Spanish wines have always been some of my favorites. I just love Tempranillo, which is the main red grape in Rioja. The Spaniards have been making wine from Tempranillo for 2,000 years, and they are very proud of it! In Rioja, it can be blended with 3 other grapes; Garnacha, Graciano, and Mazuelo. Rioja reds tend to be medium to full bodied, with really nice tannin and a prevalent cherry flavor. These wines are "old world" in style, meaning they are less fruity and have a bit of an earthy note. These wines can age for a long time as well, and are great values to lay down for several years.
For whites, a grape called Viura is the Queen of Rioja. It can also be aged for several years, and actually is more enjoyable (to me) with a few years on it. They tend to be somewhat out of balance when they are young, but really come together after some aging. With notes of nuts, spice, and a little hint of vanilla (from the extended oak barrel contact.) Viura is often blended with a grape called Malvasia, to add a bit of character.
At my work, we did a public tasting of a wonderful winery called Lopez Heredia. They are an OLD family owned winery, and have been making Rioja wines for over 140 years! They are so proud of the wine that they produce, it is truly the family's craft. They are very strict in their grape selection, and only use the best that they grow. We had the chance to show off their age-ability, and tasted a few of their older wines, Unfortunately, because of a dental issue, I have been delegated to just smelling and talking about them. Having tasted these several times in the past, I can confidently say that these are some of the best wines from Spain, just incredible.
If you ever run across a bottle, you should definitely give it a try, it will be well worth your money!
Thanks for stopping by to read and learn a little about RIoja! I have 2 more days on antibiotics, and I'm back to tasting wine... it can't come soon enough! Your resteems and upvotes are always appreciated, more than you can imagine. Thank you for your continued support!!
Cheers from Texas!!