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Spain’s Rioja area has a well-earned fame for making magnificent, strong pink wines. However what about white wines from Rioja? They won’t be as well-known as Rioja’s reds however they undoubtedly deserve recognition.
They’re crisp, dry and refreshing wines.
So how lengthy have winemakers there been making white wines?
Are there sure winemaking subregions in Rioja? And what grapes are used to make these wines?
This week, you’ll be able to be taught all about these great white wines from one in all Spain’s most well-known wine areas. Hope you take pleasure in.
THIS WEEK’S RECOMMENDED WINE
2019 CVNE Monopole Rioja ($15 Recommended Retail Value)
HISTORY OF WHITE WINES IN RIOJA
Positioned in Northeastern Spain not removed from France and the Atlantic Ocean, Rioja has been producing wine for greater than 3,000 years. The overwhelming majority of wine (91 p.c) made in Rioja is pink wine. The opposite 9 p.c of wine from Rioja is white wine.
Lots of the white wines made in Rioja are a mix of a number of completely different grapes. However some producers (together with the one featured this week) make white wines utilizing one specific grape from one specific winery.
WINE REGIONS IN RIOJA
Rioja wines come from three specific subregions in Rioja:
- Rioja Alavesa – Wine subregion positioned on the northern banks of the Ebro River within the Spanish province of Alava.
- Rioja Alta – Subregion positioned within the extra northern and western a part of Rioja with many increased altitude vineyards.
- Rioja Oriental – Previously generally known as Rioja Baja, this decrease altitude wine subregion is positioned within the japanese a part of Rioja.
GRAPES USED TO MAKE RIOJA WHITE WINES Winemakers in Rioja primarily make white wines utilizing 4 various kinds of grapes most frequently related to this specific wine area:
- Garnacha Blanca – Associated to its extra well-known pink Garnacha grape, Garnacha Blanca grapes are sometimes grown all through Northeastern Spain and France’s Rhone area, the place they’re usually blended with different grapes to make dry, crisp white wines.
- Macabeo (also called Viura) – The most well-liked white wine grape in Rioja, Macabeo makes up 69 p.c of the white wine grapes grown on this area. You too can discover Macabeo grapes in France’s Languedoc-Roussillon area.
- Malvasia – A widely-cultivated white wine grape that may be discovered in lots of different locations together with Rioja, together with many components of Italy. This versatile grape can also be typically used to make dessert wine and fortified wines just like port.
- Tempranillo Blanco – A comparatively new white wine grape found in 1988 and which is almost similar to pink Tempranillo grapes. You’ll largely solely discover Tempranillo Blanco grapes in Rioja.
As defined above, most white wines from Rioja are a mix of the 4 completely different grapes listed above. And like many different wine areas around the globe, a small share of Rioja white wines are additionally made utilizing Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc grapes.
WINE TASTING NOTES
2019 CVNE Monopole Rioja
CVNE stands for Compania Vinicola del Norte de Espana, which interprets to winemaking firm in northern Spain. CVNE is the title of the wine producer liable for this week’s excellent white wine. Based in 1879 within the Spanish village of Haro, CVNE makes a variety of pink and white wines from grapes grown within the vineyard’s 1,350 acres of vineyards in addition to from grapes grown in different close by vineyards. Many of the vineyard’s vineyards are positioned within the Rioja Alta area, together with the one used to make this specific white wine.
This specific white wine makes use of Macebo (Viura) grapes from one specific winery – Villalba de Rioja, which is positioned practically 2,000 toes above sea degree on a wind-swept hillside. The grapes are then fermented in chrome steel tanks and aged for eight months in French oak barrels.
The consequence? A fully excellent, dry, crisp white wine with hints of honeydew melon, sea salt and lemon zest. What I really like about this refined white wine is how distinct it tastes. It’s not making an attempt to be a white Burgundy or a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. It’s its personal, distinctive, great self. It’s austere but approachable, refreshing but reserved. And better of all, like many wines from Spain’s Rioja area, you don’t should lay our a fortune for such a great-tasting wine.
Cheers!
Wine Press by Ken Ross seems on Masslive.com each Monday and in The Republican’s weekend part each Thursday.
(Older “Wine Press” articles could be discovered here.)
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