|
Flavours & aromas
|
Wine Tours
Despite that it is not until 1905
that the name Rioja appears for the first time on the label of a bottle
of wine as a collective brand, wine making is first officially encouraged
and regulated as early as the XII century due to the quality of the wines
of the area. Nowadays the quality of the wines is assured by the strict
regulations established by the Control Board in order to bear the official
label of Rioja wines.
The elegance and rich complexity of aromas and flavours that have given
fame to Rioja reds is the result of using the local Tempranillo grape ,that
can be combined with the other three varieties allowed: Mazuelo, Garnacha
and Graciano, and of the ageing in oak casks followed by a further period
of bottle ageing. Young wines of the year are also produced with great success
in Rioja following the more traditional ways of elaboration.
Even though the whites may be less known, Rioja also has an interesting
choice of white wines from Rioja: young, fresh and light; crianzas with
minimal ageing that offer a subtle hint of oak; and traditional, an aged
and richly oaked style of white wine. The grape most used is Viura, with
aromas of herbs and spices, also being allowed the Garnacha white and Malvasia.
Tradition and the newest techniques are combined actually to produce such
a variety of wines that the qualification of Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva,
according to the ageing has had to be open to include those wines that are
exploring new ways but that still offer all the quality expected from a
wine from Rioja. |
sample itinerary
|
 |
|
|
|
