sign in sign up
<<
Home , Old World wine, Reserve wine, Rioja (wine)

SOMMELIER QUICK TIPS

Building a relationship with on-premise patrons may be greatly elevated by working with DOCa .

Rioja is among the top great regions in reputation, longevity, and well-known as a fantastic value at all levels of production and aging. It is not easy to find wines that pair well with food and provide the “meditation/wow” factor as well.

The key to DOCa Rioja delivering on both is the structure and balance of our wines – moderate and balanced in acid, soft tannins and alcohol. Rioja’s grape varieties age over decades to retain structure and develop complex aromas. This structural balance also overcomes challenges in storage and service temperatures for restaurants, hotels and wine bars.

Here is a quick primer on the Rioja region and its wines for and food/beverage directors…

§ One of the world’s top wine regions, equal to , Burgundy, Barolo. ’s first DOCa region. § Diverse styles – fresh young whites, rosés, young reds, aged red and white wines. Rioja Wine Styles link § Noted for aging traditions; modern styles and oak-less wines are also gaining in popularity. § Regulations ensure that the wines, when released, are ready to drink, making them an excellent investment. § (tem-pra- knee-yo) is the primary red grape variety accounting for 80% of our and thereafter Viura is the white grape. § Aromatics – fresh red fruit, dried red fruit, bright red cherry, plum, baking spices, exotic Asian spices, cigar box, eucalyptus are typical of many Rioja red wines. Citrus, straw and wild field flowers are typical of our young white wines; rosés will have strawberry and red cherry on the nose with a lot of minerality. § Balanced palate – moderate in alcohol, fruit /tannin/acid, forgiving of changes in storage and service temperatures § Savory and fruit palate (vs fruit-forward)

RIOJA BY THE GLASS The business of working with Rioja makes it an hard to match value for the quality. Rioja white wines, rosés and tintos (reds) all work very well by the glass. A notable surprise for wine directors and patrons are Rioja Reservas, which are exceptionally priced for by the glass as well as reserve lists. Find Rioja wine styles here

BUILDING THE LIST WITH DOCA RIOJA Our stringent quality control grape varieties and aging styles make Rioja a very safe and satisfying choice for a bottle or list. Why?

§ Ready to drink. DOCa Rioja regulates minimum aging for our wines, so that they are released only when ready to drink. Rioja wines may age a lot longer, but our standards ensure that when a opens a bottle of Rioja the patron will not be disappointed. Check with your importer for specifics on wines. § Great are in the market now. Rioja is the only still-wine region to declare each , based on harvests and outcomes. Reserva and Gran Reserva Rioja wines are generally made in Very Good (MB) or Excellent (E) vintages; wine directors should easily be able to find Reserva and Gran Reserva Rioja to buy from the millennium’s star vintages – 2001, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2011. Check our vintage master chart § Excellent price/value factor. You may put aged Rioja Reserva or Gran Reserva wines on the list, keep bottle prices reasonable and still maintain a very good margin on these wines. SERVICE TEMPERATURES & GLASSES Wine Storage – ideal at 55° F for reds and whites for the wine list. Cold case is fine for blancos and rosados.

Wine Service – Rioja reds are ideal at 61° F; in the 5 to 10 minutes between order and service/pouring Rioja reds should warm up a bit, and more once poured in the glass. Use glasses for whites/rosés. Bordeaux glasses for all tintos, all aging styles.

Remember that Rioja wines will start to show beautiful aromas the moment they hit the glass. As the wines come to room temperature during the meal, the moderate alcohol in Rioja wines will maintain the balanced palate throughout and even more aromas will emerge. Decanting should not be necessary, unless the wine is of mid-1990’s vintage or older to remove possible sediment. Decanting to aerate should not generally be necessary.

LABELS ON THE BOTTLE – Rioja Wine Styles Rioja is only sold in bottles, each with a “trust seal” label indicating the aging of the wines.

§ Green “Cosecha” label – wines with little or no oak aging, or made in a modern style. These wines will emphasize fruit and freshness, with less spice. Light, medium body for whites/rosés and full body for modern red wines. Ruby to purple for reds, light salmon to deep pink for Rosés. Seafood, salads for blanco/, spicy foods for modern reds. about $10 to $15 by the glass pricing on young wines; $100 + for modern reds for the list.

§ Red “Crianza” label – must have one year of oak aging, and more in the bottle before release to market. Red Crianzas are wonderful by the glass wines, showing spices and oak flavors. Medium body. For lovers of blends, everyday wine. Burgers, cheeses, mushrooms. Dark ruby red. about $9 to $14 by the glass.

§ Maroon “Reserva” label – Required to be aged one year in oak, 2 years in bottle. Most Reservas get at least another year of oak aging. More aromatics, full bodied, smooth and persistent on the palate – a change for the /Bordeaux lover, and Brunello fan. Ruby red to garnet. Roasts, stews. $20 by the glass; $50 to $200 wine lists. No other region worldwide can deliver this quality at Rioja Reserva price points. Remains the best value Rioja for wine lists.

§ Dark Blue “Gran Reserva” label – Required to be aged 2 years in oak, 3 years in bottle – many are aged well beyond minimums. These wines will show elegance, balance and high complex aromas, be lighter ruby to garnet in color, with light to medium body. For high quality and Barolo lovers. Elegant meat preparations, meditation wines. $90 and higher depending on vintage.