Top 100 sparkling wines of Rioja

Discover the top 100 best sparkling wines of Rioja as well as the best winemakers in the region. Explore the varietals of the sparkling 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).

News from the vineyard of Rioja

Andrew Jefford: ‘Rosé, for the time being, is a pretty babble’

Many wine styles can seem perplexing at first: imagine the first bottle of Barolo if you only know Barossa Shiraz, or the first bottle of Jura Savagnin if you were brought up on California Chardonnay. With time, thought and repeated tasting, though, comes understanding. You learn each wine’s syntax and lexicon, its hints and inferences. You grasp the ways in which each style communicates. Its beauty dawns, then grows. Rosé wine sales grew 23% worldwide between 2002 and 2019. Its fuel has come fr ...

Black Friday wine and spirits deals 2022

If you’re looking to replenish your wine rack or spirits cabinet ahead of Christmas, then Black Friday is a great time to do it. With all major drinks retailers offering discounts on bottles in their range, you’ll be able to get some great deals on wine, Champagne and spirits. Offers have already started, with new deals going live on Black Friday and throughout the weekend into Cyber Monday. So it’s worth checking back regularly if you are looking for a particular producer or b ...

Decanter Retailer Awards: The 2022 winners

An indispensable guide to the best wine shops, online retail, wine specialists and wine support services in the UK, the Decanter Retailer Awards 2022 winners have been partially revealed, with more results to be announced tomorrow, 28th September. Challenges are simply part of the landscape for retailers these days, but there are those who are rising to these challenges in style. The UK wine retail scene has undergone huge changes in the last five years, and our evolving categories aim to reflec ...