Decanter January 2022

GRAPES: GARNACHA THE RISE AND RISE OF GARNACHA Spain’s widespread excitement for Garnacha has spread to Rioja. Traditionally used in blends, this grape variety is not only performing well on its own, but is also capturing the distinctive character of the region’s terroirs STORY AMAYA CERVERA Garnacha is an increasingly popular choice for ambitious winemakers in Rioja. ‘It reflects the specific character of an area better than Tempranillo,’ says Juan Bautista García of Bodegas Paco García, who discovered that most of the old vineyards in Murillo de Río Leza – the village southeast of Logroño where he is based – were planted with Garnacha. ‘Tempranillo is fairly homogenous; Garnacha is prone to coulure [poor fruit set after flowering] and production can vary widely, but it offers far more diversity and…

RIOJA GUIDE CERVERA’S PICK: 10 RIOJA GARNACHA WINES TO SEEK OUT Ojuel, Fuente León Garnacha Blanca 2019 91 N/A UK ojuelwine.com After reviving supurao, a traditional sweet wine made from dehydrated grapes, Miguel Martínez continues to explore the highaltitude vineyards of Sierra de Moncalvillo. This limited release (a little more than 600 bottles) was fermented with 30% skins. There is something wild about the wine, with dried herbs, white fruit and a nice tension on the palate. Drink 2021-2024 Alcohol 13% 1 Cornelio Dinastía, Vega Vella Garnacha Blanca Fermentada en Huevo de Hormigón 2020 90 N/A UK bodegascornelio.com An organic wine sourced from vineyards grown on lime/clay soils in Rioja Oriental. The style is opulent and fruit-driven (pear, peach), probably due to the fact that the wine has been aged…

RIOJA GUIDE PEOPLE WHO’S WHO IN RIOJA From winemakers to academics, restaurateurs and innovators, the region of Rioja continues to be shaped by the people who live and work there. Here we profile some of the key influencers you need to know STORY PEDRO BALLESTEROS TORRES MW, SARAH JANE EVANS MW, AMAYA CERVERA, YOLANDA ORTIZ DE ARRI IZARRA, PILAR CAVERO ABEL MENDOZA MONGE Abel Mendoza Monge epitomises free-thinking and a long-term vision for Rioja Alavesa. His approach is to observe his vineyards, research their history, and interpret them in ways that, although new, are also deeply respectful of the land and culture. Mendoza’s family were vine-growers, but he showed an early interest in making wine, too. Later, he teamed up with his wife Maite and launched a wine project that,…

RIOJA GUIDE WELCOME TO RIOJA A GUIDE TO SPAIN’S MOST FAMOUS WINE REGION PHOTOGRAPH SALIMA SENYAVSKAYA/GETTY IMAGES Welcome to our Rioja supplement – a first for Decanter. We hope you will enjoy it as much as we have enjoyed creating it. Our intention is to give you an authoritative snapshot of the Rioja region today, of the wines and winemakers, what’s happening now, what to do when you make your own trip there and what to buy, be it direct from the wineries or here in the UK. While the costs were kindly underwritten by the Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja (riojawine.com), all of the content in this guide is completely independent. What’s more, all the wines tasted and scored in the pages that follow were tasted ‘blind’ (with the exception…

RIOJA GUIDE OLD VINES PRESERVING OLD VINE HERITAGE New legislation in Rioja is aimed at protecting the region’s old vines. But how effective will the new measures be? And does vine age make a real difference to quality in Rioja? STORY PEDRO BALLESTEROS TORRES MW Early in 2021, the Rioja DOCa authorities approved a number of measures aimed at preserving the old vines of the region – a strategy focusing on the vineyard rather than on the wines or their distribution. Although this initiative won’t be immediately reflected on the shelves of wine shops, it will have a real effect in the vineyards of Rioja. Across the EU, the wine sector is highly regulated. Unfortunately, many existing policies, based on concerns about productivity, have led to vineyard replacement rather than…

DIVERSITY THE DIVERSITY OF RIOJA IN SIX WINES Say the word Rioja and most wine drinkers think of a mellow, traditional red. But update that image: Rioja is now increasingly varied and innovative, with new techniques, terroirs and wine styles making their mark STORY DAVID WILLIAMS All wine regions tend to be stereotyped to a certain degree – and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If a region has managed to get its name associated with, say, aromatic whites or sparkling wines or powerful spicy reds, that can give it a head start at the local supermarket or restaurant. As customers, we feel as though we know what we’re getting from Rías Baixas, or Champagne or the Barossa Valley, almost to the point where the producer’s name becomes secondary, a…