19 comments

• 

  RichardA

  1 år dage siden

  The initial cheer at my weekly wine group, when we have our first glass of wine, is "Rioja." I think they just like the way the word sounds.
  reply
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  RichardA

  1 år dage siden

  The initial cheer at my weekly wine group, when we have our first glass of wine, is "Rioja." I think they just like the way the word sounds.
  reply
• 

  Penelope

  1 år dage siden

  Excellent! I agree with all you have said. One of the biggest things I see, that many in the US don't know, is what the predominant varietal is because 'here' most wines have the varietal on the label because we have not 'regionalized'. Just like many people in the US don't know what the varietal is for Burgundy.........movies can only do so much!
  
  
  
  
  It is sad that Rioja has become a benchmark, but I feel that Spain is doing an excellent job getting/promoting their 'other' regions. I now can say Ribera Del Duero or Toro, and people know what I am talking about as to region and varietals. Being a California Tempranillo producer my wine is often compared to Rioja which is not always a good thing as you referenced above. And in fact it tends to be more Ribera 'style'. This seems to happen in the US competitions. Ah, the education goes on...........
  
  
  
  
  
  Can't wait to see what you find and to break out a few Riojas here to comment on!
  
  reply
• 

  Gabriella

  1 år dage siden

  Penelope,
  
  
  Would you mind sharing with us what you consider the main differences between your Tempranillo and a Tempranillo from Rioja? You say that it is more Ribera in style, but I fear many people may not know what that means. Could you expand on that?
  
  
  
  Thanks!
  
  reply
• 

  Dr. Debs

  1 år dage siden

  Thanks for this great post, and the coverage. I was just thinking last night (while drinking Portuguese wine from the Douro!) that it had been a long time since my last Rioja. I like their earthy softness, though I can see why this might be an acquired taste.
  reply
• 

  Penelope

  1 år dage siden

  Excellent! I agree with all you have said. One of the biggest things I see, that many in the US don't know, is what the predominant varietal is because 'here' most wines have the varietal on the label because we have not 'regionalized'. Just like many people in the US don't know what the varietal is for Burgundy.........movies can only do so much!
  It is sad that Rioja has become a benchmark, but I feel that Spain is doing an excellent job getting/promoting their 'other' regions. I now can say Ribera Del Duero or Toro, and people know what I am talking about as to region and varietals. Being a California Tempranillo producer my wine is often compared to Rioja which is not always a good thing as you referenced above. And in fact it tends to be more Ribera 'style'. This seems to happen in the US competitions. Ah, the education goes on...........
  Can't wait to see what you find and to break out a few Riojas here to comment on!
  reply
• 

  Gabriella

  1 år dage siden

  Penelope,
  
  Would you mind sharing with us what you consider the main differences between your Tempranillo and a Tempranillo from Rioja? You say that it is more Ribera in style, but I fear many people may not know what that means. Could you expand on that?
  
  Thanks!
  reply
• 

  Dr. Debs

  1 år dage siden

  Thanks for this great post, and the coverage. I was just thinking last night (while drinking Portuguese wine from the Douro!) that it had been a long time since my last Rioja. I like their earthy softness, though I can see why this might be an acquired taste.
  reply
• 

  Anna

  1 år dage siden

  You are absolutely right about Rioja, there are so many other fantastic wines (regions) in Spain that have much better quality/price, I live in Bilbao very close to Rioja and here in the bars if you ask for ANYTHING else than a Rioja they will know you're a foreigner...Even Ribera seems to be adventorous here. But i have to admit....my everyday house wine is a Rioja! I'll will let you try it when you come to Rioja.
  reply
• 

  Anna

  1 år dage siden

  You are absolutely right about Rioja, there are so many other fantastic wines (regions) in Spain that have much better quality/price, I live in Bilbao very close to Rioja and here in the bars if you ask for ANYTHING else than a Rioja they will know you're a foreigner...Even Ribera seems to be adventorous here. But i have to admit....my everyday house wine is a Rioja! I'll will let you try it when you come to Rioja.
  reply
• 

  Penelope

  1 år dage siden

  Gabriella,
  
  
  I would be happy to talk about the differences/similarities that I see between my California/Paso Robles region and Ribera vs Rioja. I consider my wine to be in the 'Crianza' style- 10-12 months in oak, total aging about 24 months. The differences with the two Spanish regions I have found have to do with the concentration of fruit and the extraction of tannins. Many of the Riojas in this short aging are lighter in style than the Ribera that have more concentration of fruit and tannin. I have had Riojas that have more new oak ('new world style'), but still do not have a lot of fruit concentration. The fruit that I source from Paso Robles tends to make wine that is pretty concentrated. This year I also brought in fruit from a hilside in Sonoma County California. The wine from this vineyard is not as concentrated and has more 'bright fruit' to it- red raspberries vs blackberry that I get from the Paso vineyard. Where I am going is that I think the differences are due to temperature, growing time, soils. But there are also links and similarities, possibly due more to the growing season/temperatures of the regions.
  
  
  
  Don't know if this makes sense or what others have experienced-would love to hear!
  
  
  
  Keep up the good reporting on Riojas both of you!
  
  
  
  
  
  The Mustang Winemaker
  
  reply
• 

  Penelope

  1 år dage siden

  Gabriella,
  
  I would be happy to talk about the differences/similarities that I see between my California/Paso Robles region and Ribera vs Rioja. I consider my wine to be in the 'Crianza' style- 10-12 months in oak, total aging about 24 months. The differences with the two Spanish regions I have found have to do with the concentration of fruit and the extraction of tannins. Many of the Riojas in this short aging are lighter in style than the Ribera that have more concentration of fruit and tannin. I have had Riojas that have more new oak ('new world style'), but still do not have a lot of fruit concentration. The fruit that I source from Paso Robles tends to make wine that is pretty concentrated. This year I also brought in fruit from a hilside in Sonoma County California. The wine from this vineyard is not as concentrated and has more 'bright fruit' to it- red raspberries vs blackberry that I get from the Paso vineyard. Where I am going is that I think the differences are due to temperature, growing time, soils. But there are also links and similarities, possibly due more to the growing season/temperatures of the regions.
  
  Don't know if this makes sense or what others have experienced-would love to hear!
  
  Keep up the good reporting on Riojas both of you!
  The Mustang Winemaker
  reply
• 

  Fermento

  1 år dage siden

  I agree with Penelope that temperature and soils have so much effect on Temp. The caveat though is that we really are comparing apples to oranges when it comes to Tempranillo in Spain and Tempranillo in California. In Spain, there are hundreds of different clones or selections. If the variables of soil and climate weren't enough, each region has a different representation of this cool grape. Until 2001, we really only had 3 clones of Temp in California to work with, and only two more than that up until just a couple of years ago. For instance there is some indication that what is being called the "Toro" selection has significantly higher "extractables" than the Tempranillo 02, which has been in Cali for a little longer. In the long run, we are going to need much more time to work with soil, rootstock, climate and clones.
  reply
• 

  Fermento

  1 år dage siden

  I agree with Penelope that temperature and soils have so much effect on Temp. The caveat though is that we really are comparing apples to oranges when it comes to Tempranillo in Spain and Tempranillo in California. In Spain, there are hundreds of different clones or selections. If the variables of soil and climate weren't enough, each region has a different representation of this cool grape. Until 2001, we really only had 3 clones of Temp in California to work with, and only two more than that up until just a couple of years ago. For instance there is some indication that what is being called the "Toro" selection has significantly higher "extractables" than the Tempranillo 02, which has been in Cali for a little longer. In the long run, we are going to need much more time to work with soil, rootstock, climate and clones.
  reply
• 

  mike

  11 måneder dage siden

  Does anyone have an explanation for the lite green , red and burgandy stamp on the back of the rioja's. Mike at miketurpen@hotmail.com
  reply
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  Gabriella Opaz

  11 måneder dage siden

  Hey MIke, I think this article may give you some more clarity on the meaning of the lables: <a href="http://www.catavino.net/spain/how-to-read-a-rioja..."><a href="http://www.catavino.net/spain/how-to-rea...but please let me know if you have more questions.
  reply
• 

  Gabriella Opaz

  11 måneder dage siden

  Hey MIke, I think this article may give you some more clarity on the meaning of the lables: <a href="http://www.catavino.net/spain/how-to-read-a-rioja..."><a href="http://www.catavino.net/spain/how-to-rea...but please let me know if you have more questions.
  reply
• 

  Gabriella Opaz

  11 måneder dage siden

  Hey MIke, I think this article may give you some more clarity on the meaning of the lables: <a href="http://www.catavino.net/spain/how-to-read-a-rioja..."><a href="http://www.catavino.net/spain/how-to-rea...but please let me know if you have more questions.
  reply
• 

  Gabriella Opaz

  11 måneder dage siden

  Hey MIke, I think this article may give you some more clarity on the meaning of the lables: <a href="http://www.catavino.net/spain/how-to-read-a-rioja..."><a href="http://www.catavino.net/spain/how-to-rea...but please let me know if you have more questions.
  reply