Rioja Does Not Mean Spanish Wine
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Transcript of Rioja Does Not Mean Spanish Wine
I know, I know. I just ruined your game plan when you were trying
to impress your friends while ordering Spanish wine. Allow me to
begin by saying, “I’m sorry”. Actually, no I’m not. This is a commonly
known disease called Riojitis. But don’t worry, there is a cure – and the
treatment doesn’t hurt a bit.
Since the end of the Franco monarchy in 1975, Spain has continued
to go through a wild cultural revolution. Music, � lm, design, fashion,
food, wine, and other industries that were once not allowed to � ourish
in the name of the greater good came out from under their rocks. And
� ourish they have. In the case of wine, Spain currently has more vines
planted than any other country in the world, and is the world’s 3rd largest
Rioja Does Not Mean Spanish Wineeno tech
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wine producer behind Italy and France. With almost 80 regions working
with distinct grape varieties, many indigenous to Spain, it has a diverse
range of wine styles.
In the hopes of providing a snapshot of a few of these styles, listed
below are my top � ve non-Rioja wine regions of Spain. That’s right, Rioja
is a region, not a grape. After tasting at least one wine from each of
these regions, your case of Riojitis will be gone.
Sherry-Jerez-Xeres – “The Archie Bunker”
(The Old Curmudgeon)
In the U.S. most people put Sherry in same category as fruitcake – stale
and sticky. It’s something no one admits to liking, yet it’s sold all over
the country. Unlike fruitcake, it turns out that Sherry happens to make
some of the most unique and delicious wines in the world. Historically,
these wines were so prized that during the Age of Exploration, Magellan
spent more money on Sherry than on weapons for his voyages.
By inventing a wine-ageing technique known as the Solera System,
where wines are cross-blended between years to produce consistent
� avors, Sherry produces dynamic, oxidized wines in both dry and sweet
styles. This region boasts the most original winemaking traditions of
Spain that can be traced back over centuries and represents Spain’s
greatest and most original contribution to the world of wine. Here are a
The Pingus vineyards
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few recommended examples for the adventurous wine drinker:
Manzanilla or Fino: These are the lightest and driest styles with no
trace of sugar to be found. Think of them as the salty ‘White Wine
Spritzers’ of Sherry that are refreshingly cold.
Amontillado or Oloroso: Lightly browned, these lightly oxidized wines
are savory, not sweet, with � avors of walnuts/hazelnuts.
PX: Short for Pedro Ximenez. The PX grapes are dried in the sun
and provide the basis for the sweetest form of Sherry. With a texture so
luscious you’ll think about it on pancakes but you’ll prefer it with a piece
blue cheese.
Penedès – “The Frank Gehry”
(Beauty in Sleek Modernism)
This region is home to one of the most forward-thinking winemakers
in Spain, Miguel Torres. Aside from being outspoken regarding the
effects of climate change and investing heavily in modern science
and technology to combat it, he is equally innovative in the vineyard.
Employing satellite imagery to take pictures of his vineyards, he
determined which vines received the most light and then divided his
land into different parcels, giving each one a classi� cation based on
his theory. Most of us know the Torres name for the Sangre de Toro, a
cheap and cheerful red blend sold in most liquor stores. But as validation
of his methods, in the 1970s his single-vineyard, 100 percent Cabernet
Sauvignon, called Mas La Plana, beat all other contenders (including
Chateau Latour) in a blind tasting in Paris.
The arguably bigger story is that this region is home to Spain’s
greatest sparkling wines, Cava, the Spanish version of Champagne-
style bubbly. The Cava process follows the exact steps as Champagne,
including the most crucial step when the second fermentation happens
in the same bottle in which the wine is sold. This is vitally important
to quality because the persistence of the bubble has little chance to
dissipate since it never leaves the sealed environment.
The history of Cava only dates back to the mid-1800s, but there
are grounds for its reputation as one of the greatest examples of dry
sparkling wine made outside France. The distinctive character of Cava
can be found both in nuanced, delicate, and bone-dry styles and hearty,
smoky, and oak-tinged versions. Although not as established as great
Champagne, they are great wines sold at a fraction of the price. Whether
you know it or not, you have probably enjoyed a glass of “complimentary
Champagne” and been served a delicious glass of Cava.
Ribera del Duero – “The Donald Trump”
(The Golden Comb Over of Wine)
Ribera del Duero is home to luxurious, oak-laden red wines, the best
of which are produced by three of the most famous wineries in Spain.
Historically it is known for the world-renowned Vega Sicilia, a winery
that is the source of Bordeaux-styled wines of myth and story. Further
elevating itself into the spotlight in the 1980’s, the wines of Pesquera
showed once again that the region was capable of
grandeur. Most recently, staying true to pedigree, a
Danish winemaker named Peter Sisseck established the
now legendary, critically acclaimed Dominio de Pingus in
the 1990s.
When Ribera del Duero shines the wines are robust,
powerful, and graceful with a price tag to match. Made
almost entirely from the grape Tempranillo, these mouth-
� lling wines would make any table of Hedgefunders
happy at a steak house power lunch. In addition to these
leading three wineries, there are numerous lesser-known
wines of distinction from every corner of the region.
Unfortunately, there are also sub-par, over-priced wines
that piggyback on the name of the region. It is because
Ribera has been unable to raise its level of overall quality
that the upper-tier wines are lumped in with the mass-
produced, simply oaky wines of disinterest. Until this
is remedied, it will be up to the wine drinker to navigate
by speci� c winery rather than by being able to trust the
schizophrenic nature of the region. (Why do you do this
to yourself, Ribera? Why!?)
Priorat – “The Manu Chao”
(when Spanish and French infl uences combine)
Priorat was only a blip on the Spanish wine map for centuries from the
time that monks � rst planted vines in the area in the 1200s. It wasn’t
until the 1990s that a handful of French and Spanish winemakers came
together to form the original � ve “Clos” – Clos Martinet, Clos Mogador,
Clos Erasmus, Clos L’Ermita, and Clos de l’Obac. Once established,
This photo : Wine cellar at Pingus winery. Top, from
left: Gnarly Tempranillo vines in Ribera del Duero at
Pingus vineyards; Albariño vines trained head high
on pillars to provide airfl ow, preventing grapes from
rot in damp climate; Vega Sicilia barrel room.
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This page, from left: Terraced vineyards in the
Priorat; Walled vineyard at Albet i Noya winery in the
Penedes; Barrels in the Solera System at Lustau.
Bottom: Terraced vineyards under snow at Clos
L’Ermita in Priorat; Track and pulley system used to
pull baskets of Mencia grapes up the sloped
vineyards in Ribera Sacra.
these wineries changed the vineyard ecology to organic and biodynamic
practices and introduced French oak for ageing, thus creating deeply
fruited, � nessed, and powerful wines. Were it not for this severe change
in approach, the wines of the Priorat would have remained anonymously
produced by state run co-operatives while outsiders may have only
stopped to take notice of the local Sherry-styled wines, called Rancio.
The red wines are now made using French techniques in the winery,
and are predominantly based on the nearly century-old vines of
Grenache and Carignan. White wines are based mostly on White
Grenache, but they are allowed to blend with a plethora of obscure
local and international varieties. Both whites and reds are harvested
from impossibly steep terraced vineyards forcing the work to be done
painstakingly by hand. There is a particular soil-type called Llicorella
that’s found in the region that provides a distinct smoky mineral � avor in
the wines common to every bottle labeled Priorat. I only hope that high
prices spurred by huge point ratings in the wine press don’t doom this
region to an unsustainable reputation of greatness yet to be proven in
the long run. There is great quality here and promise in recent vintages
where less expensive cuvee’s are starting to be produced. Perhaps this
ability to produce wines of all quality will be Priorat’s saving grace.
Galicia – “The Tony Bennett”
(Great then, somehow better now)
Galicia is not actually a winemaking area, but is the most northwesterly
province in Spain, which is host to a slew of wine regions. The most
seasoned of these regions is Rias Baixas where the locals drink
seafood-friendly wines
based on the white grape,
Albariño. Beyond the
well-established sea-salty,
citrusy, and stone-fruited
Albariño wines, this is also
home to Spain’s newest
rising star grape varieties:
the indigenous, all but
forgotten, white Godello
and red Mencia. In the
last 10 years, the quality
of wines coming out of
regions like Valdeorras,
Ribera Sacra, Ribiero, and Bierzo (this last one technically not a part
of the province, though in wine terms it shares much in common) are
nothing short of stunning.
Godello is an ancient native grape variety that ripens unevenly and
needs the watchful eye of the grape grower to remain vigilant during
harvest. When harvested properly it creates acid-driven wines that
are everything from crisp, bone-dry and minerally, to rich and creamy
interpretations teeming with honey-suckle and ripe citrus fruits. The best
of these whites come from Valdeorras, but great examples can also be
found in Ribera Sacra and Bierzo.
Mencia is equally impressive for its perfumed, peppery, mineral-
driven, and herbal tea-like nature. It has been penned that there may
be a link between it and Cabernet Franc, but it has not been proven
by genetic testing yet. The cool climate regions of Bierzo and Ribera
Sacra founded on their granite soils are perfect beds upon which Mencia
� ourishes. Traditionally these wines were created in concrete tanks,
yielding rough, rustic and slightly awkward wines. With the in� ux of
cleaner, more modern techniques utilizing stainless steel tanks and
oak barrels, a new age of wines made from the traditionally overlooked
Mencia has been borne.
Take that, Riojitis! Feel it melt away as your curiosity propels you to
sample some of these Spanish wines. With your mind now � lled with
new knowledge, you are ready to take the next step: tasting. I told you
this wouldn’t hurt. With plenty of other great stories in wine happening
all over Spain we’ll stop here for a breather - there is no need to take it in
all at once. Stay tuned for further stories from behind the bar.
Until next time, Salud.
AFTER TASTING WINE FROM THESE REGIONS, YOUR
RIOJITIS WILL BE GONE
TO
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