Getting to Know the Various Styles of Rioja

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

November 14th is International Tempranillo Day. Let’s get to know this Spanish wine a bit better.

Rioja is maybe the best known Spanish wine, but did you know there are various styles of Rioja?

First, let’s review a bit about Rioja. It is a region in North-Central Spain that’s known for its wine. And, like most Old-World wines, the wine label identifies the wine region, not the grape varietal.

Rioja wine is made from Tempranillo grapes but is often a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Mazuelo (a.k.a. Carignan).

But, have you’ve ever noticed that a Rioja wine is made in various styles?

The most basic Rioja wine is usually labeled simply as “Rioja.” Makes sense, right? It is aged for a matter of months, bottled and sold. It’s bright and fruity with big cherry flavors.

Then there is “Crianza.” You may not have noticed this word on the label since it doesn’t immediately mean anything to an English speaker. But, one of its translations means ‘aging.’ And, indeed, this style of Rioja is required to be aged for one year in oak and spend one year in the bottle before being sold. The controlling board in Rioja, the Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, ensures that these quality requirements are met.

Next is “Reserva.” Now this is a term that appears on a lot of wines, but in Rioja it actually means something. A Rioja Reserva is required to be aged for one year in oak and then spend two years in the bottle before being sold.

Finally, there is “Gran Reserva.” This wine must spend a minimum of two years in oak and three years in the bottle before being sold. But, often these wines are closer to ten years old when sold. This wine is produced from the best grapes and ends up with the best tannin structure.

So, when buying a Rioja, pay attention to the label and turn the bottle around to the backside to look for one of the identifying stickers. Then, you’ll know exactly what you are getting.

Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - It's International Sherry Week!

Four Sherry Offerings from Gonzalez Byass Paired with Spanish Turrón

This week, November 4th - November 10th, is International Sherry Week. And González Byass is leading the way.

González Byass was created in 1835 by Manuel Maria González and remains in family hands today, now in the fifth and sixth generation.  Founded in Jerez de la Frontera, Andalusia, in the heart of Sherry country, it is dedicated to the production of high quality sherries.

Here are four excellent Sherries from González Byass:

  • Nectar Pedro Ximénez (375ml) $16.99 - Produced from 100% Pedro Ximénez grapes. This sherry is dessert in a glass! It is dark brown in color with aromas of molasses and brown sugar. On the palate it has rich flavors of raisins, figs and dates with syrupy sweetness. Paired best with the Egg Yolk Turrón.

  • Harveys Bristol Cream (375ml) $8.99 - Originally founded in Bristol England in 1796, it is now produced in Jerez, the home of sherry. Harveys is a light golden color with it distinctive nose from its blend of Oloroso, PX, Fino and Amonitillado that is aged for 7 years. It is mahogany in color with nice aromatics and flavors of raisins and caramel. Paired best with the Almond Nougat Turrón.

  • Viña AB Amontillado (375ml) $16.99 - Made from Palomino grapes that are fermented, then fortified before entering the Solera. Light amber in color, this Sherry is delicate with subtle note of oak from its 12 years in cask. Paired best with the Hard Almond Turrón.

  • Leonor Palo Cortado (375ml) $16.99 - Produced only from the “mosto yema” or the ‘free run’ juice, it is fermented and fortified prior to entering the Solera where it undergoes complete oxidation. It spends 12 years in American Oak casks. It is medium amber in color with a delicate nose. On the palate is has intense toasted notes and is sliky smooth. Paired best with the Soft Almond Turrón.

For those unfamiliar with Turrón, pastry chefs in the south of Spain have been making it for at least a thousand years. This famous confection is typically made of honey, nuts and usually egg whites. Many families keep a box of Turróns on hand for holiday parties or impromptu holiday gatherings - which is a great time to indulge with that perfect bottle of Sherry.

These four Sherries from Gonzalez Byass are a great fit as International Sherry Week’s Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by Gonzalez Byass

Do You Know Xinomavro?

November 1st was International Xinomavro Day! But are you familiar with this wine?

Let’s take a look at this lesser known wine.

Xinomavro (ksino-mav-roh) is native to Greece where it is almost exclusively grown. And, it is known as the finest red wine that Greece has to offer.

The word Xinomavro itself is a conjunction of the Greek words for acid and black, though this is sometimes translated as black and sour.

Xinomavro is typically a medium-full bodied wine with high tannin, high acidity and low sweetness. It has fruit flavors of raspberry, strawberry, plum along with spices such as allspice and anise, and even sundried tomato!

Xinomavro wines, with their high acidity, can age nicely for many years.

So, next time you come across a Xinomavro wine be sure to give it a try. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Domaine Bousquet Uco Valley Cabs

Mendoza’s Uco Valley produces more than stellar Malbec. This high-altitude locale near Argentina’s border with Chile has started to make a name for itself with some pretty impressive Cabernet.

Certified organic fruit, high-altitude terroir and a French-Argentine profile have translated into a recipe for success for Domaine Bousquet.

The estate’s naturally elegant, environmentally friendly wines are now found in 61 countries around the globe, and Domaine Bousquet is Argentina’s leading name in exports of wine made from organically grown grapes.

But there is another simple reason for Domaine Bousquet’s success: “We just want to make the finest wines possible and sell them at prices people can afford,” says co-owner Anne Bousquet.

 Here are five prime examples of affordable fine wines from Domaine Bousquet:

  • Domaine Bousquet Reserve Organic Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 ($18)

  • Domaine Bousquet Alavida Kosher USDA-Certified Organic Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 ($18)

  • Domaine Bousquet Gaia Organic Cabernet Franc 2021 ($20)

  • Domaine Bousquet Gran Organic Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 ($25)

  • Domaine Bousquet Ameri Single Vineyard Organic Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 ($36)

Look for each of these Domaine Bousquet Cabs to be featured in upcoming Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week blogs. Cheers!

Riesling -- A Misunderstood Wine

Riesling is a wine that is most famously produced in Germany where nearly half the world's Riesling grapes are grown. Other great producers of Riesling include the Alsace region of France, Australia, Austria, Uruguay, Canada and the United States. Riesling that is grown in cooler climate regions result in highly aromatic wines with great acidity and big, bright fruit flavors. But mention a Riesling and most often you'll hear "Oh, that's a sweet wine."

One of the reasons that Riesling is considered "a sweet wine" is because it has flavors of sweet fruits - green apple, apricot, nectarine, peach, pear, and pineapple. Flavors that our brain associates with sweetness. Another reason for Riesling's sweet flavors is the fact that it is rarely aged in oak. Not having the rich, toasty and butter flavors of oak lets Riesling's bright sweet fruit flavors shine though. Also, Riesling is rarely blended with other grapes. So, what you get are the pure sweet fruit flavors of the Riesling grape. And the final reason that Riesling is considered sweet is that many Rieslings are, well, intentionally produced to be sweet.

But not all Rieslings are sweet. They can span the range from dry to sweet. The Alsace region of France is known for its dry Riesling. And warmer climates, such as California, Oregon and Washington, produce dry Rieslings that typically have more muted fruit flavors, are more medium to full-bodied.

So, yes, Riesling can be a bit confusing. But, not all Rieslings are "sweet." The key is to look at the wine’s total Residual Sugar (RS). If you find one with a RS level less than 17 g/L, it is considered dry (i.e., not sweet). If you find one with a RS level greater than 17 g/L, it will indeed be sweet.