Delving further into this Spanish wine region, taste what makes a Rioja a Rioja, and one Rioja better than another.
In a companion piece to “Exploring the Rioja,” this writer tasted a handful of Riojas as an entry point to the region. The object is not to rate or recommend wines – although some merit the latter – but rather to delineate a flavor profile and range you can expect from these wines. For this tasting, three Rioja Crianza reds were chosen at random from a local retailer and one that was included in a separate tasting of world Tempranillo-based wines. The aim was to find a range of styles and blends while being able to hone in on similarities. Prices are estimates, and in US dollars.
Similarities
As a group, these wines had some unifying characteristics: cherry fruit – ranging from dried cherries to black cherry juice – on the nose and palate, a range of oak-imparted flavors, medium to high acidity, and lower tannin structure. The wines had, for the most part, a pleasing polished texture without being simple or one-dimensional. They also evolved in the glass, showing layers of flavor and stages of evolution over several hours.
The Wines (all Rioja Crianza DOCa)
Bodegas Ostatu ’03 (Rioja Alavesa) 14%, $18.
95% Tempranillo, 5% Mazuelo, Garnacha, and Graciano. An honest wine. Raspberry notes in addition to sour cherry, along with cedar box, tobacco leaf and cocoa on the nose. The palate adds well-defined flavors of clove and chocolate behind the fruit. Well-balanced acidity. The highest alcohol of the flight, not surprising due to the vintage – 2003 was a scorcher throughout Europe – but well integrated. Highly Recommended
R. Lopez de Heredia Viña Condonia “Viña Cubillo” ’00 (Rioja Alta) 12.5%, $22.
65% Tempranillo, 25% Garnacha, 10% Mazuelo, Graciano, Viura. A very traditional blend that includes the white Viura grape and spent two years in large oak cask. This wine was showing its age a bit – brick color around the edges, tarry flavors due to prolonged oxygen shortage – but still holding up admirably. About ten minutes into it, the wine threatened to fall apart, with disjointed flavors and acids coming to the fore, but a bit more patience paid off as the wine smoothed out into its original state – velvety and complete with a long finish – and an extra delicacy that wasn’t there at the beginning. Soft cherry fruit is complemented by fresh hay aromas and peppered by a bit of licorice and meatiness. A fully evolved wine to drink now. Recommended
Campo Viejo ’04 13%, $8.
75% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, 5% Mazuelo. Quite a bit simpler than the first two, it exhibits simple cherry fruit with a bit of wood spice, and decent acidity. This wine is for drinking, not thinking, which is about right for the price. Recommended
Conde de Valdemar ’03 13.5%, $9.
90% Tempranillo, 10% Mazuelo. The least interesting wine of the tasting. Made in an international style that might appeal to some, there is forward cherry and vanilla (from 15 months in new American oak) here, as well as a good wallop of wood tannin. The least Rioja-like of the bunch, this could have been chalked up to the vintage, were it not for the Ostatu showing what could be done, under the same conditions, to reflect the place of origin. It did not improve with time in the glass, either.
As always, there is no substitute for opening up a bottle of wine and coming to your own conclusions. ¡Salúd!
