Top 100 wines of Rioja
Discover the top 100 best wines of Rioja as well as the best winemakers in the region. Explore the varietals of the wines that are popular of Rioja and the best vintages to taste in this region.
Discovering the wine region of Rioja
Rioja, in northern Spain, is best known for its berry-flavored, barrel-aged red wines made from Tempranillo and Garnacha. It is probably the leading wine region in Spain. It is certainly the most famous, rivaling only Jerez. The Vineyards follow the course of the Ebro for a hundred kilometres between the towns of Haro and Alfaro.
Besides Tempranillo and Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo (Carignan) are also used in Rioja's red wines. Some wineries, notably Marqués de Riscal, use small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon. White grapes are planted much less. In 2017, the vineyard area was recorded at 64,215 hectares (158,679 acres).
Discover the grape variety: Sauvignon
Sauvignon Gris is a grape variety that originated in France (South-West). It produces a variety of grape specially used for wine making. It is rare to find this grape to eat on our tables. This variety of grape is characterized by small bunches and small grapes. Sauvignon Gris can be found in many vineyards: South West, Languedoc & Roussillon, Cognac, Bordeaux, Loire Valley, Burgundy, Jura, Beaujolais, Armagnac, Provence & Corsica, Rhone Valley, Savoie & Bugey.
Food and wine pairing with a wine of Rioja
wines from the region of Rioja go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or veal such as recipes of beef fillet in a crust, leg of lamb brissac (leftover leg of lamb) or sauté of veal with carrots.
Organoleptic analysis of wine of Rioja
On the nose in the region of Rioja often reveals types of flavors of cream, butterscotch or star anise and sometimes also flavors of black olive, bay leaf or bramble. In the mouth in the region of Rioja is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.
News from the vineyard of Rioja
Errazuriz wine photographer of the year revealed
Jon Wyand has been crowned Errazuriz Wine Photographer of the Year after impressing the judges with his beautiful shot of a Burgundian vineyard worker gathering prunings. The photograph was taken on a crisp winter’s day at Montagne de Corton Hill in the Côte de Beaune. ‘The winning image evokes with stark beauty the reality of wine growing – you are always at the mercy of nature,’ said wine writer Joanna Simon, one of the judges. ‘But there’s an extra element here: is he scruti ...
DO Penedès: new rules and aiming for Spanish wine’s top-tier
On 16 November 2021, the Denomination of Origin Penedès in Catalunya (DO Penedès) announced an extensive roadmap up to 2030, taking into account sustainability and establishing the region as a high-quality wine producer in Spain. Most immediately, all grapes for DO Penedès wines must be from fully-certified organic vineyards by 2025. While it’s an aggressive timeline, DO Penedès president Joan Huguet told Decanter, ‘Currently around 60% of the vineyards are already certified and our ...
Decanter’s Regional Editors pick out their top wines for Decanter Fine Wine Encounter NYC
In the first part of this series, see the wines that the Decanter editorial team is most excited about tasting at the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter NYC on Saturday 18th June 2022. Amy Wislocki – Decanter Magazine Editor Cape Landing Blackwood Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River 2019 At the end of every year at Decanter, we organise a ‘Wines of the Year‘ tasting. We ask our key contributors and editorial staff to pick out the wines that most impressed them during the year just gon ...