Allow me to start this post with my visit to the Bodegas Peñafiel stand at the Cata Vins Sabadell Wine Fair last weekend. Bodegas Peñafiel is located in the heart of Ribera del Duero, situated in the central north portion of Spain. The attendant for the stand, Emilia Marín Fornielles was a tall blond in her early forties with a wonderful, open smile and kind demeanor. José Manuel from Yvinos was a friend of Emilia and was kind enough to not only guide me through her wines, which all showed very well, but also begin a conversation with Emilia regarding our FREE PDF for wineries on Social Media. For her part, she listened attentively and professional curiosity, but was clear that she was a hands on type of person. Someone who prefers a sensory experience in life, versus a distant digital experience, but was very eager to learn more about this “blogging” and “social networking” concept.

I say this because upon visiting Bodegas Peñafiel’s website this morning, I was astounded to see that they had a “blog” button on their header. Unbelievably excited, and a little astonished that our friend Emilia didn’t bring this up in conversation, I clicked on the header button to find zero posts. Not one. It appears to have been originally created for the winemaker to share their thoughts, but sadly this incredibly cool function has never been played with. It sits idle, unused, lacking any information. Which only makes me think, what happened? Did your web designer sell you this feature that you weren’t really interested in? Did someone forget to teach the winemaker …

First off, allow us to congratulate Lenn Thompson of Lenndevours for the 50th Anniversary of Wine Blog Wednesday, and to Russ Beebe of Winehiker for choosing such an appropriate theme for WBW #50: wine you’d go hiking with

And oh how we wish we were hiking right at this very minute. To be up in the mountains hearing the crackle of the leaves underfoot, the gentle brush of the cold wind across your cheeks, and the awe inspiring vision of the valleys sweeping down below you, while perched on a small outcropping. Sigh, I wish I could teleport us there, feeling my head on the soft, slightly wet ground staring up at the wispy clouds. But alas, we are here, in Terrassa, imagining a beautiful, relaxing day in the mountains, pondering what we would bring.

At first, we considered a light red to pair with our traditional hiking cuisine, consisting of cured Manchego cheese and a freshly baked baguette. But then we thought, “what about a big bold Spanish red that is so tightly wound, it would take hours for that bad boy to open and relax?”.

After much contemplation, we both agreed that this would be a great way to go. Pack in some fuet, a sharp Manchego and a baguette, hike for 3 to 4 hours after double decanting your bottle, and voila, you’ve got a fabulous little lunch. The only problem being, you’ve got to get back down the mountain. And as many of you know, these big ass Spanish reds pack in a fair amount of alcohol. So unless you’ve spend the entire afternoon tossing around a Frisbee, while downing a few …

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 …

Editor’s Note: This is our last, and one of our most controversial, posts on the difference between modern versus traditional wines of Rioja. Our intention has been to share a variety of perspectives beyond our own as to what Rioja winemakers perceive when they use the terms traditional and modern Rioja wine. Hopefully, you feel a little more grounded in this concept, but if you are still floundering, please let us know. We have plenty more eager Rioja winemakers happy to share their views.

You will first hear from Carlos Rodríguez, the oenologist at Bodegas Ondalan, located in Oyón in Rioja Alvesa, who was elated to answer our question. We would like to thank Michael Grisley of P. R. Grisley, an importer out of Salt Lake City, for helping us get in contact with Carlos. We’d also like to thank Rafael Vivanco and Maria Jose Lopez Heredia for taking the time to share their perspectives.

Question: How would you define the difference between a traditional Rioja wine and a modern Rioja wine and what do you think are the pluses and negatives of each style/philosophy?

Both are two completely different styles of wine from both the organoleptic (tasting) level and from the standpoint of viticulture and enology. Therefore, it’s difficult to summarize the differences between them in only a few words.

“Traditional Rioja” is a wine that shows a lower intensity of color and marked with notes of aging (as seen in the color orange). On an aromatic level, aromas are predominately tertiary originating from the evolution of the wine in cask where the fruit takes on more subtle nuances embedded in the wood. In the mouth, the wine at first feels fresh (well-integrated acidity) leading to …

Hey Rioja Fans!

Well, I can tell you with out a doubt that there is more information on Rioja than I possibly know what do to with. From wine routes to wineries, we’re overwhelmed with the amount of cool tips and basic facts we need to impart to you. In all honesty, it reminds me of walking into a candy store at age six and feeling so flushed with shock and excitement over the variety of incredibly delicious looking treats laid out before me that the only thing I know how to do is smile. That, my friends, is exactly how I feel! And considering that our experiences with Rioja have been limited at best, everything that’s been coming into our mailbox and through our email looks worthy of an article.

That said, I figured the best way to ring in the upcoming months was to throw the ball in your court and see if I can’t entice you to share a story or two about your own experiences. So have it! We’ve included some questions that are of interest to us, but if you have a more exciting tale to tell, we’re giving you free reign!

Having divulged my “first” Rioja wine with you, can you dig deep into your own memory bank and draw up the first time your lips touched a wine from Rioja? What was it and was it any good?

Assuming that you’ve become fanatic Spanish wine drinkers as a result of us (well, a girl can dream), what ranks as your creme de la creme Rioja wine, and what makes it do good?

If you had the full attention of someone from D.O.C.a Rioja or a winemaker, what question have you always wanted to know about the wines, the region, the regulations or …