Vibrant Rioja Tasting: A Study in Contrast of Classic and Modern Style Wines

Thursday was a tasting bonanza -- I was so fortunate to have my wine mentor and friend, Eric, bring me to the Veuve Cliquot tasting at the Four Seasons in Atlanta, and then my dear friend Beth (one of the best people and wine women I know, whom I respect, adore, and am blessed to know!) invite me to the Vibrant Rioja tasting at ONE Midtown Kitchen (a sister restaurant to Parish where I do a monthly tasting). I took copious notes at the Veuve Cliquot Champagne tasting, but also had an amazing opportunity to meet the winemaker, who promised to send more detailed information to me, so I'm going to hold off on reporting about that amazing experience until I get those notes (probably Tuesday of next week -- it's worth the wait!!!).

That means today is all about Rioja, the region and wine of Spain with which most people are most familiar.

This is going to be a bold statement, but I'd say Spain is THE rock star of the wine world these days. It's shown that a country with the foundation for great wines can bring new fans into the fold by reinventing itself. I'm a giant proponent of the third largest producer of wine in the world (and if you haven't travelled to Spain yet, put it on the list because it is one of the most diverse, fun, fascinating places in Europe).

Spain has made wine since the Phoenicians landed in the Jerez (sherry) region in Southern Spain in 1100 BC (!). There are vineyards throughout the country, but some of the best lie in the north, which is where Rioja is located. In the mountains of north-central Spain the Rioja (named for the River Oja or Rio Oja) region has been making wine since the 2nd century BC. Although already recognized for its natural bounty, the region got a real boost in the1860s when Bordeaux experienced an infestation by a pest called phylloxera, which devastated vineyards and wiped out crops (BTW -- this is the downside of globalization since the pest came from the US).

What was France's nightmare was Spain's fortune. Talented winemakers from Bordeaux, which is right over the Pyrenees Mountains, came to Rioja and started making wines in the French style. Quality improved and this region became Spain's crown jewel of wine, ready for export and publicity that was well deserved.

There are three growing regions in Rioja -- Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Baja. Alta produces full wines with lots of great fruit. Alavesa has more firm tannins and lots of acid. Baja is kind of desert-like and produces very alcoholic wines.

Most red Riojas are a blend of the Tempranillo, Garnacha (this grape is native to Spain but the French are awesome marketers so most people know it as Grenache), Graciano, and Mazuelo grapes. White Riojas taste a little like Sauvignon Blanc and are made mostly of the native Viura grape. The Rosados (pink), which are fabulous, are made from Tempranillo and Garnacha for the most part.

Tempranillo (temp-ra-NEE-yo) does well with oak, which adds vanilla, tobacco, and leather flavors to its juicy berry, cherry, and herbal nature. Garnacha (gar-NACH-a) adds spice and alcohol to the blend. Graciano (graa-cee-AHN-o) is really low yielding but high in tannin and is very aromatic, with a big black berry, violet, mint, and herb aroma to add to the blend. Mazuelo (ma-SWAY-lo) is also known as Carignan (cahr-ee-NYAN), and gives raspberry and cherry notes to the blend, as well as some needed acid to balance the rich wood tannins from Rioja's extensive oak aging regimen.

I obviously love wine, but part of the reason it's so interesting is because every region has it's nuance. In France they are obsessed with the classification systems (Crus and Classes in Burgundy, Champagne Bordeaux) and in Spain, they are all about age, specifically how long the wine has been aged in oak. Give that, there's a proportional relationship between age and price, so if you're going shopping for Rioja here's vocab you must know:

Joven (HO-ven) =no oak age. They usually just say the brand name so if you don't see any of the words below on the label and it's cheap, it's probably a joven.

Crianza (Cree-AHN-sa) = 1 - 1.5 years in oak barrels and at least 1 year aged in a bottle.



Reserva (Reh-SEHR-vah) = 1.5 - 2 years in oak barrels and another 1-2 years in a bottle before release. More complex than a Crianza.



Gran Reserva (Gran Reh-SEHR-vah) = 2-3 years in oak, 3 years in the bottle. They only make these in great vintage years when Mother Nature cooperates. According to Vibrant Rioja, who hosted the tasting, these are known as "Meditation Wines," to be enjoyed while contemplating life (I personally just like to contemplate the wine, but I AM kind of a winedork).


Ok, so with that out of the way, let's get to what this stuff tastes like...which varies enormously.

Why? Because Rioja has changed recently. The wines used to be aged for VERY long periods of time in American oak, which is super pungent and sometimes makes you feel like you need to pluck splinters out of your gums. American oak is the opposite of subtle -- wines aged in it usually have a coconut, pencil, 2 by 4 quality to them that, in the right wine (one with a lot of fruit that needs some finesse) is a good thing, but in a more subtle wine is a bad thing. Nowadays winemakers have spent the extra cash for French oak, which is more refined, and have opted for more juicy fruit in their wine. There is also a wave of new producers who kind of eschew the old style and are making super-fruity wines. All are interesting and have merit, but it's important to know what you're getting yourself into before you put down the cash for a bottle.

As you can imagine, when presented with a tasting of 15+ wineries from Rioja, you've got to find a way to narrow the field. I tried about 10 of the producers and I was seeking stuff that I could tell you about that was worthwhile -- either super classic styles or newer ones that were of interest. I found some great stuff and I'm going to share them below in short blurbs, so you can figure out what sounds good, buy it and then comment either here or on Facebook so we can all benefit from your ideas.

I'm going to break this up into Classic Styles vs. Modern Styles. As you read about these, see which is more interesting to you and then make sure to describe your preferences when you go to the wine shop or restaurant. Here goes...

THE CLASSICS
Marques de Riscal. Started in the 1850s, this is just about as classic as you can get. These wines are always solid examples of Rioja's tradition. I tried the Gran Reserva, vintage 2000 (I went right for the good stuff! It's about $36). This was spicy and oaky, and had a very traditional quality of stewed tomato that sounds gross but is really delicious when you put it with the spice and oak. This is a wonderful wine and one that I encourage you to try if you want to see what Rioja is all about.


Muga. Started in 1932, this Bodega (winery) quickly gained recognition and acclaim for being unflaggingly faithful to Rioja and its traditions. This is a serious operation -- they have their own cooperage on site, and make all their barrels as needed (very unusual and expensive but cool!). All the wines in this line are stunning and most are perfectly classic as well. The 2009 Muga Rioja Blanco (white) had aromas and flavors of lime, grapefruit, and grass and a slightly waxy texture that was lovely. It was a bit bitter and spicy from the oak, and super refreshing. The Muga Rioja Unfiltered 2005 was another classic example of Rioja -- there was the familiar tomato flavor enhanced by rich plum and black cherry. I loved the oak on it -- vanilla, pencil lead, and leather were simply delicious. It's about $30.



Sierra Cantabria Crianza 2006. This was the real surprise of the tasting for me. Named after the Mountains in which the winery is located, this is the youngest of the three classic wines I'm writing about (crianza vs. reserva and gran reserva). This wine is about $16 and is a complete steal. Red cherry, plum, and that classic cooked tomato flavor dominate and there is this phenomenal balance of spice like a chai tea, leather, and vanilla toastiness to round out the palate. I've had the lower end Tinto and haven't been impressed, but I really enjoyed this wine, and hope that I get an opportunity to try the Reserva and Gran Reserva sometime too. Seek this one out!

Others that you may know...So I tried three other big Rioja brands as well -- Campo Viejo, Bodegas Montecillo, and Bodegas Faustino. I'm sure you've seen them around. I have had the Crianza and Reserva in each of them but tried their Gran Reservas as well at the tasting. I hate to say it, but although classic in style, the Gran Reserva in each of these just didn't hold a candle to the ones above. They make decent wines at the low end, but if you're going to spend $30+ look for Muga, Riscal, or Sierra Cantabria.

MODERN STYLES
These styles are much more fruit forward with more subtle oak. I like these wines, but I find they lack the complexity of the ones above. They are definitely more like New World wines, so if you like the splinter-y quality of the ones above, skip these. Here are the greatest hits:

Bodegas Orben. From a newer winery, but one that still uses 60 year old vines, this wine packs a punch. It's mostly Tempranillo and has lush blackberry, black raspberry, black plum, and other dark fruit flavors. This wine has massive tannins and is absolutely fantastic, but it doesn't have the oaky spiciness that I find in the more traditional Riojas. If you don't like the oak in Rioja, the 2005 is a great modern style to try for $35.

Muga Torre 2006. Wait, didn't I just say that Muga was an awesome classic producer? Yes, I did. I was just as surprised to see that at their top end, they strayed from tradition and had a wine that was opaque in color, bursting with black fruit aromas and flavors and had softer tannins and tasted like a good California Merlot even though it is 75% Tempranillo, 15% Mazuelo and 10% Graciano, which are traditional varieities. Either way, it was delicious wine and a great example of the modern style of Rioja. For $75 it's pricey, but good if you get the chance to try it.

Bodegas Dinastia Vivanco makes fruity wines in a modern style. Apparently the property has a must-see wine museum that offers visitors a deeper understanding of how the wines of the region are made. Very cool and on the list for when I get over to that neck of the woods. I loved the Blanco (white) -- it was so fresh and fruity and the addition of a little bit of Malvasia to the Viura made it less bitter and softened the acidic citrus that is typical of the latter. The Reserva was very fruity but also had a balsamic vinegar note to it that added complexity to the dark fruit compote character of the wine. At less than $20 a bottle these wines are great deals and great examples of new style Rioja.

Finally, the Baron de Ley Finca Monasterio 2001 was oh-so-smooth. It was dark in color, fruity, delicious and tasted very modern and clean, with jammy black fruit and subtle tannins and acids. I didn't really love their Reserva or Gran Reserva, but this special selection was simply delicious and is well worth the $35.


Sorry for the long post. I hope this gives you more of an idea of the spectrum Rioja is offering and helps you sort through the brands and selections when you head to the wine shop or look on a menu. Let me know your thoughts! Readmore »»

Alternative Reds Tasting At Parish: The Re-Cap

Last Wednesday, March 31, I did a tasting at Parish Foods & Goods on Alternative Red Wines. It was a good event (prevented from greatness because some people didn’t make it due to ATL traffic, oh joy!) and we tasted five great wines, all which elicited strong reactions from the crowd.
Here’s the rundown and my take on the wines…(which I didn’t offer at the tasting since I TRY to be objective when teaching!)…

Wine I: Sierra Cantabria Rioja Crianza, Spain, 2005
Hopefully you’re already drinking copious amounts of Rioja. It’s a great wine when made well, although I’d advise against the $10 ones – they kind of suck because the wine needs oak aging to be any good and that costs $$, so the producers pass on those costs to us. Well worth the extra dough though -- it’s warm fruity, spicy goodness when its good.

Rioja is made mainly from the native-to-Spain Tempranillo grape, with Garnacha (Grenache in France), and two other native grapes Graciano and Mazuelo. Tempranillo gets its name from “temprano,” which means early in Spanish. Why? The grape ripens early (not really rocket science). It’s full bodied, low in acid, and tastes like plums and blackberries.

The wine is named after the Rioja region, in north-central Spain, where it’s usually grown at high altitude in both warmer and cooler vineyard sites to get a range of ripeness/flavors in the grapes. With an assortment of flavors to choose from, the winemakers make wine that has depth and complexity in the fruit. Rioja drinkers will concur that the fruit plays a supporting role to the real star of the wine, the spicy, sweet-vanilla character from the oak. The wines can be a little rustic and robust, and they make great pairings with strong flavored dishes.

Sierra Cantabria is made in a modern style, and is fruitier than traditional Rioja. 2005 was a solid vintage for Rioja, but this wine was really tight. It’s a Crianza, which means it is required by Spanish law (yup, the government controls winemaking) to spend at least one year in an oak barrel, and can be released to the market after two years of maturing. This one had four years in the bottle, so it should have been mellow. Maybe I should have decanted this, but I didn’t and I found this wine to be really astringent – the tannins overpowered the fruit, but jealously held on to the warm vanilla-oakiness I’d expect from a Rioja. I think you could do better than this one, which is around $16.

Food Pairings: I like pairing things with foods from the place their made. I think Rioja is awesome with tapas (tortilla Español is awesome), jamón, and other rich food.

Wine II: Damilano Nebbiolo d’Alba, Alba, Italy, 2006
Nebbiolo is a grape native to the Piedmont in Northwest Italy. There are competing theories on where it gets its name, but the most viable one is that it’s from “la nebbia” or the fog that settles on the area during harvest. This grape makes BIG A** wines that can’t be consumed for years because they are way too tannic, acidic, bitter, and nasty until they’ve had some time in bottle penitentiary to calm themselves and transform into truly rich and beautiful wine. It’s the grape of Barolo and Barbaresco and can produce wines with powerful aromas, big tannins, and complex flavors of spice, smoke, tar, and tobacco.

Not all Nebbiolo is destined to a life of an expensive, giant wine. Given the economics of the wine biz, the producers needed to figure out how to tame the beast and sell something in the short term to pay for cellaring all the expensive stuff. Enter Nebbiolo d’Alba, made with modern techniques (colder, shorter fermentations, taking the stems off before crush) to create less complex wines that still have the calling card of a true Nebbiolo -- a bold, firm structure that tastes a little like roses and tar. The best part of these wines: Nebbiolo d’Alba is right next to Barolo and the soil and vineyards are similar – this is an enormous value if you can find a great producer.

Like from Damilano, which has aromas and flavors reminiscent of roses, violets, and plums this wine was a delicious Nebbiolo. Floral, lightly fruity, with great but not-too-harsh tannins, this wine was simply gorgeous. Delicate and powerful at the same time, with a little of the petrichor scent that I just love so much! 2006 was a rough vintage for Nebbiolo, but Damilano still managed to churn out an awesome wine. For $18, this is a steal. Love it. My fave of the night, for certain.

Food Pairings: To continue the theme, I'd pair these with Northern Italian fare. I think roasted and grilled vegetables and meats, tomato-based dishes, or hard cheeses would be ideal!

Wine III: Finca La Linda Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina, 2008
I’ve waxed poetic on Malbec before so I’ll give just a short overview here and say that the grape although originally from Bordeaux and Southwest France, the best is now rich, silky, fruity Malbec from Argentina.

Malbec grapes, grown in the northwestern Mendoza region near the Andes Mountains, are from vines with small berries that make dark colored wines with velvety, intense plumy fruit and they are an awesome value.

The Finca La Linda Malbec was not anywhere close to the quality of the Kaiken I reviewed, but it was half the price ($12) and a great wine. The wine was full of bold cherry, plum, spice, and vanilla-oak aromas and flavors. I liked it and thought it was a great weeknight wine.

Food pairings: With grilled meats and vegetables and hard cheeses this would be an great pairing.


Wine IV Rosenblum North Coast Zinfandel, California, 2007
Like the Malbec, I’ve talked about Zin before too so this is the short recap. Zinfandel is California’s workhorse grape, and grows in 10% of all the state’s vineyards. It’s originally from Croatia and related to Primativo from Italy, but its best expression is really in California. Not to be confused with the powder-puff, sweet, pink, White Zinfandel, red Zin grapes produce rich, robust wines that taste like a raspberry briar patch and are jammy, minty, spicy and complex.

I can’t believe I’ve never reviewed Rosenblum’s North Coast Zinfandel, since it is such a great Zin. It’s a blend of grapes from Mendocino and Sonoma Counties. Mendocino is an up-and-coming but little known area by most. It's mainly hotter than Hades but there are a few spots with very cool climates that are great for high quality vines and these are the valleys from which Rosenblum sources.

The areas in Sonoma where the vines are cultivated are steep, cool, and are known for old vines. This wine was a great Zin – it smelled like brambly blackberry and cherry with vanilla and baking spices and tasted like juicy berries and warm spices. For $14, this is killer.

Food pairings: I’d put it with something like ribs, blackened fish, lamb chops, and eggplant dishes


Wine V: Mettler Petite Sirah, Lodi, California, 2005
This is a grape I’ve written little about, but I’ve got a few in the queue to review (excuse the rhyme) so I’ll do a summary here and get poetic elsewhere. To give a super short summary, Petit Sirah is a dark, acidic, full, and tannic grape that is very fruit forward. It’s related to true Syrah from the Rhône Valley of Southern France, and is a hybrid of this grape and another more obscure variety (Peloursin for you wine dorks).

It really has found a home in Cali, where it smells and tastes like fresh herbs, black pepper, plum, and blueberry. Compared to Syrah, it is less complex, and fruitier.

The Mettler Petite Sirah is from Lodi, an area outside of Sacramento. This is a BIG A** wine -- inky with aromas of dark berries, coffee, and chocolate. By far this was the heaviest wine and was great, but almost like drinking liqueur -- the blueberry, blackberry and spice flavors and the jammy, floral notes were strong and the alcohol was high. It’s a great wine for people who like huge wines and at $20, it packs a lot for the money.

Food Pairings: Heavy stuff -- beef, duck, and barbeque – everything else it will overwhelm.


I wish you were at the tasting to experience the wines! Come see me on April 28th for my next tasting if you're in town!
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