made in the 1800’s, when some French Bordeaux merchants went on the hunt for new wine. They taught the local Basque how to age their wine in small oak barrels, and the local blends were transformed. Today, Rioja is the first – and only – Spanish region with the country’s highest winemaking classification.
You can go high-end with Reserva or Gran Reserva bottles that have spent more time kissing the oak, but a great starter for less than 15 castanets is 2005 Bodegas Palacio.
Your wallet may be ready for a stay-cation, but that doesn’t mean you should stop drinking well – and don’t forget the roll your R.
Great Rioja!!
I tasted OGGA 04 Reserva by Vina Hermosa-Santiago Ijalba and it´s wonderful. I´ll repeat soon
You entice me to visit Rioja. y yo hablo espanol tambien… maybe I’ll be saying ” Yo quiero Reserva”
My grandfather was born in Spain and i´ll visit LaRioja next summer. Do you want OGGA?? o ¿quieres OGGA reserva? Best regards Barry
Another great region in Spain which I hope you’ll write about soon is Ribera Del Duero, but Rioja will always be number one for me !