When we published our Rioja report on Monday, we failed to include one key element - grapes! You know those small, round, juicy little fruits that you loved to pop in your mouth as a kid, one by one, or could even be used as killer ammunition against your annoying siblings? Uh-huh, don’t sit there and pretend that you never put a grape in your mouth and spat it at your brother or sister sitting “innocently” across the room. We’re on to you!

Well, considering that the main Rioja varieties are key players in the region’s international fame, we thought it was high time to give you a brief synopsis as to which varieties are most common, and what unique traits they posses to craft a Rioja wine. The main four grape varieties for reds are Mazuelo, Graciano, Garnacha and Tempranillo, and for whites, Viura and Malvasia.

RED RIOJA GRAPE VARIETIES

Mazuelo
Although a commonly found variety in red blends, it is also the first grape to be excluded from the blend. During our travels, several winemakers voiced their dislike because of this grape’s high susceptibility to powdery mildew and producing wines of racy acidity and little in the way of aroma. However, at its best, this wine can add a considerable amount of depth and vibrancy to a wine. Known for budding early and ripening late, this grape is ideally suited for the warm climates of Rioja. It is also the third most planted varietal in Spain, behind both Airen and Tempranillo, occupying approximately 1,184 hectares, or 3.5%, in DO Rioja.

Iberian Synonyms include: Cariñena, Catalan, Cencibel, Mataro, Samso, Tinto Mazuela

Graciano
Let me introduce our sensitive new-age grape, tending to produce very low yields with low PH. This is far from an …

So, did you do it? Did you delve deep into your cellar or find a bottle on top of the fridge that you forgot you had? Did you dig up a treasure that you had been saving without having a specific moment in mind to open it? We did!

That’s right, last Saturday night; we sat down with some good friends of ours and celebrated Open that Bottle Night, or in our case four! For us, it was a night to step out of our role as Spanish and Portuguese wine explorers. Wines of Iberia seem to be all that we have time for while living here, hence, it was a treat to open up a couple of bottles that didn’t hail from Iberia, but rather from it’s neighbors.

Slowly, I’ve been bringing over a few bottles from my cellar back in the States to have on hand for special occasions. This particular night, I brought one from Cotes du Ventoux, in France, and another one from Germany. The first one was a Rhone style blend that was elegant, simple, and fun to drink, the other a rich Icewine that had layers of caramel, honey, grapefruit, and more all wrapped up inside - both a delight to drink and a welcomed break from our typical tastings.

Make sure to look at this survey on the blog FERMENTATIONS. Not only is it informative, but it also really opened my eyes as to the perspective people have about Spanish wines. Of the 216 people who took the survey, you can be sure that every single one probably has enjoyed wine on a somewhat regular basis. I suggest reading the entire article, but I would like to point out a few numbers for you:

2. LEARNING
-Spain walks away with the award for most intriguing wines. Nearly 60% said they definitely want to learn more about this country’s wines. Italy is not far behind.

Not bad! I would have to agree that with 63 DOs (and this number is growing), and almost as many unheard of grapes as Italy, Spain certainly is “intriguing”. My top 3 picks for both “up and coming” regions and “new grapes to look out for” (in no particular order) are:

Regions:

Bierzo- Located in the far western edge of Castile y León, this region is making a name for itself most notably for the grape Mencia (see below). The vineyards are planted along the slopes of the river Sil and its tributaries. This area has really shown me what Spain can do by taking an almost forgotten grape and helping it reach its potential: Bierzo is a name to watch out for.
Txacoli- Granted there are 3 different Txacoli regions, but this area until recently was about to fade into the distance. However, with a resurgence of interest and money, a …

Something I have a discovered since I have been in Spain is the wide variety of grape varietals to be discovered. Not only do you have up and coming grapes like “mencia” or “verdejo”, but a whole host of grapes that one wine maker or another wants to see as the “next big grape”. While some of them have only been for blending in the past, many of these dark horses are slowly making an impression on the landscape of Spanish wine. Below is a description of a few of these taken from Jancis Robinson’s Guide to Wine Grapes, and accompanied by recent notes of my own.

Graciano
“…is a richly coloured, perfumed variety once widely grown in Rioja in northern Spain. It has fallen from favour because of it’s inconveniently low yields, thereby depriving modern Rioja of an important flarvour ingredient. It is still planted in Rioja (on about half a percent of available vineyard) and is being encouraged in Navarre….”

After reading this, I knew I needed to try some. The first note is from FENAVIN, the big Spanish wine trade show I attended a month ago, while the second note was from a bottle I found in the back of a shop in Haro, located in La Rioja. Both were very interesting and I look forward to trying more.

2003 Biurko Gorri Rioja - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (5/16/2005)
Deep red with a purple core. Musty nose of barnyard, black pepper and slate. Big in the mouth with big acid and tannin. Fruit is framed by black pepper-spice and earth. Very interesting and I look forward to trying more Graciano.
Catavino Score=4