Twin Cities Wine Tasting with John Glas
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Rioja

(ree-OH-hah)

(D.O.C. Qualified designation of origin)

Denominacion de Origen Calificada- highest classification in Spain

 

Wineries

 

Murrieta

One of the first wineries in Rioja was Murrieta in 1852

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Others:

Artadi, Contino, Cune, Finca Allende,  La Rioja Alta, Muga, Palacio y Hermanos, Marques de Caceres, Marques de Riscal, R Lopez He Heredia

 

Facts

-One of the top wine regions from Spain

-1926 Rioja was the first DO and then became a DOCa in 1991

-135,000 acres of vineyards

-Vineyards are at around 1,500 feet above sea level

-Main grape is Tempranillo and Garnacha is a minor blending grape

-Bordeaux influence due to the large French population that made wine there in the mid 1800s after Phylloxeria in France.  They introduced many techniques that allowed Rioja wines to flourish

-Wines used to be aged in oak for a long time but now producers are making wines that are meant to drink younger

 

Acres

More then 160,000

 

Soil

Clay, limestone, sandstone, and loamy soil

 

The Grapes

Tempranillo is dominate

Also whites such as Garnacha Blanca, Malvasia, Viura and reds Garnacha, Mazuelo (Carignan in France)

 

Vines

Many of the best wines come from 40 year old or more vines

 

History

-853 AD grapes have grown here

-1850 Phylloxeria hit the Bordeaux Region and wipe out a lot of the grapes.  The French wine makers came to Rioja and started source grapes to make wine to bring back to Bordeaux.  Some stayed.

-1901 Phylloxeria hit Rioja and destroyed 70% of the vines

-1901 to 1960s quality wine was dismal

-1970 was the vintage of the century and quality continued to improve since then

-Rioja is the only DOC recognized region in Spain

-Sangria was first produced in Rioja

-70% of wine is harvested by hand and it is expensive

 

Sub regions

Rioja Alta- the best and most slopes

Rioja Alavesa- wetter climate

Rioja Baja- hot and produces more alcoholic wines

 

Classifications on the bottle

Crianzas (kree- AHN-zah)- intro level (2 years of aging)

Reserva- (3 years of aging)

Gran Reserva- top level (5 years of aging)

 

Wine Laws in Rioja

Only DOC (Denominacion de Origen Calificada)

The local Consejo Regulador that enforces the specific rules of an area.  They regulate the total acreage, types of grapes, yield, aging in barrel and info on the label.

 

Oak Barrels

Some are 40 years old and they take great care of them.  Most is American Oak

 

Food pairings:  Lamb, rabbit, wild game, vegetables

 

Terms:

Barriques (ba-REEK)- Oak barrels that hold 60 gallons

Blanco- White wine

Bodega- wine cellar, winery, wine storage area

Consejo Regulador- A governing body that enforces wine policy for a given area

Cosecha- year of harvest also known as Vintage

Garnacha Tinta- Grenache

Oak- Spanish producers have used American over French due to the vanilla flavors American oak exhibits

Phylloxeria- A small insect that attacks the root system of Vitus Vinifera vines.  It destroys the vines ability to absorb nutrients and water.

Rosado- rose wine

Spanish Civil War- A war that latest from 1936 to 39. 

Tinto- Red wine

Viejo- old

Vina- vineyard

Vino de Mesa- table wine

 

 

Great Radio Show on Rioja:

Rioja Wines

 

Jeffs, Julian.  The Wines of Spain. London:  Faber and Faber, 1999

MacNeil, Karen The Wine Bible.  New York:  Workman Publishing Company, 2001

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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