Everything You Need To Know About Rioja Wine

Spain is firmly cemented as one of the top three wine producing countries in the world by volume, along with Italy and France. With a wide range of landscapes, climates, and growing conditions encompassed within its borders, you can guarantee you'll get variety when drinking Spanish wines. Many are internationally recognized, like sherry, Cava, and Rioja, while others are rarer but no less delicious. For red wine drinkers, the northern region of Rioja reigns supreme, with yearly sales totaling more than 300 million bottles.

But while many consumers have heard of Riojan wine, the region's nuances and breadth of production are lesser known. From its three distinct regions to its elaborate aging regimens and star grape variety, the area knows what it does and does it well. Riojan wines offer excellent quality and value, making it easy to pick up a bottle from one of the 800 or so wineries and feeling satisfied.

As a Certified Specialist of Wine, a lot of my education on Spain's wine industry has revolved around Rioja and its multitude of styles. I'll break it down for you so the next time you're faced with a bottle labeled Crianza or Gran Reserva, DO or DOCa, or looking for the right pairing, you'll have all the info under your belt.

Much like many regions of Europe, winemaking in Rioja dates back to when the Ancient Romans planted vines. Consequently, production spread to monasteries, where wine was served to pilgrims along the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James). In the 1500s, production started to be focused on quality and proudly showcasing the region's offerings, with labels, classifications, and rigorous standards put into place. However, due to the lack of port or water main to transport the wines, the wines couldn't make it too far beyond the area until a railway was eventually built.

In the mid-1800s, many vineyards in Europe were largely affected by phylloxera, a pest that destroyed the vines' rootstocks. At this point, producers from Bordeaux sought out regions that had not yet been hit and ended up importing wine from Rioja, establishing their own local businesses, and sharing winemaking practices. Unfortunately, at the end of the century, the root louse made it to the northern Spanish region, though techniques to mitigate the damaging effects had been developed. By then, Rioja had been identified as a source of quality fruit and wines, setting it up for future success and international recognition.

The Rioja wine region overlaps three of Spain's autonomous communities — the majority sits in the northern half of La Rioja, overlapping with the Basque country to the west and Navarra to the east. Several rivers in the area influence its unique characteristics, most notably the Ebro, which spans the northern border of La Rioja. Consequently, much of the region sits in the Ebro River Valley, largely affecting the terrain, soils, and growing conditions.

The region gets its name due to the presence of the river Oja flowing through it, which translates to Río Oja in Spanish. Within the confines of Rioja, which has over 60,000 hectares of vineyard land, there are three distinct growing regions: Rioja Alavesa, Rioja Alta, and Rioja Oriental (or Baja). North and south of these set areas, the terrain becomes quite mountainous and rugged. While unsuitable for grape-growing, the Cantabrian mountain range to the north helps protect the vineyards from the influence of the Atlantic coast.

Although there's plenty of vineyard land to go around, a couple of cities feature as cultural hubs, too. Haro is the wine capital of Rioja, and the site of the Haro Wine Fight, an annual festival celebrated at the end of June. Per its title, the event sees thousands of people splashing wine onto each other. Nearby, the city of Logroño is La Rioja's capital and another hub for wine-related activities, including the yearly Wine Harvest Festival in late September.

To distinguish between the variations in the growing conditions of Rioja, it is split into three areas, from smallest to largest: Alavesa, Alta, and Oriental/Baja. Rioja Alta is the westernmost area, with Alavesa to the north and Oriental to the east. The former two are typically most admired by oenophiles, whereas the growing conditions in the latter are not as desirable. Still, there's a wide range of production occurring in the three areas, with different styles to fit the conditions.

Rioja Alta experiences a continental climate with a mild effect from the Atlantic coast, though the majority is blocked out by the Cantabrian mountains. With its steeper, rugged terrain, the region boasts a multitude of soil types, many of which benefit the prime grape, tempranillo, in turn producing elegant and complex wines. Located slightly more to the north, Rioja Alavesa has a similarly rocky landscape, though it experiences more influence from the wet and chilly coastal climate. With soils well adapted to tempranillo, wines from these two regions display balanced acidity and the capacity to age.

Rioja Oriental (previously Baja) encompasses by far the largest area, but it sits in lower lying flatter terrain, which is less prized for grape-growing. The region experiences a hot, dry climate, with more of a Mediterranean influence. Here, Garnacha grapes thrive thanks to the heat and its ripening qualities.

Considering the diversity of the three regions of Rioja, it's no surprise that the terroir varies significantly from one region to the next. With distinct variations in elevation, proximity to large bodies of water, mountain chains, and climate, the resulting terroir is unique depending on the specific location. Due to this heterogeneity, the winemaking possibilities in Rioja are vast. Ranging from high altitude cool continental climate regions to flat valleys with warm dry temperatures and Mediterranean influence, grapes ripen at varying paces, affecting the styles of wine produced.

The area's broad landscape also encompasses numerous types of soils, which have their own effects on the resulting fruit and consequently, wines. You'll find three main varieties: calcareous and clay (high in limestone), ferrous-clay (high in iron), and alluvial (layers of clay, silt, sand, and gravel). Typically, the soils are not especially fertile, which keeps the yields low and the quality high.

To highlight the wide variety of terroirs in Rioja, in 2017 the region's regulating body added a new classification: Vino de Viñedo Singular. This emphasizes the specific terroir of a vineyard, and must meet certain requirements such as vines that are a minimum of 35 years old, harvests done by hand, and qualitative taste assessments, among others.

The vast majority of production in Rioja is centered around the red wines it's so famous for — around 86% of the total volume. These are primarily made with the tempranillo grape, but can feature a blend of varieties and even up to 15% of white grapes in the mix (though the wine will still be red). Rioja red wines tend to be bold and flavorful, and are mostly aged in oak casks, which adds structure and complexity.

That said, there's still rosé and white wine coming out of this region too (about 5% and 9% respectively). The rosés (known as rosado in Spain) are made with the same selection of grape varieties used for the prestigious red wines, though for the most part they are bottled immediately for freshness rather than being aged in oak. White wines often undergo brief oak barrel aging, which gives them more body and texture than stainless-steel aged alternatives. Perhaps surprisingly, Rioja also produces traditional method sparkling wines, using both red and white grape varieties, vinified as a white or rosé wine.

There's no doubt that tempranillo is the number one variety grown in Rioja, accounting for 80% of all production and 88% of red grapes. Native to Rioja and also grown in Portugal, tempranillo is the emblem of the region and responsible for the bulk of the flavor profile attributed to the local red wines. Still, another four red varieties can be grown and blended into the wines: Garnacha tinta (grenache), graciano, mazuelo, and maturana tinta. That said, considering the tempranillo-dominant vineyards, the blends follow a similar composition.

Meanwhile, nine different white grape varieties thrive in the cooler climate areas and can be used to make the region's white wines. Though not as prominent as tempranillo, viura (also known as macabeo) makes up 68% of white varieties and is typically the main component in the blends. The other grapes include indigenous varieties like Garnacha blanca, malvasía, tempranillo blanco, maturana blanca, and turruntés (unrelated to Argentina's fragrant torrontés grape), as well as chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and verdejo. Per the blending regulations, native Riojan grapes must make up at least 51% of the blend.

Riojan wines are made similarly to other wines, with distinctions regarding the aging regimens. To make red wines, the grapes are harvested, de-stemmed or left whole, macerated, fermented, and pressed, then aged, blended, and bottled. White wines go through harvest, de-stemming, pressing, and fermentation, a slightly distinct process to eliminate any skin contact that would infuse color to the wine. Rosé and sparkling wines follow standard methods, too.

The various aging procedures are what set Riojan wines apart from other winemaking regions, as well as from one batch to the next. Seeing as red wines are the majority of production, let's zoom in on what this looks like (rosé and white are similar but shorter durations). Oak barrel (mostly American oak) aging is foundational to the Riojan style, except for the most basic tier of wine, Joven (young).

Crianza is one step above, and must age for a minimum of two years prior to release, with at least one of the years in oak barrels. Reserva comes next, and requires at least three years aging overall, with one in barrel and six months in bottle. Gran Reserva calls for a minimum of five years aging, with two in barrel and two in bottle. This rigorous method ensures that wines have time to develop complexity and nuance prior to release. Although Rioja red wines can further age quite successfully, part of the benefit of the lengthy process is they are ready to drink when they go up for sale.

Riojan red wines taste a lot like tempranillo, considering the majority of production rests on this grape. Tempranillo is known for its dark fruit aromas, savory notes, herbaceous character, and leather finish. It brings the most heft to the palate, while the Garnacha and other grapes added to the blend provide more juiciness. The white wines, on the other hand, showcase viura more prominently and are made in crisper, lighter styles or aged for depth and nuttiness. Expect notes of citrus, honeydew melon, hazelnut, honey, and fresh herbs.

Still, there is a range of styles depending on the specific subregion of Rioja where the fruit grows. Cooler climates like Rioja Alta and Alavesa produce fruit with more acidity, lending a freshness and complexity to the wines. On the other hand, the hotter climate in Rioja Oriental favors quicker ripening times, producing fruitier wines.

Also, the time spent aging can create a multitude of distinct flavors. Crianza wines are fairly fruit-forward with balanced spice notes from the brief time spent in the barrel. The Reserva category has time to develop more structure, influenced from the primary fruit notes, secondary oak, and tertiary aging aromas, like truffles, leather, and tobacco. Finally, Gran Reserva benefits from additional aging time to become more elegant and refined on the palate.

One of the primary ways that Rioja wines are categorized is based on the duration of aging, with Joven, Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva, from youngest to oldest. These titles demonstrate the wines have undergone the minimum aging requirements for that classification, and are indicated on the front bottle label for consumers to easily see. There's a special Reserva subcategory for sparkling wines, Gran Añada, only made in the best vintages and requiring a minimum of three years aging on the lees (versus two years for standard bottles).

Meanwhile, wines in Rioja are also classified geographically, starting with the most general, Rioja DO (Designation of Origin) — wines made anywhere in the Rioja region — and Rioja DOCa (Qualified Designation of Origin), a higher quality classification that must meet more rigorous production standards. Then there are Zone Wines (Vino de Zona), broken down into the three subregions (Alta, Alavesa, and Oriental), which must be made with fruit grown and vinified in the respective area. Similarly, Municipal Wine (Vino de Municipio) must be made in one of Rioja's 144 municipalities, showcasing the nuances of these distinct areas. Viñedo Singular takes terroir even more seriously, highlighting a select parcel of land for its older vines and unique qualities.

As the oldest DO region in Spain (declared in 1925) and a DOCa since 1991, plenty of producers have made Rioja their home, with current estimates of around 800 wineries. The names have evolved and multiplied over time, but several have withstood the test of time. Bodegas R. López de Heredia is the oldest winery in the town of Haro, founded in the late 1870s, while nearby Muga is approaching 100 years as both a traditional and pioneering producer. Meanwhile, Marqués de Murrieta, also over a century old, is located close to Logroño.

Bodegas de los Herederos del Marqués de Riscal was founded in 1858 and produced the first Riojan wine to be bottled. It continues to be a top producer in the area, and more impressively, was awarded the World's Best Vineyard in 2024, coming in second place the previous two years, as well as one of the World's Most Admired Wine Brands in 2024. Other Riojan producers who made the cut include Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (C.V.N.E), Ramon Bilbao (who just hit its 100-year anniversary in 2024), La Rioja Alta, Faustino, and Campo Viejo. More recently, wineries like Bodegas Ysios and Bodegas Artadi in Rioja Alavesa bring a modern touch to traditional practices.

Wines from Rioja offer plenty of food pairing options, which adds to their appeal. Plus, since the styles range from lighter and fruitier to more complex and savory, this makes them especially versatile. Still, the dominance of tempranillo and the use of oak barrels makes them relatively tannic, which is worth considering if you're serving delicate food.

For younger styles of Rioja, like Joven or Crianza, serve dishes featuring tomato-based sauces, bell peppers, and cheese, such as baked pasta, as well as typical Spanish recipes like paella. On the meat front, pork (notably chorizo sausage) and lamb benefit from the medium tannins and herbal character. Meanwhile, wines made from the Rioja Oriental region tend to be richer and higher in alcohol, which adds boldness that can stand up to smoky flavors, meat stews, and even pairs well with steaks. Fruitier Riojas also make a good match for spicy foods, whereas aged varieties benefit from simpler preparations to highlight the wine.

As for the white and rosé wines, serve them with seafood prepared with bold flavors, like garlic shrimp or clams with chorizo. The richer barrel-aged styles pair well with pork, chicken, vegetable dishes, and rice, too. And don't forget tapas; younger reds, rosé, and white wines make a good match for savory snacks.

You can pay a little or a lot for Rioja wines, and overall, they offer great value for the price. As expected, wines with a greater age are more expensive, as they hold up valuable real estate in winery cellars for up to five years. Starting with Joven or Crianza wines, the majority of options will come in at under $15 a bottle. Moving upward in rank, Reserva wines run approximately $20 to $30, while Gran Reserva goes from $30 to $150 or more for rare specialties.

Riojan white wines vary quite a bit in price depending on age and producer, but you can expect to find solid bottles in the $15 to $30 range, while typical rosés fit into the lower end. Although sparkling wines from Rioja are harder to source stateside, quality options start around $25. Regardless of the category, you can find top bottles of Rioja wines from prestigious producers for a steal compared to high-end bottles from other growing regions worldwide.