Spain’s most essential wine area is thought for it is use of oak and prolonged ageing
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Rioja won’t have the standing of Bordeaux, the shine of Champagne or the status of Burgundy, however Spain’s most well-known wine area reliably produces terrific wines at nice worth.
Working alongside the Ebro River and its tributaries in northern Spain, the area produces reds, whites, rosés and glowing wines. But it surely’s the reds, constructed predominantly on tempranillo, that garner essentially the most consideration.
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Age and oak play an essential position in Rioja. Whereas latest rule adjustments shine a light-weight on particular zones, communities and single vineyards, a lot of the wines we see fall into the 4 conventional classes of generic, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva.
All however the generic and glowing wines should spend a minimal time in oak barrels, with Gran Reservas seeing essentially the most time in wooden. Prolonged ageing, each in oak and afterward in bottle, implies that the wines are typically able to drink when launched. Although many can age for for much longer.
Rioja’s winemakers use extra oak barrels than any area on the planet, in accordance with the Consejo Regulador de la Denomiación de Origen Calificada Rioja, the physique that oversees the area. The cellars are loaded with wines ready for his or her time.
Listed here are some nice examples of Rioja reds that I tasted throughout Calgary’s Winefest final month.
Hacienda Lopez de Haro
2020
Crianza
Rioja, Spain
This juicy and vibrant Rioja comes from San Vicente de la Sonsierra within the cooler, larger elevation western sub-region of Rioja Alta, close to the neighborhood of Haro. The vineyards are nestled north of the Ebro River and south of the Sierra de Cantabria mountains.
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Cherry flavours predominate on this mix of tempranillo, garnacha (grenache) and graciano, with complimentary notes of raspberry, leather-based, vanilla and strawberry. Aged for 14 months in new and second-use French and American oak barrels, the wine is medium-bodied, with vibrant acid.
Value: About $20. Test for it B.Okay. Liquor Retailer, choose Co-op Wines Spirits Beer places, Safeway/Sobeys Liquor, Vine Arts Wine and Spirits and Willow Park Wines & Spirits.
Drink: Now. Get pleasure from it with hamburgers, beef stew or duck. Cork; 13.5 per cent alc./vol.
Conde Valdemar
2016
Crianza
Rioja, Spain
Siblings Ana and Jesús Martínez Bujanda handle this household vineyard, which was launched greater than 130 years in the past.
The household produces wines from greater than 300 hectares of vineyards unfold via Rioja’s three sub-zones. Additionally they function a vineyard in Washington State — Valdemar Estates.
Virtually eight years outdated, this Crianza is in a good looking place proper now. The daring fruit flavours of baked plum, black cherry and strawberry are joined by secondary notes of leather-based, spice, mushroom, graphite, blackberry and cassis. Made primarily with tempranillo, it’s ripe and juicy, with plush tannins and a recent end.
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Value: Round $24. It has been bought at Cork Fantastic Wine, Liquor and Ale, Price Low Liquor, Craft Cellars, Crescent Liquor, HotShot Liquor, Silver Spring Liquor Retailer, Sobeys Liquor (Cranston), Sundance Wine Market and Vine Arts Wine and Spirits.
Drink: Within the subsequent couple of years. Attempt it with lamb chops, roast beef or baked ham. Screw cap; 14 per cent alc./vol.
Bodegas Muga
2019
Reserva
Rioja, Spain
Bodegas Muga is an award-winning vineyard based mostly in Haro that manages 420 hectares of vineyards all through Rioja. The vineyard was began in 1932 by Isaac Muga and Aurora Caño and the Muga household nonetheless controls it immediately.
Muga believes oak is so essential that it employs a grasp cooper and three barrel makers, a rarity in Spain. All of the wines spend time in oak, even the glowing wines. However the wooden doesn’t overpower issues.
This Reserva is a good instance. It’s dense and wealthy, however the core of fruit is completely balanced by the oak, ripe tannins and acidity. Nonetheless very tight, decanting the wine for an hour unlocks flavours of black cherry, blueberry, blackcurrant, strawberry, leather-based, spice and black licorice.
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The mix of tempranillo, garnacha, mazuelo (carignan) and graciano was fermented in oak earlier than ageing in barrels for 2 years after which aged in bottle for an additional 12 months.
Value: About $30. Search for it at Altadore Wine and Spirits, Aspen Wine and Spirits, Bin 905, BSW Liquor, Cap Liquor, Crowfoot Wine and Spirits, Highlander Wine and Spirits and Wine and Past.
Drink: This might be in an important place in 5 years, for those who can wait. Pair it with beef tenderloin, rabo de toro (oxtail stew) or aged manchego cheese. Cork; 14.5 per cent alc./vol.
Manzanos
2018
Reserva
Rioja, Spain
Since 1890, 5 generations of the Fernández de Manzanos household have produced wines in Rioja.
Brothers Víctor and David Fernández de Manzanos and Victor’s spouse, Laura Mateo Cuadrado, now handle the enterprise. They function two wineries in Rioja, one in Haro and the opposite in Azagra on the jap finish of the area, within the hotter Rioja Oriental sub-region. Additionally they personal a vineyard exterior of Rioja in Navarra that focuses on rosé.
This can be a beefy purple with plum, black cherry, vanilla, tobacco, leather-based and earthy flavours. It’s a wealthy, juicy and dry mix of three grapes — tempranillo (50 per cent), graciano (30 per cent) and garnacha (20 per cent) — from 4 completely different vineyards. The wine spent 24 months in new and second-use French and American oak, adopted by a minimum of a 12 months of ageing within the bottle.
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Value: About $40. Search for it at Aspen Wine and Spirits and Sobeys Liquor (Cranston).
Drink: Within the subsequent 5 to 10 years. Good meals matches embody lamb shanks, New York strip steak or Spanish white bean stew with chorizo and blood sausage. Cork; 13.5 per cent alc./vol.
Calgary wine shops reopen
In February, I wrote concerning the closure of Calgary’s two J. Webb Wine Service provider places. Properly, they’ve been reopened by two former employers — Rob Smith and Jarret Hannah. The Glenmore Touchdown location is now often called The Wine Store whereas the West Springs spot retains the J. Webb title.
Contact Darren Oleksyn at dm.oleksyn@gmail.com or observe him on Instagram or X. On the lookout for a selected wine? As a result of wine inventories are at all times in flux, it’s a good suggestion to name a retailer to substantiate they’ve it. A search on Liquorconnect.com can provide you an thought of shops which have carried the wines.
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