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Rioja Fine wine
Rioja is indisputably Spain’s most celebrated wine region, and is famed for its ageworthy reds, made predominantly from Tempranillo. In recent years, the region has been undergoing something of an evolution, as producers move away from focusing on the ageing of their wines as the defining stylistic factor, and towards expressing a sense of place.
For wine lovers, Rioja offers an irresistible mix of tradition, innovation and value expressed in both its white and red wines. Lay & Wheeler offers an exceptional selection that showcases Rioja’s diversity, from elegant, oak-aged Reservas to bold Gran Reservas with deep complexity. The region’s varied terroir, from the cooler Rioja Alta and Alavesa to the warmer Rioja Oriental, imparts distinctive character to each bottle. Traditional producers highlight vanilla, leather and spice, while modern winemakers bring purity of fruit and finesse. In both styles, the region’s dedication to ageing ensures structure and longevity.
Rioja vintages
In common with all the great wine regions, the vintage plays a key role in the identity and quality of the top Riojas. Equally, however, given the size and spread of Rioja, it is dangerous to generalise about vintages. Wetter years such as 2013, 2014, 2018, 2020 and 2023 would ordinarily be less promising but the top producers made some fine wines in 2020 in particular. 2010, 2015 and 2019 have come in for particular acclaim, with 2021 arguably trumping the lot, and potentially being the most universally praised since the equally vaunted 2001. 2023, however, mirrored the poor reputation of its own counterpart 20 years earlier, in 2003.
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Rioja wine FAQs
What are the key grape varieties of Rioja?
Twenty years ago, the answer here was Tempranillo – and there was little else to say. But in recent years, more and more producers are choosing to add greater complexity and nuance to their blends by playing with other varieties – Graciano, which lends acidity, Mazuelo, which gives structure and, most significantly, Garnacha (aka Grenache). The latter is most notable for the significant holdings of older vines, which are finally being celebrated for the character and brightness they provide, compared to Tempranillo’s more rounded tones. Garnacha is also a variety that tends to express its terroir more vividly – something that producers today are keen to harness, despite the inherent dangers in difficult years.
What are the different categories of Rioja and are these important?
Rioja’s traditional classification system, based around the length of ageing prior to release, and moving from Joven (the youngest on release, with no oak ageing) and Crianza to Reserva and Gran Reserva (the longest aged, with two years in barrel and three in bottle) remains a useful guide for understanding ageing and general style. But Rioja is evolving beyond the old categories, reflecting both tradition and innovation. As a result, labels don’t always capture the full picture, with producers increasingly moving beyond these classifications to focus instead on site expression and stylistic intent. The introduction of Viñedo Singular (single-vineyard) wines marks a shift toward Burgundy-style terroir thinking, and many winemakers now emphasise village-level (Vino de Municipio) wines, often made from old vines, and showcasing specific microclimates.
Isn’t Rioja all about lush, oaky reds?
It certainly used to be. But winemakers are moving away from the reliance on the region’s ageing hierarchy (Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva etc), which doesn’t always reflect quality, and towards a greater focus on site, letting the purity of the fruit shine. As a result, oak is becoming a less important factor in many wines, with several producers also experimenting with alternative ageing vessels – amphorae, concrete or large glass globes – to let the wine speak more of place than process.