W3 Wine School

Rioja Blanco Reserva (Spain)

White Rioja is made from minimum 51% Viura grapes.

Rioja Blanco is produced in different styles: Unoaked and Oaked.

Rioja Blanco Reserva is oaked for 24 months.

Oaked White Rioja Flavors

Lime
Lime
Apple
Apple
Peach
Peach
Passion
Passion
Herbs
Herbs
Currant
Currant
Grass
Gras
Pepper
Pepper

Tertiary Flavors from Aging:

Vanilla
Vanilla
Butter
Butter
Toast
Toast
Coconut
Coconut

Lime, Green Apple, White Peach, and Passion Fruit are typical Rioja flavors, with delicate herbal notes of Blackcurrant Leaves. Fresh-Cut Grass, and Pepper.

Oaked White Rioja Profile

An Oaked White Rioja is much like an Oaked Chardonnay:

SUGAR:Dry 3g/l
BODY:Medium
FRUIT:Medium
ACIDITY:Low
Temperature Serving temperature:
10-12°C (50-54°F)

Oaked White Rioja Food Pairing

Salads
Salads
Antipasti
Tapas
Seafood
Seafood
Ham
Carcuterie
Fish
Fish
Chicken
Chicken
Pork
Pork
Veal
Veal

White Rioja is very food friendly.

Italian. Spanish. International. Asian. Mexican. Vegetarian.

Excellent Pairings

Charcuterie. Almonds.
Serrano Ham. Salami.
Rich Seafood. Lobster.
Grilled Tuna and Salmon.
Poultry in Creamy Sauce.
Grilled Pork and Veal.
Grilled Veggies. Mushroom.

Cheeses

Strong Cheeses.

Spanish Specialities:
Spanish Salt Cod (Bacalao). Paella with Rice.
Tortilla with Eggs.

If You Like Oaked White Rioja

You May Also Like:

Bourgogne Blanc (France)
Cassis (France)
Catarratto (Italy)
Chardonnay (France)
Château-Grillet (France)
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc (France)
Condrieu (France)
Garnacha Blanca (Spain)
Grenache Blanc (France)
Marsanne (France)
Meursault (France)
Montrachet (France)
Pinot Blanc (France)
Pouilly-Fuissé (France)
Rioja Blanco Riserva (Spain)
Rosazzo (Italy)
Roussanne (France)
Sémillon (France)
Sémillon (Australia)
Trajadura (Portugal)
Treixadura (Spain)
Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Riserva (Italy)
Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva (Italy)
Viognier (France)

The Ideal Glass for Oaked White Rioja

The Chardonnay Glass was designed for enjoying full-bodied white wines. They have a wider bowl and a tapered top to enhance the buttery and oaky notes found in aged wines.

The wide bowl steers the wine to the sensitive parts of the tongue, ensuring that the acidity creates a harmonious balance with the sweet aromas of the wine.

The wide bowl allows the full bouquet of aromas to develop. It also reduces the risk for over-concentrated aromas.

Rioja Blanco DOCa

Rioja Blanco wines are a blend of various grapes.

White Rioja is made from minimum 51% Viura grapes.

Pluss a combination of any of the grapes Malvasía de Rioja, Garnacha Blanca, Tempranillo Blanco, Maturana Blanca, Turruntés de Rioja, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Verdejo.

DOCaDenominación de Origen Calificada
Rioja BlancoJoven (Young). Unoaked.
CrianzaMinimum 12 months aging. 6 months in Oak.
ReservaMinimum 24 months aging. 6 months in Oak.
Gran ReservaMinimum 48 months aging. 6 months in Oak.

Wine Region Rioja

Localización de La Rioja Vineyards

Rioja is a famous wine region in the north-central part of Spain. It is Spain’s largest red wine producing region with over 600 wineries and an annual production of over 400 million bottles.

The Rioja region is a denominación de origen calificada, "Qualified Designation of Origin (D.O.Ca)", the highest category in Spanish wine regulation.

Rioja wines ares made from grapes grown in La Rioja and Navarre, and the Basque province of Álava.

The key appellations are Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Oriental (previously Rioja Baja).

Rioja


Rioja Alta (Rioja High)

Rioja Alta

Rioja Alta is Located on the western side of Rioja. It has an Atlantic climate, and its soils consist of iron-rich clay mixed with limestone. Thanks to the elevation and cooler temperatures, Rioja Alta wines have more tannin and higher acidity than Rioja Oriental, and they are often more elegant.


Rioja Alavesa

Rioja Alvesa

Rioja Alavesa is the smallest of the Rioja regions. It is located between the Ebro River and the rocky mass of the Sierra Cantabria. The wines bear a high resemblance to the wines of Rioja Alta with high tannins and high acidity.

The vineyards here are located at high altitudes, resulting in cooler temperatures that aid in the acquisition acid levels and good colour. The soil is rich in chalky clay, limestone and sand.


Rioja Oriental (Rioja East)

Rioja Oriental

The wines from Rioja Oriental (Rioja East), formerly the Rioja Baja (Rioja Low) are fruit-forward and the wineries focus on wines designed to drink young.


Red Wines

The region is best known for high-quality Rioja Wines.

A typical Rioja blend consists of 60% Tempranillo ("the Grape of Spain") and 20% Garnacha along with other fruity additives like Mazuelo (Cariñena) and Graciano.

White Wines

Viura (Macabéo) is the dominant white grape in Rioja, accounting for 70% of white varieties.

Viura is also found in France, particularly in Roussillon and the Languedoc, where it is called Maccabeo or Maccabeu.

Nine white varieties is allowed to use in white Rioja: Viura, Malvasía Riojana, Garnacha Blanca, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Verdejo, Maturana Blanca, Tempranillo Blanco and Torrontés.


DOCa Rioja (La Rioja)

Rioja was the first Spanish wine region to obtain DO status in 1925. In 1991, it was promoted to DOCa (Qualified Designation of Origin), a higher category reserved for wines maintaining a proven consistency and quality over a long period of time.


Black GrapesWhite Grapes

Black Grapes

88% Tempranillo
  2% Garnacha
  2% Cariñena
  2% Graciano

White Grapes

70% Viura (Macabeo)
12% Tempranillo Blanco
  5% Verdejo
  4% Garnacha Blanca
  3% Sauvignon Blanc
  2% Malvasía

Red WinesWhite Wines

Red Wine

Rioja Joven
Rioja Crianza
Rioja Reserva
Rioja Rosado

White Wine

Viura (Macabeo)
Garnacha Blanca
Rioja Blanco
Rioja Blanco Reserva
Tempranillo Blanco

SoilClimate

Soil

Rioja Alta:
Alluvial.
Calcareous Cay.
Ferrous Clay.

Rioja Alavesa:
Calcareous Clay.
Limestone and Sand.

Rioja Oriental (Baja):
Alluvial.
Ferrous Clay.

Climate

Hilly Riverbanks.
Altitude: 350 - 650m.

Moderate Mediterrian Climate.
Atlantic Winds.
Sierra de Cantabria Mountains.
Ebro River.

Rioja Soil


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