Closing Date: 8/31/12 Issue 202

Let’s Rioja n’ RoLL By neaL MaRtin

the independent Consumer’s Bimontly Guide to Fine Wine

The police officer is apoplectic. Sixty seconds after departing from my north, the Sierra Cantábrica mountains rise majestically from the rolling land, very first visit, the eagle-eyed lawman pulled our vehicle over. God forbid, he protecting the region from Atlantic weather systems and deceptively giving spotted a passenger in the rear without a seatbelt, though his wrath suggests the impression that surrounding areas are low in altitude. In reality, the land we had just run over a member of the royal family. He demands identification rises and falls some 300 to 600 meters above sea level: vital to afford the cards, but in the United Kingdom, Her Majesty never introduced them. And best vineyards a long and relatively cool growing season. The Ebro snakes the policeman is furious because he has no way of knowing where I am from. through Rioja, overlooked by hilltop medieval villages such as San Vicente, I could have been born anywhere. Ollauri and Abalos, steeped in history and religion, a little too often spoiled by an eyesore built back in the day when planning permission was lax. The Introduction main town of Logroño throngs with locals and tourists alike, noisy tapas bars belying a country suffering economic strife. It only takes a few minutes to After my exploits in , the next port of call was the most historically drive out and seek refuge in the tranquility of the countryside once more, significant Spanish wine region, Rioja. Its reputation and familiarity are larger where the air is so pure that patients recovering from respiratory illnesses than its geographical size thanks to the success and ubiquity of global brands still come to convalesce. guzzled to the point where I suspect that to many ordinary consumers, Rioja wine is more famous than Spanish wine. This eminence has placed it in a Of course, is separated into three sub-regions: , Rioja peculiar position. It can be self-confident and assured that brand recognition Alta and Rioja Baja. Alta is heavily influenced by the moderating Atlantic shifts a lot of wine from shelves: a Godsend in these straightened times. Yet climate, Alavesa similarly so but with greater Mediterranean influence, while history tells us that it can breed complacency. Its wines can suddenly become Baja is warmer and dictated by a Continental climate. An indication of the passé. Look at German wine in the 1980s or Australian in the 2000s. There Mediterranean boundary is the point where olive trees abruptly disappear is a constant need for a region to re-invent itself and stay ahead of the pack. from the side of the roads; however, one should remember that there exist For sure, Rioja reigns in , however, there are numerous prince and numerous microclimates within both. The meandering Ebro divides Alavesa princesses with one eye on its crown, Ribera del Duero and Priorat to name to the north and Alta to the south (except around Labastida). In early May, but two, and countless further afield. the gnarled, leafless, ancient vines look like giant bristles sprouting from skin-colored soil that sinks underfoot. There are pockets of iron-rich and So beyond appraising its wines, I wanted to gauge how the industry is chalky clay, while the plains of Baja further south and southeast past Logroño adapting to the ever-changing climate of 2012, against the backdrop of are more fertile and alluvial, home to vast plantings of Garnacha. a country that boasts the most exciting cuisine in the world and a peerless football team, but also mass youth unemployment and withering domestic Altitude did seem to be an important factor here, at least to the top producers. consumption. Is Rioja’s recipe for success still relevant? Where does Speaking of winemakers, there seemed to be an unspoken competition to Rioja stand in the pantheon of Spanish D.O.’s? Can it cater to new styles or see who could cultivate their vines the highest up the mountainside! No doubt unorthodox techniques? some over-ambitious vigneron will soon be planting a Tempranillo vine on its snow-capped peak, but in reality, there are now vines planted up to around What I found was a dichotomous region of Davids and Goliaths, modernists 750-800 meters, a far cry from the days when producers sought the flat plains and traditionalists, a region located upon a fault line that separates Basque that were easy to run a tractor through. Nowadays, a 4x4 struggles to even and non-Basque country, Mediterranean and Atlantic climates and an reach the most isolated parcels. The elite Rioja winemakers are no longer undercurrent of polarized views. It was important to take the measure of both taking the easy option, for they are on a constant search for unexploited sides. I sought to meet and taste with winemakers that represent different propitious land. sides of Rioja because together, I feel that they have vital, symbiotic roles to play in the future of this great wine region. Vines are predominantly Tempranillo, the workhorse variety that can give rise to high volume supermarket fare or, in the right hands, iconic wines that The Land entertain profundity – and everything in between. The landscape is a mixture of trained and freestanding goblet vines, the former used by those who want Rioja is unequivocally a wine region that is easy on the eye. To the south, on to make efficient use of their land. There are several winemakers who see the distant horizon, lies the snow-capped Sierra de la Demanda and to the trained vines as an anathema to Rioja, none more so than Telmo Rodriguez

Page 1 of 4 of Bodegas Remélluri. He believes that Rioja’s “soul” lies in those twisted sacrificed to uphold brand and the Reserva system. I will return to this subject later. ancient, low-yielding bush vines and I am inclined to agree. Bush vines tend to demand more attention for the vineyard manager or winemaker and Given the omnipresence of the Reserva system and the potential weak nesses that can only be a positive thing. As I have written before, in the same way I have described, this counterculture manifested itself in a movement towards that Cabernet is enhanced by Merlot, I tend to err towards wines where what has been tagged “modern” Rioja. Both Marqués de Caceres and Tempranillo has its wingmen by its side: Graciano lending aromatic flair, Contino began experimenting with French oak and site-specific bottlings Garnacha lending flesh and Mazuela (a.k.a. Carignan/Cariñena) imparting in the 1970s. The so-called alta expresíon wines came to prominence, acidity to weave the components together. accentuating new oak and high-toned primal black fruit. The dogma was: the more ripeness, the better. Fortunately, it can be said that most producers A Historical Background have seen the error of their ways and retreated from such extremities.

Although viticulture can be traced back to Roman times, the region was Growing Seasons known for its bucolic wines, often made through carbonic maceration: simple, easy-drinking, rustic fare for local consumption. The pivotal moment came This report focuses upon the 2009 and 2010 vintages, though I always think when the phylloxera louse devastated Bordeaux, prompting merchants to it is useful to include tasting notes from older vintages whenever they were supplement their trade by seeking fruit from elsewhere. Rioja lay close by poured, and on occasion, include complete verticals in order to give recent and the absence of a structured industry enabled both sides to benefit, in notes greater context (for example, Pujanza and Finca Allende). particular the entrepreneurial marquises. Marqués de Murrieta and Marqués de Riscal modeled their estates on the expansive vineyards of Bordeaux that With regard to the 2009 growing season, the year began with high rainfall offered economies of scale and the chance to establish a recognizable brand. levels that provided vines with a good reserve of moisture. Budding was These were followed by the likes of Berberana, Martinéz Lacuesta and relatively early and then a dry July and August with high temperatures (up to Paternina inter alia that all exist today. The inevitable influx of Bordeaux 37 degrees Centigrade) meant that the vines could call upon those reserves varieties never usurped “King Tempranillo,” but their aging techniques and to prevent them from shutting down. Still, such heat creates a dissonance the use of barriques were widely adopted. Phylloxera arrived in Rioja at the between ripeness and phenolic ripeness; it catches out those growers turn of the century, and many small wineries that had bottled their own wine unprepared to risk waiting for the latter. Mid-September rains affected sought refuge with co-operatives that neutralized risk by purchasing their crop. Alavesa more than Alta and Baja sub-regions, but nudged many of the vines towards full ripeness, and from the end of September through the end of The region was governed by the Consejo Regulador that was established in October, the harvest progressed under dry, sunny conditions. 1926 and they installed the familiar classification system based upon aging criteria in both cask and bottle: Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva. The As for 2010 , this looks to be a very promising vintage. Clement weather predicate was that the best wines had traditionally undergone the lengthiest during the flowering period offered the prospect of a more abundant crop, maturation prior to release and bottles would carry a seal as long as the wine but the summer was cooler and mitigated against yields. Harvest com menced met all its criteria, which is limited to vintage wines (even though up to 15% in Rioja Baja on September 1 and continued around the region until the end may be blended from other vintages). Their aim is a noble one: to guarantee of October, stopping briefly for a spell of rain around October 10. The Consejo quality for any bottle sporting the Rioja seal and the system suited co-oper atives. Regulador set maximum yields at 10% below those of 2009 in their aim to With a myriad of lots entering their winery from small producers, and often increase quality and moderate supply. from all three sub-regions, they simply need to ascertain the qualities of each lot or vat, and mature them in accordance to the stipulated rules. First Impressions

For many decades this efficient system has been instrumental in bringing a I visited the region for ten days in early May. Apart from a series of intensive wide audience to Rioja. Compare the Reserva system to say that of Bur gundy tastings professionally organized by “Wines of Rioja” at the Consejo Regu lador or Germany, and it is no wonder the consumers know where they stand. And offices in Logroño, I conducted numerous visits to an array of producers. I under the Reserva system, outstanding wines have been created from quality made a great effort to meet and taste with large-scale co-operatives and conscientious producers, often in great volume. I have tasted Riojas from small bodegas. (Indeed, a couple were pleasantly surprised when I knocked Paternina and Berberana that have aged wondrously. Moreover, the large on their door, assuming that their diminutive size would mean they would not production compared to other fine wine regions meant that these wines are get a look in.) I took account of modern and classic Rioja. Nothing illustrated generally affordable and widely available, a refreshing state of affairs in a that more than visiting the immaculate, state-of-the-art winery of Bodegas world obsessed about exclusivity and luxury branding. Baigorri with its arresting architecture and cathedral-like vat-room, and on the following day wandering wide-eyed through the labyrinth of mold and Every culture will breed a counter-culture that will highlight faults in the cobwebs at López de Heredia. It was a breathtaking juxtaposition, one that system. Firstly, the Reserva system assumes that the greatest wines are I could not imagine elsewhere. I spent time with Riojan “terroirists,” the likes those that undergo the longest maturation, which is not true. The optimal of Telmo Rodríguez, Benjamín Romeo and Fernando Remírez de Ganuza, duration of barrel aging is not necessarily the longest one, and there was a to gain not only an understanding of the minutiae of the soils, but absorb their period in the 1970s and 1980s when the supposedly top wines had dried out passion as well as their philosophies. Their output would be a drop in the by the time they reached the disappointed consumer. Secondly, just like in ocean for Campo Viejo, where I was escorted around their enormous winery Burgundy, the system is open to abuse, since growers are paid according to on the outskirts of Logroño. I visited the tapas bars of Calle de Laurel, ate quantity and not quality. But who cared if consumers were still persuaded by the local cuisine and practically overdosed on white asparagus. Tasting Reserva or Gran Reserva on the label? Same old story: poor clonal selection, should go beyond simply what you put into your mouth and spit out. high yields, fertilizers, mechanical harvesting, lackadaisical vinification, sub-standard, high-volume wine for the undiscerning masses. This came Having tasted well over 1,000 wines, both in the UK and in Rioja itself, I was to a head during the 1970s, when the Riojan authorities and co-operatives generally impressed by both 2009 and 2010, with a preference towards the took their eye off quality control and the plethora of bulk wine besmirched latter. I do not seem to be alone in that opinion. Many winemakers rate the the reputation that had been nurtured over the preceding decades. Thirdly, 2009 highly in terms of its voluptuousness and generosity, but in terms of again, parallel to Burgundy in the 1960s, the large-scale co-operatives are structure and purity, they generally seemed to rate 2010 higher (in parallel set up to blend away any notions of terroir or geographic subtlety, nuances to Bordeaux). At their best, both vintages offer a clutch of spellbinding wines

Page 2 of 4 that should offer serious aging potential and, unlike Bordeaux, Tempranillo of? Or is that something to fear? Is David showing Goliath how it is done? is more approachable than Cabernet Sauvignon, which means wines do not Some artisan growers expressed frustration that the regulatory bodies only have to be squirreled away if you relish primal fruit. begrudgingly accept the existence of those determined to follow a Burgun dian model, whereby a bottle of Rioja can be pinpointed to a specific place, year My two main criticisms were ones that I could have predicted before visiting after year. But if everyone followed this example, that risks undermining the the region. Firstly, there remain too many co-operatives churning out ordinary, co-operatives that, let us not forget, support so many growers, most of whom soulless, tasteless wines that lack vigor, freshness and, occasionally, clean liness. do not possess the same level of talent or commitment. During these eco nomic Even some of the more successful names did not pass muster, and some of travails, for many, a steady income is far more imperative than having your them seem to prioritize profit margins over quality. That is their choice, but it name on the bottle or winning the favor of critics. Of course, I am assuming does not enhance the image of Rioja. Secondly, there was a preponderance that farmers are paid a decent price for their labors, which is not necessarily of what I term “oak by rote.” For the record, a lashing of new French oak is the case. not a prerequisite for achieving a top score or indeed, justifying a high price. By all means, use new oak if it enhances your fruit and does not obscure the Personally, I cannot see why the two cannot inhabit Rioja side-by-side, just wine’s terroir or personality. Unfortunately, there were many “identikit” wines as growers and négociants do in Burgundy. It is no good if David stamps his subjugated by the oak, often accompanied by excessive alcohol levels and foot and Goliath pretends to ignore him. Others could learn from the Consejo a pretentious bulletproof bottle. They are just as soulless as the poorer wines Regulador, which does an excellent job administering and promoting the from co-operatives, but much more expensive. The bottom line is that this region. Even as I write this, there is an excellent annual consumer event style of fermented grape juice is becoming generic across wine regions, to taking place in London (Tapas Fantasticas). Such events should be the extent that too many flagship wines could come from anywhere in the world. applauded. While an artisan producer may win plaudits from critics and cognoscenti that enhance the global reputation of a region, we should not Within the traditional Reserva system, there is the notion that a Gran Reserva underestimate the importance for “Joe Public” to be able to purchase a good, is superior to a Reserva, and a Reserva superior to a Crianza. This is only true clean, delicious bottle of Rioja from supermarket shelves. I bet there are some of the time. Rioja boasts some wonderful Crianzas that are fresh and many whose penchant for Rioja began with a nice bottle of Marqués de vibrant and can offer as much complexity as the Reserva or Gran Reserva. Riscal and such like. As always, I have no hesitation in reflecting that in my scores, which are not hidebound to a system that dictates one is implicitly superior to the other. But there does need to be more dialogue between the two sides. They exist as ambassadors in different ways. The two markets, one catering to Then there is Rioja Blanco, predominantly Viura that occupies just over 7,000 cognoscenti and the other to ordinary consumers, are so exclusive that the hectares of vineyard. This genre of Rioja is forgotten by many and generally success of one should not impinge upon the success of the other. Rioja could disliked. Part of the reason is that Viura is a grape variety that can create easily promote its microclimates, its multifarious terroirs and its artisans good rather than great wine, but all too often is cropped at high yields, offering without damaging the brand image that it has nurtured for so long. Once you little more than bland, glugging fare. The exception is when it is allowed to visit these pockets of ancient vines, you can completely understand why it is age in the hands of an exceptional winemaker or when it is blended with a sacrilegious to blend them into non-existence. In 2012, discerning consumers seasoning of Malvasia. There are several wines in this report that attest how are seeking artisan wines with personality, flair, individuality, a sense of place Viura can transcend its limitations, but they are the exception rather than the and with a winemaker behind them, and Rioja needs to foster these growers rule. There is a gulf between the thrilling whites of say López de Heredia or and not treat them as rebels, while supporting co-operatives, putting politics Abel Mendoza and others vapid and devoid of flavor. I do hope that Riojan to one side and pulling the socks up of the larger producers that consistently growers experiment more with the likes of Malvasia and Garnacha Blanca, do not make the grade. I am not suggesting that every boutique winery is and lesser-known varieties such as Turruntés that could lend another bow to superior to co-operatives. There are numerous occasions when the co- Rioja’s arrow if expanded further, especially at higher altitudes. operatives produce better crafted wines that some of the excessively oaked, charmless cult wines that are bereft of character. I just feel that there needs Putting Rioja Into Focus to be more balance between the two, and Rioja could win so many more admirers by examining its system and readjusting it so that it caters to the Returning to my discussion about the Reserva system, there is certainly a 21st century. schism between the ideologies of the co-operatives and the small brigade of growers that believes that the system means Rioja is effectively riding I return to my opening vignette. The policeman was annoyed because he roughshod over its site-specific jewels. Its mosaic of terroirs needs winemak ers could not identify exactly where I came from. I had no place of origin. I was to vinify its nuances and stopper them under cork. However, this sits just a white, English-speaking male from anywhere. And sometimes, I feel uncomfortably with what was often described as an inflexible structure and that is how wine-lovers view Rioja. You can view many wine regions through regulations that discourage and make little room for those wishing to a perfectly focused lens, even down to a few square meters in some cases. experiment away from the system. For example, Article 22 of the Consejo’s Burgundy can come from Musigny and Bordeaux from Pomerol and Mosel “Registry of Aging Bodegas” stipulates: “The bodegas should have a from Wehlener and Napa from Mt. Veeder. But as it stands, most Rioja wines minimum stock of 225 hectoliters of wine being aged, of which at least one can only come from Rioja. Free up the system and let Rioja speak of its place, half should be contained in a minimum of 50 oak barrels with an approximate because it has a lot more to say. capacity of 225 liters.” Surely a minimum fifty oak barrels immediately quashes the notion of individual growers branching out on their own? How many Burgundy winemakers would vanish under such regulations? Perhaps the authorities fear a similar trend that transpired in Burgundy since the 1970s, whereby independent growers wishing to bottle their own wine have eroded the dominance of négociants, a trend that snowballed as more and more were inspired to strike out on their own.

This puts the authorities in a difficult position. When terroir-driven, single site wines inspire superlatives from commentators, waxing lyrical over the likes of Contador, Finca Allende and Artadi inter alia , is that something to be proud

Page 3 of 4 CASTILLO LABASTIDA

CASTILLO LABASTIDA 2010 MADURADO ($11.00) RED 89 CASTILLO LABASTIDA 2008 CRIANZA ($15.00) RED 91 CASTILLO LABASTIDA 2006 RESERVA ($23.00) RED 91 CASTILLO LABASTIDA 2005 RESERVA ESPECIAL MANUEL QUINTANO ($60.00) RED 91

Named after the village in the foothills of the Sierra Cantabria in Rioja well-defined with supple tannins and layers of refined red fruit that caress Alavesa, Castillo Labastida was established when a group of growers took the mouth and lend it a smooth, velvety finish that is impossible to resist. over a winery that was originally the homestead of Manuel Quintano, an Drink now-2018. The 2006 Reserva is a Tempranillo with a 10% field blend influential figure in 18th century Rioja winemaking. They sought to produce and sees 18 months aging in French and American oak. It has a broody their own label and now winemaker Manuel Ruiz oversees some wonderful bouquet of dark cherries, licorice and plum jam laced with cocoa and a touch Rioja wines at mouth-watering prices. The 2010 Madurado is a pure of mint. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp, tensile tannins and a silky Tempranillo sourced from higher elevations and sees four months aging in smooth finish that leads with a citric edge, followed by wild strawberry and French and American oak. It has a simple nose of dark plum and mulberry tart red cherries. Drink now-2020. The 2005 Manuel Quintano Reserva has fruit with a hint of undergrowth. The palate is medium-bodied with rustic, firm a well-defined, fresh bouquet of wild strawberry, red cherry, white pepper and tannins that neatly counterbalance the dark berry fruit laced with bay leaf leather. The palate is well-balanced with supple tannins, finely tuned acidity and black pepper. This is a charming wine from Rioja Alavesa that should and a composed, classic Rioja finish with delicate touches of dark chocolate age well. Drink now-2018. The 2008 Crianza sees 12 months aging in French and leather. It is not an ostentatious Reserva, there are no bright lights here, and American oak. It has a well-defined, elegant bouquet of blackberry, sage but it is subtle, finely made, elegant and delicious. Drink now-2017. and orange zest, the latter really coming forth with aeration. The palate is

VIÑA BUJANDA

VIÑA BUJANDA 2011 TINTO ($10.00) RED 85 VIÑA BUJANDA 2008 CRIANZA ($15.00) RED 90 VIÑA BUJANDA 2009 CRIANZA ($15.00) RED 90 VIÑA BUJANDA 2006 RESERVA ($15.00) RED 92

Brother and sister Carlos and Pilar Martinez-Bujanda run Vina Bujanda, their supple tannins towards the finish, with Provencal herbs and cloves lingering family having made wine since 1889. However, this is recent addition to the on the aftertaste. Drink now-2017. The 2009 Crianza is sourced from Rioja Riojan landscape, since the estate was only established in the village of Oyon Alta and Alavesa: pure Tempranillo aged in French and American barrels for in 2009. They oversee 14 parcels of vine aged between 20 and 60 years. I 12 months. It has a perfumed bouquet of ripe strawberry and Morello, with was impressed by this small portfolio of recent releases that were crisp, lively, well-integrated oak that allows the fruit to shine. The palate is very supple balanced and natural, the kind of wines that compel you to keep refilling your and rounded on the entry with corpulent red cherry and cassis fruit. The finish glass. The 2011 Tinto Joven is the second release of this wine and is fer - is well-defined, crisp and vibrant, lingering nicely in the mouth. Drink now- mented in stainless steel. It has a primal nose of leafy strawberry and red 2019. The 2006 Reserva is 100% Tempranillo from Alta and Alavesa ma - currant that is commercial and uncomplicated. The palate is simple with tured in American and French oak over 20 months. The nose is well-defined, crunchy cranberry and strawberry fruit and a slight hardness towards the fin - with notes of wild strawberry, leather, sage and tobacco that speaks clearly ish that should soften with a little bottle age. The 2008 Crianza is aged for of its place. The palate is also well-defined, with fine tannins and harmony: 12 months in 70% American and 30% French oak. It has a rounded, sensual an elegant, focused Reserva with a satisfying, silky smooth finish. Excellent. bouquet with leather and burnt toast infusing the red fruit profile. The palate Drink now-2020. is medium-bodied with an earthy entry. There is a dash of white pepper and

FINCA VALPIEDRA

FINCA VALPIEDRA 2009 CANTOS DE VALPIEDRA ($20.00) RED 88 FINCA VALPIEDRA 2006 FINCA VALPIEDRA RESERVA ($40.00) RED 88 FINCA VALPIEDRA 2007 FINCA VALPIEDRA RESERVA ($40.00) RED 86

Finca Valpiedra is owned by the Martinez-Bujanda family and was founded 2006 Finca Valpiedra Reserva has a soft, leather and mocha-scented by Carlos and Pilar in 1999, their winery located at a sharp turn in the Ebro bouquet with fine delineation. The palate is understated on the entry with River in Rioja Alta. They cultivate around 80 hectares of vine on mineral-rich fine tannins, light red berry fruit and a splash of balsamic on the composed limestone and loam soils. The 2009 Cantos de Valpiedra is a pure finish. This is a decent Reserva to drink over the next three or four years. Tempranillo that is fermented in stainless steel and undergoes a 5-day skin Drink now-2016. The 2007 Finca Valpiedra Reserva is a blend of 92% maceration before aging in French and American oak barriques. It offers Tempranillo, 6% Graciano and 2% Maturana Tinta that sees 24 months aging vivacious an exotic bouquet of strawberry sorbet and orange zest that retains in French oak. Indeed, there is a lot of toasty oak on the nose that rather fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with a fleshy, silky smooth subjugates the fruit profile. The palate is medium-bodied with that oak texture. It lacks a little depth and structure, although it slips down the dominating and drying the finish. I wager that this would be a better wine if a throat so easily, you barely have time to complain! Drink now-2016. The more prudent approach to oak aging had been adopted.

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