These unique wines are produced in the valley of the Ebro River, the largest in Spain, and its outlying tributaries : Tirón, Oja, Najerilla, Iregua, Leza, Jubera and Cidacos. The northern limit of the Rioja region is the Sierra de Canabria, to the South the Sierra de Demanda. These two mountain ranges protect the area year-round against harsh climatic influences. Rioja and its wines have been key players throughout Spanish history. This is partly due to it geographical location on one of the country’s most important historical crossroads.

Some of these ancient routes pre-date the Romans - who brought vines and winemaking to Spain. Other passageways, like the Road of the Pilgrims of Santiago, transformed the towns of Rioja into important commercial platforms for the wine business. At that time, wine was already produced at the region’s monasteries. Linguists identify Rioja as the cradle of “Castellano,” Spanish, the language of Cervantes. Travelling the “Roads of Rioja” it was then spread throughout Spain.
Wine has been an integral part of Rioja life for centuries. In 1635 the Mayor of Lagroño forbade horse-driven carriages to pass near the bodegas - concerned that its vibrations would harm the precious wines ripening in the cellars. Prior to that, in 1324, King Don Sancho had already released the first law of protection for Rioja, limiting the competition by prohibiting the import of foreign wines. This law remained until 1479, when it was annulled by the Catholic Kings.

Rioja’s history is filled with attempts to improve the quality of the region’s wines. One example is the creation in 1787 of the “Real Sociedad Economica de Cosecheros de Rioja” (The Economic association of Producers of Rioja) which regulated wine cultivation, winemaking and its commercialization. That same year, Manuel Quintano, one of the great influences on the evolution of Rioja wines, travelled to Bordeaux in order to learn French winemaking techniques.
He transferred their methods to Rioja. Many growers resisted these fundamental changes and he made many enemies, yet he and his followers : Luciano Murrieta, Espartero y Camilo Hurtado de Amézaga and Marqués de Riscal, finally succeeded. With the help of the Bodegueros and farmers mentioned above, Rioja’s winemaking prospered. But that came to a halt in the 19th century due to the outbreak of plagues that came from France, such as “El Oidio” in 1852-62 and Phyloxera in 1863. These pests destroyed French vineyards and forced its wine producers to seek other lands for cultivation beyond their borders.

The diseases in France appeared at the same time Rioja producers had their own problems such as overproduction which caused falling prices and lower quality wines. However, in 1862, following the suggestions of El Marques de Riscal, a Frenchman, Jean Pineau, was put under contract to improve Spain’s winemaking techniques.
Jean has been considered the father of modern Rioja ever since.Pineau’s objective was to introduce and practice the same winemaking method used in the province of Gironde in France. Mr. Pineau succeeded in producing wines in Spain that satisfied most tastes.

His Rioja wines had a French style -softer on the palate and aging longer without increasing the alcohol. Pineau led the way to what many have called “the wine revolution” of Rioja. Rioja wines began to flourish.
Olive groves were removed and cornfields disappeared. The number of day?labourers doubled. Meanwhile, France’s battle against Philoxera began to show success beginning in 1890. However, its devastation was transmitted to Rioja in 1909 and nearly destroyed the region’s vineyards. The rebuilding of the vineyards was, once again, assisted by the French and Rioja knew how to profit from this opportunity.

Many pioneer Spanish entrepreneurs imported French technicians. Wine makers such as Murrieta, Riscal and Amezola triumphed by choosing the most modern winemaking techniques. World War I presented an opportunity for a renaissance in Rioja, for Spain kept a neutral position in this conflict. However, this wasn’t to be, for the Spanish Civil War was soon to follow. Later, during the post-war period, Rioja attempted to rally their wine business by creating cooperatives among bodegas, but the concept didn’t work. The co-ops ended up growing grapes and delivering their raw material to the well known brands.

Years later, several laws created the basis for another recovery. In 1902, the “Real Orden” was created, defining and monitoring wine origins. In 1926, the “Consejo Regulador” was established, whose role was to limit the zone of Rioja. They would control quality and set forth laws to protect the reputation of Rioja wines.
It was not until 1945 that the “Consejo” was legally constituted and not until 1970, that the rules and regulations of the D.O. were accepted and the “Consejo Regulador” became a structure with perfectly defined functions. This brought on the birth of the “New Rioja,” still enjoyed today.

Later, in 1991, D.O. Rioja was granted the additional term “Calificada,” which indicates that the strictest standards of quality control in the world are in place. Rioja is the first and only D.O. in Spain with this distinction. The Denominación de Origen (D.O.) is the institution used in Spain to recognize the quality and the origin of products, produced in a specific geographically delimited area.
These items have a certain specificity, which guarantees quality originating from a specific area. In regards to wine, that means each bottle will have a label for each category of wine : Joven (Young), Crianza (raised in oak barrels), Reserva (Aged longer in barrel), Gran Reserva (Aged for a long time in barrels).

The region covers territories of three different autonomous communities : La Rioja (80% ), Navarra (5%) and El Paìs Basco (15%). There are different soils and climatic zones, which favour the development of the vines’ different characteristics, and mark the specificity of its wines.
There are big differences in terms of soil, exposure to the sun and influences from the Cantábrico Sea, and thus Rioja is technically divided into three areas. More than 60.700 hectares of the total territory of Rioja is further subdivided into Rioja Alta (50%), where excellent wines with great aging potential are produced, Rioja Baja (30%), where great red and rosé wines with lots of colour and extraction come from, and Rioja Alavesa (20%), which also makes some very fine wines.

There are two major climatic zones in Rioja, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. The upper part of the Ebro River from Logroño onwards is rainier, the autumns moderate, the winters long and the summers cold. The land under Mediterranean influence is drier with sunny winters and hot summers.
These differences give the wines produced in these zones a different profile and style : The Atlantic zone wines are lighter with acidity and fruitiness,while the Mediterranean ones are more full-bodied and have a higher degree of alcohol.

Rioja has three different types of soil which impart different characteristics to their wines. The calcareous clay in Rioja Alavesa and parts of La Rioja Alta are the best for producing high quality wines. Structured in terraces and small vineyards, they produce concentrated wines with much glycerine and a high PH. These wines have great aging potential and cover about 25% of the Zone. Then there is the ferriferous clay soils found throughout the D.O. which covers another 25%.
Composed of mostly clay and lime, they have a reddish colour and produce wines with characteristics in between the other two. The last is the alluvial soils. They result in wines with a higher degree of alcohol, but a low Ph and are not well suited for ageing. Another factor that creates diversity is the different grape varieties. Red Rioja wines use Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano. The Queen of grape varieties is Tempranillo, which covers about 61% of La Rioja. Itscontinued cultivation has increased and has left the other varieties behind.

The second most used grape variety in Rioja is Garnacha (about 18%) but its use is decreasing.This is the red grape that occupies the biggest surface in the World, 33,000 hectares, of which 240,000 are situated in Spain. Among the white grape varieties, Viura is mostly found, covering 15% of the district.
Rioja also has some Malvasia (0, 25%) and white Garnacha (0, 09%) - a variation of the red Garnacha. In addition to the differences in climate, soil and grapes we have different winemaking techniques. There are two different ways to cultivate the vines, the high trellis system and the bush system. Rioja produces red wines, rosados and white wines, but Rioja was famous for its “claretes”, which the Arabs called “aloques”, even before most of the world began drinking red wines.

Today these wines are produced with great care and attention in several ways. There is the usual method, the traditional method (without crushing the berries) carbonic maceration, etc. But imagination develops into real art when it comes to the use of barrels and ageing. In the barrels, the wine is elaborated and acquires a particular aroma, predominantly one of vanilla together with one of oak.
With barrel aging, glass bottling and the use of traditional cork the wine undergoes the very complex processes of oxidation and reduction.

It’s evident that today many consumers consider Rioja one of the elite wine regions of the world. Thanks to the work of the producers and managers of the bodegas, the D.O. Rioja is enjoying one of its best moments in history, with increasing demand in the national and export markets.
With a completely restructured viticulture, that has increased its quality but preserved its originality. Rioja is able to offer a vast diversity of wines with great typical character. The latest statistics underline this evolution.
The sales of Rioja wines reached a total of 249.8 million litres in 2007, an increase of 4.8% compared to the preceding year, according to statistics delivered by the Consejo Regulador.

Out of this total, 170.8 million litres were sold in Spain, an increase of 2.88% compared with 2006, and nearly 79 million litres were exported, an increase of 9.24%. The most wines sold were young ones or wines without barrel aging with 105.5 million litres of which 73.4 million were sold in Spain and 32 million exported. 40.2 million litres of Reserva were sold, an increase of 7.55%,compared to 2006, of which nearly 19.8 million were sold in Spain and 20.3 million abroad.

Of Gran Reserva, 6 Million litres were sold, an increase of 14.16%, of which 2.4 million litres were sold in Spain and 3.6 abroad. According to statistics, the total amount of grapes harvested from the 60.774 hectares was about 421 million kilos, of which a little more than 375 million kilos were red grapes and nearly 37 millions were white grapes.
Meanwhile, production decreased 2.2% compared to 2006, while land under cultivation increased by about 400 hectares, which confirms the forecast of the “Consejo”, which announced a more moderate harvest.

The vegetative period was extended over the last year and the harvest can be considered as predominantly long and selective, which made it particularly favourable for the quality of the fruit and also made the work of the oenologists more comfortable. With moderate yields, green harvesting-the elimination of grapes before the harvest- was not really necessary and the health of the grapes was excellent.

The harvest took place between the Third of September and the Second of November in a very selective manner according to the evolution of the grapes in each single vineyard. The major part of the grapes were harvested and arrived at the bodegas at optimal ripeness and with a great balance of all the factors that determine great quality : degree of alcohol, Polyphenols and acidity.
The majority of the technicians were very satisfied with the quality of the harvest, and hoped for a great 2007 vintage with wonderful ageing potential, similar to the excellent quality obtained over the last years. A significant sign was the increasing production of Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva wines over the past years, which now achieves a similar quota of the market as those of young red wines. There is also a great improvement in quality which has been recognized by the experts as well as consumers in general.

On an international level, the United States is the third most important market for Rioja wines right after Great Britain and Germany. About 7 million litres are sold to the U.S. per year and the Crianza wines represent 70% of the total sold. In addition, this is the market on which Rioja is expending its greatest communication efforts.

 About 2.12 million Euros have been invested in 2007, and this amount will increase this year. The Consejo Regulador of the DOC Rioja is currently working on a campaign called “Vibrant Rioja” to make the consumer discover the passion for wine that exists in Rioja and understand how the region has been evolving during the past 15 years. This communication initiative includes the sponsoring of New York Fashion week and a partnership with the Culinary Institute of America, which teaches the most promising and important new chefs and sommeliers in the U.S.

The Rioja region is more recognized now in the U.S. and was recently nominated “Wine Star 2007” by the “Wine Enthusiast” magazine. The traditional companies- according to the publication- are showing a very strategic approach, keeping and improving the classics, whereas the new companies are very creative and audacious.
Even though Rioja can look back on centuries of experience and history, it is currently undergoing a stylistic revolution or, as the bodegueros want to put it, an evolution. The region has continued to impose itself on the international wine scene reaching new summits in the production of world class wines.

Today, Rioja is considered the flagship of Spanish wines. Not only for its ageing potential, but for its great quality. Rioja wines generally have a moderate alcoholic content, which allows them to be enjoyed during tastings. They have a high acidity, and soft tannins, which are well integrated, with discreet and elegant aromas, only equalled by their moderate and subtle colour.
These wines are aromatic enough to be remarked by tasters but also elegant enough to pair well with food without being too dominant. Rioja is blessed to produce wines of excellent quality-price ratio, high quality and high concentration, which sell very successfully on the world market.

Its bodegueros and producers exhibit the best example of adaptation to the needs and preferences of new consumers. Although very fond of history and tradition, they are making great efforts to innovate and adapt to new times as well. The Consejo Regulador will officially present its new logo which after October 2008 will be on all DOC Rioja bottles. The object is to increase the recognition and prestige of the wines on the international markets.
The new labels will be available in four categories o wines : Joven ( Young) vintage 2008, Crianza vintage 2006, Reserva vintage 2005, and Gran Reserva, Vintage 2003. The new image is the response to a new Tempranillo with an artistic style expressing the “strong reality of this Denomination, the dynamic character and permanent evolution of the Riojan winemaking model”. A logo which expresses “Soundness, prestige and history”, states the Consejo Regulador.

The President of the Institution, Victor Pascual, considers the modernization of the image an important step in the promotion of the region as it evolves and strengthens year after year. A recent study shows that Rioja is the leading wine region in the world in terms of point of sale recognition.
This study was done for the company Vinitrak and undertaken by the consulting firm Wine Intelligence. It was based on surveys of over 11,000 consumers in eleven countries, that represent 75% of the total consumption of quality wines in the World : Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The main objective of this study was to measure the notoriety of the different regions that reach the consumers, as well as to analyse their demands from a selling point. A study realized in 2007 by AC Nielsen consulting showed that this DOC is leading in the market for quality Spanish wines, with 39.4% of the total wines sold with the distinction of Denominación de Origen.

According to AC Nielsen, the reputation of Rioja wines has been built upon the good image it has in the present market, as well as its capacity to adapt to changing demand, respond to different segments of the market and still keep its image of quality, barrel aged wines. Taking a global look at the geography of Spanish wine sales, Rioja leads with 39.4% of the market, followed distantly by Valdepeñas and Navarra (7.4%), Ribera del Duero (7,2%), Mancha (4,8%) and Rueda (4,6%).
Even though Rioja benefits from the recognition and fidelity of its consumers and from a very stable leadership position in the grocery and gastronomy distribution channels, the further growth of sales is not without risks, as Rioja still faces growing competition from other wine regions.

If Rioja is the most international wine region of Spain, Marques de Caceres is the Spanish bodega whose wines travel the most. This very impressive bodega, founded in 1970 is the achievement of any bodeguero : Making elegant wines that consumers like and making their names recognizable in the world.
This brand, held by Vicente Noguera y Espinosa de los Monteros, Marques de Caceres, is the property of the Forner family, who before their arrival in Rioja, were already experienced in the wine trade in Bordeaux.
Following the advice of Emile Peinaud of ‘Masters of Oenology,’ the family arrived in Spain, restructuring the traditional concept of Riojan viticulture in their definition of the wines as well as their winemaking and ageing methods.

When local tradition was the practice of long ageing in barrels, sometimes in very old barrels, Marques de Caceres decided to age their wines in newer ones and to give them less time in barrels, thus giving more expression to the fruit and increasing the original potential of the terroir.
Situated in the locality of Cenicero, about 20 kilometres from Logroño in Rioja Alta, the bodega possesses modern installations, a huge and spacious cellar with about 400.000 barrels for the elaboration of the red wines in addition to a very impressive bottle cellar with nearly 10 million bottles.

- Marques de Caceres Crianza 2004
85% Tempranillo 15% Garnacha Tinta and Graciano

TASTING : One of the Best Spanish Wines for the value. This fabulous Marques de Caceres, which is available both at restaurants and supermarkets, shows all the characteristics of a great Rioja, with a lovely ruby colour, straight aromas of red fruits and signs of elegant aging in oak of high quality. On the palate it’s also very straight and fleshy with elegant tannins. Like all the wines of Marques de Caceres everything is in the elegance and balance.

Situated in the heart of Rioja Alta, the bodega Castillo de Sajazarra owes its name to a medieval castle from the 12th century in the village of Sajazarra some 55 kilometres from Logroño. The castle was acquired in 1970 by the Libano family, the current owners of the bodega, who have started a careful process of restructuring the building, transforming it into one of the best preserved monuments in the region.

With the same investment, effort and care they started an incomparable career in the art of elaborating and commercializingwines, thanks to the best methods of making and choosing barrels they have made this bodega into one of Rioja’s biggest. Castillo de Sajazarra is one of the very few bodegas that controls the complete cycle of the wine, from the vineyard to the bottle.
The Bodega Sajazarra’s main objective is to produce “singular, elegant and ample wines with great personality. In addition, this bodega has managed to maintain classical and purest Riojan style, yet has also adapted to the new requirements of today’s palate.

- Digma 2004
100% Tempranillo

TASTING : Appreciated by most renowned tasters of Spain today. This wine of Castillo Sajazarra has been aged for 18 months in French oak barrels and 12 months in bottles. It
has elegant notes of ripe red fruits and the minerals nearly explode on the palate, where one can also perceive aromas of balsamic, coffee, and red fruits, all very well integrated.

Bodegas Muga is simple rigor from the moment of elaboration and ageing of the wines. The Bodega belongs entirely to the Muga family, and it has a yearly production of 1.5 million bottles mainly (80%) red wines.
They also make whites and a Rosé. Four out of ten bottles are sold abroad, especially in the U.S. where the sales of Muga have increased 50% compared to 2003. The United States represents 15% of sales abroad for this Bodega created in 1932 by Isaac Muga. Their wines are the product of the best grapes together with the experience of this family.
 
- Torre Muga 2004
Tempranillo, Mazuelo and Graciano

TASTING : Aged for 18 month in new French oak barrels, it has ruby red colour, that invites you to discover the aroma and elegant notes of red fruits combined with discreet spices (cloves, pepper) and a certain minerality . Fleshy, seductive with great body, a great Rioja, aged in young and noble oak.

This bodega which shares its name with the Grupo Empresarial Campañia Vinicola del Norte de España was founded in the small town of Haro in Alta Rioja in the year 1879, which means it has 130 years of experience in the elaboration of wines. Managed by the fifth generation of the founder family, the group has three bodegas in Rioja : Cvne Haro, the oldest and the headquarters of the group produces the famous wines : Cvne, Imperial, Real de Asúa, and Monopole y Cornoa; Viña Real, which gave its name to one of the most recognized wines of Rioja on the national and international levels and Viñedos del Contino : “a château in the middle of Rioja Alavesa”, according to its owners, where the brands Contino and Viña del Olivo are vinified.

Right now Cvne cultivates about 600 hectares of vineyards, the production of which covers 50% of its needs. The rest is bought in bulk from selected producers of confidence. Cvne is a brand recommended for wine experts and wine lovers, and which has kept an excellent money value during its many years.
The bodega earns about 20% of its income with sales abroad. Cvne has been quoted since 1997 on the stock exchange, however it has always kept a very traditional approach to the elaboration of wines and is responsible for some great achievements in the viticultural history of Rioja, standing as an example of the latest techniques and technologies of modern winemaking.

- Cvne Crianza
80% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha Tinta and Mazuelo

TASTING : Excellent, red Rioja which after malolactic fermentation is aged for 12 months in french oak barrels before being bottled. Of red colour with purple hues, great panel of forest fruit aromas which are very well integrated with Balsamic and spices. On the palate this wine is elegant, very pleasant with a correct finish.

Situated in the village of El Ciego (Alava), Vinos de los Herederos del Marques de Riscal, is one of the most historical Bodegas in the country. This Bodega revolutionized Rioja and years later Rueda, the major white wine producing region  in Spain. Always wisely advised by the best and greatest experts of their time (Jean Pineau – in Rioja – and Emile Peineaud – in Rueda), the bodega Marques de Riscal started bottling in 1862, serving as an example for all the other bodegas of the region.

The history of Herederos del Marques de Riscal goes to the XXI century with the construction in the bodega of a building created by the Canadian architect Frank O. Gehry, one of the most recognized architects of the world. The building, which was inaugurated in 2006, hosts a Five Star restaurant, a spa for vinotherapy and a hotel, managed by Starwood Hotels & Resorts.
Surrounded by the beautiful vineyards of Rioja, this is an ideal place to enjoy the wines. This complex, covering a surface of almost 100,000 square metres, is once again another example of the philosophy of Marques del Riscal : The perfect balance between tradition and modernity.

- Marques de Riscal Reserva 2003
90% Tempranillo, 10% de Graciano and Mazuelo

TASTING : Produced of grapes from Tempranillo vines older than 15 years, this wine is appreciated by the young, as well as the more mature. With ruby red colour, it has elegant aromas of cedar, balsamic and vanilla, that let the master perceive the nobility of the barrels in which it was aged. On the palate it is wide and superb with a long aftertaste.

It is another old historical bodega of Rioja and Spain. Its origin goes back to the middle of the XIX century when Luciano de Murrieta, “the revolutionizer” of that time started to sell wines to countries as far away as Mexico and Havana.Until the acquisition of the bodega in 1983 by the aristocrat Cebrian Sagarra, Marques de Murrieta remained in the hands of this family, keeping the spirit and mood of its founder.

The bodega, the ancient Château Ygay, is surrounded by 300 hectares of elegant, well trimmed vineyards in Bordelais style. The wines characteristics are between traditional and modern, allowing Marques de Murrieta to become a unique reference point thanks to brands such as El Dorado - WhiteReserva, Marques de Murrieta, Castillo de Ygay y Dalmau.

- Marques de Murrieta Reserva 2003
88% Tempranillo, 8% Garnacha Tinta, 4% Mazuelo

TASTING : The Best Grapes of Finca Ygay and a great elaboration as well as 25 months of barrel ageing in American oak and 12 months in bottles are the keys to the success of this wine, which has extraordinary dark red colour with cinnamon hues. Some of the most dominant aromas it offers are balsamic, vanilla and mature red fruit. It also shows a lively attitude on the palate, being very ample but delicate with a long finish.

Not only present in Rioja but also in the D.O.’s Jerez and Ribera del Duero, the Paternina Group unites all the qualities and advantages of a wonderful bodega : great vines, modern
techiniques of elaboration and creative marketing.
All these factors permitted the great CEO Marcos Eguizábal, who manages the group, to make Paternina one of the major bodegas in Spain and one of the few quoted on the Spanish stock exchange. Conde de los Andes in Rioja, which is situated in the village of Ollauri, was created in the year 1896, and it’s one of the most outstanding bodegas in Rioja.

The huge cellars are dug 40 metres deep into the rocks, where the temperature remains the same all the time. These are ideal conditions for ageing the wine. They also have a bodega in Haro, which is one of the biggest in Europe. Equipped with the latest technology for the elaboration and the ageing of the wines, the bodega covers a total surface of 87,000 square metres, 38,000 of which are gardens and vineyards.

- Conde de los Andes Reserva
Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta and Mazuelo

TASTING : A spectacular Rioja wine. Very classic, ruby red colour with darker hue, very limpid. On the nose, elegant aromas of mature red fruits, leather, spices and some hints of vanilla. Opens very easily once on the palate where it develops all its aromas that have ripened in high quality oak barrels.

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