After Bordeaux and Burgundy, Rioja is the most recognised wine region in the UK, yet so little is understood about it. When I was studying the WSET Level 3, even the tutor found the old, traditional Rioja we tasted "disturbing." Terms such as Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva, vital for understanding the style of the wine, mean little to the average customer - which is one reason why many modern winemakers don't loudly advertise these terms on their labels.
And then there's white Rioja. It's understandable that white Rioja is still a mystery to most drinkers, as historically it's not a common style. I love hearing the joy in people's reactions when they say, "I've never had a white Rioja before!" They know the name Rioja and are therefore open to trying something they might not otherwise consider. But the term white Rioja doesn't pin it down to something specific; just like a red, it could be very young or very old, designed to be drunk immediately and/or a long time in the distant future, aged in lots of oak or none at all.
so what is white Rioja?
White Rioja used to be made from the Malvasia grape, which is common in Italy; although some Malvasia is still used, the main grape now is Viura. In Catalunya, this is called Macabeo, also known over the border in Roussillon and Languedoc as Maccabeu. It's a fairly bland grape, producing crisp, fresh wines with high acidity. Unoaked white Rioja is no different - it's when oak comes into play that things begin to get interesting. This oaky style falls into two categories - the modern, which might be compared to oaky Chardonnay, and the traditional, which is like nothing else. Here are two examples I've had recently.the traditional
López de Heredia Viña Gravonia 2003 Crianza (Wine Society, £13.95, no longer available) I tasted this wine with @bleuettextiles, who was tasting it completely blind. Her first sniff elicited a sharply raised eyebrow; looking at the wine again, she asked, "Is it acceptable to put urine as a description?" Not a promising start, but she ended up ranking the wine as outstanding. When asked to guess what it was, the response was a perplexed, "Chardonnay with Sauvignon Blanc maybe?" |
| "What is this?!" |
This wine really is unique. It's not just like an oaky Chardonnay: you can actually taste the wood (it was aged for four years in oak). Its flavours aren't merely autolytic: it's like there's still yeast in the wine. An extraordinary combination of yoghurt and cream; vanilla and bonfire smoke; bananas and potato skins; bread and white pepper. A ten-year-old white that feels so alive and vibrant.
The next night I tasted it again with @winebizkid. Again the raised eyebrow; again the puzzled silence; again the conclusion: "that is just spectacular."
López de Heredia is one of the great traditional Rioja wineries. Run by two sisters continuing the family heritage, it's often referred to as Tondonia, which is their flagship wine for reds, whites, and rosés. Having tried this white Crianza, I really want to try the white Gran Reserva; and as for the Rosado Gran Reserva, I can only try and imagine what that must taste like...
the modern
Allende 2011 (hangingditch, £22.50) Drinking and describing this wine is much more straightforward and anyone familiar with white Burgundy, or its New World equivalent, will feel at home. Compared to Burgundy, though, this wine is much bigger and fuller: butter, cream, and cheese from the MLF; vanilla, smoke, and toast from the oak; and lots of citrus and tropical fruits, with a spicy, cinnamon finish.This wine demonstrates just how rich and powerful white Rioja can be, and how it's possible to take a traditional style that is difficult to sell and make it into something contemporary and appealing. This isn't a wine, though, that rejects tradition - it's 20% Malvasia, and will age for another ten years.
That fusion of modern and tradition is characteristic of the winemaker, Miguel Angel de Gregorio. Against tradition, he uses new French oak instead of American; he makes single-vineyard wines suited to each vintage; and he refuses to use the terms Crianza, Reserva, or Gran Reserva. Yet with the use of oak and indigenous grapes, the wines are distinctly Rioja; and he's traditional enough not to have a functioning website.
the future
Due to the popularity in general of Rioja, its white versions definitely have a large market to tap into. A wine such as the López de Heredia is never going to have a large following, but rich, powerful, oaky wines like the Allende make a punchy statement for those who like their wines big and upfront. Young, unoaked wines will likewise appeal to those looking for easy-going, everyday drinking wines. These variety of styles make white Rioja a style to watch.the terms
These indicate how long a wine has been aged, and refer to the style of wine and not necessarily the quality. The terms apply throughout Spain, though they are not always used (and the ageing requirements for Crianzas are less in the rest of Spain than in Rioja or Ribero del Deuro).| white/rosé | red | |
| joven | no minimum ageing requirement | no minimum ageing requirement |
| crianza | aged 18 months before release | aged 2 years before release, minimum 12 months in oak |
| reserva | aged 18 months before release, minimum 6 months in oak | aged 3 years before release, minimum 24 months in oak |
| gran reserva | aged 4 years before release, minimum 12 months in oak | aged 5 years before release, minimum 36 months in oak |
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