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Rioja Wine Information and Facts
La Rioja is the political region of Spain. Within La Rioja lies the Rioja D.O. (Demonimación de Origen). A portion of the Rioja also lies in Basque Country and Navarra. Rioja wine region is divided into three sub regions: Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja, and Rioja Alvisa. Each has a slightly different climate and soil. Rioja bodegas reflect a mix of the old and new. Many of the older wineries have revamped with modern winemaking equipment and techniques. Still, some older wineries stick to the traditional winemaking of Spain. There are some 500 bodegas in the Rioja wine region. Tempranillo is the principal grape of the region. Almost all the wine made in the region is made from this red grape. Garnacha is a popular red grape in the Rioja Baja. This grape produces a more fruity wine. The Rioja region also makes white wines, mostly from the Viura grape. Often the Viura wines are barrel fermented. The different Rioja wine categories are determined by different periods of aging. Crianza are aged for two years with at least one month in the barrel. Reserva wines are aged for three years with at least 12 months in the barrel. Gran Reserva wines are aged for five years with at least 24 months in the barrel.
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