Rioja Wine, Explain Rioja wine, What is Rioja wine

Rioja wine speaks to explain Rioja wine and what is Rioja wine and the manufacture and history of such.

Rioja is a Spanish wine which is made from the blend of three different grapes from the La Rioja, Navarre and Basque areas of the province of Alava.

The wine of this area dates back as far as 873 in history and monks were the main wine makers in that era. This wine may be either red, white or rose.

In 1790 an organization known as the Royal Economic Society of wine growers was formed to regulate the quality of the wine labelled as Rioja.

In 1970 the wine was awarded the prestigious and coveted Denominacion de Origen Calificado (DOC) designation.

In 2008 the Regulatory Council for the La Rioja Denomination of origin approved a new designated logo for Rioja wine bottles.

There are three distinct regions of La Rioja each of which produce its own version of the wine. They are known as Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Baja.

Rioja Alta is produced in an area that is known for a short growing season which produces a fruit flavoured wine that is light on the palate.

Rioja Alavesa is known to produce wine with a more full body and high acidity. The soil is somewhat more poor than Rio Alta.

Rioja Baja is the most warm and dry of the areas and produces a deep coloured wine and be as high as 18% by volume alcohol content. This wine is often used in a blend with other wines.

There are four categories of this wine.

Rioja is a young wine with less than a year aging in an oak barrel.

Crianza is a wine aged for a minimum of two years with one of those years being in an oak barrel.

Rioja Reserva is a wine aged for a minimum of three years with one of those years in an oak barrel.

Rioja Gran Reserva have been aged for a minimum of two years in an oak barrel and three years in a bottle.


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