The flavor of beeswax in wine of La Rioja
Discover the of La Rioja wines revealing the of beeswax flavor during the olphactive analysis (nose) and during the gustative analysis (mouth).
La Rioja is a wine region in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in western Argentina, North of Mendoza and San Juan. Unlike its Spanish namesake, it has traditionally been associated most closely with white wines.
The mountainous Terroir of the region is particularly suited to the Torrontés Riojano variety, which produces Fruity, Soft, Aromatic whites. Bonarda, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec can also be found growing throughout the region.
Locals argue that La Rioja was one of the first Argentinian regions to have vines Planted in it, and Spanish settlers in the late 16th Century are widely credited with being the first to plant grapes here. La Rioja was named for the northern Spanish region by Juan Ramirez de Velasco, a native of the latter.
This has caused some animosity between the two regions. In 2011, the Argentinian province won a court case allowing it to continue to label its wines as 'La Rioja Argentina'.
Vineyard conditions in La Rioja
La Rioja's position in the rain shadow of the Andes range means that wine-producing areas are strictly governed by access to water. As a result, vineyard distribution is scattered.
There is a single main production area in the Famatina Valley, which sits in the mesoclimate formed by the Sierra de Velasco and the Sierra de Famatina mountain ranges. Some small vineyard areas can also be found around the towns of Nonogasta and Villa Union.
Approved by the INV viticultural institute on 1 July, Balcarce is the fourth GI to be named in the province of Buenos Aires. The province was largely abandoned as a winemaking region in the 1930s following a law permitting wine to be made only in the Andean Cuyo region, but is is slowly making a name for itself once again with cool climate vintages. Encompassing coast, prairie and the Tandilia mountains, Balcarce is located 37 miles from the Atlantic Ocean and has until recently been known for p ...
New stocks of Château Latour 2010 were released from the Pauillac-based First Growth’s cellars on 13 September. Latour 2010 is regarded as one of the best Bordeaux wines of the 21st century so far, and has received two 100-point Decanter scores in the past three years. It’s also more expensive than many other Latour vintages, but analyst group Wine Lister said it expected buyers to show interest. ‘There is no doubt that this release will see demand, especially for merchants rel ...
I first contributed to Decanter back in November 1988; the hundreds of columns and articles I’ve written since constitute a journey of discovery. I squirm, though, if I’m described as a ‘wine expert’. Whatever wine knowledge we acquire quickly cools, congeals and crusts over, like custard or gravy, as the years pass. The wine world expands at a clip. Every vintage rewrites history. It’s the chance to share discoveries – not just about wines, but about people, places and the act of drinking itsel ...