Introduction to Rioja DOCa's Red Wines

Rioja area that is in northern Spain around the town of Logrono and along the Ebro River. The name, Rioja, comes from Rio Oja, a tributary of the Ebro. Established in 1926, Rioja was the first DO, and in 1991 it became the first (and so far the only) Spanish DOCa. Wines have been made in this region for over 2,500 years prior to the Roman occupation. Rioja DOCa has the most famous wines cellars and some of them can make the best quality of red wines in Spain. Rioja's vineyards are situated in the provinces of Alava and Navarra, as well as La Rioja. The DOCa is divided into three subzones, La Rioja Alavesa is in the northwestern portion, La Rioja Alta in the southwestern section, and La Rioja Baja in the eastern segment. Due to the cooler and wetter climate, the two western subzones produce more delicate wines. Due to the hotter and drier climate, the eastern section, La Rioja Baja, produces higher-alcohol wines. Generally, La Rioja Alta produces the best wines, followed by La Rioja Alavesa. Rioja's red wines, which tend to be made very much in a bordeaux style, are greatly influenced by winemaking practices that were introduced by French families who migrated to Rioja in the late 1800s after philloxera struck the Bordeaux vineyards. The extensive use of oak barriques (called barricas locally) for aging wines still exists, although somewhat less aggressively than in the past. The oak imparts the familiar vanilla characteristic that's associated with Rioja red wines. Red wines make up 75 to 80 percent of the total wines production, and TEMPRANILLO is the primary red grapes used.