Thursday, March 14, 2024

White Wines of Northern Spain

                              The Viura grape, by law, must be at least 51% of a white Rioja blend
 

White grapes in Spain’s home of the world famous red Tempranillo grape?  That seems like an oxymoron to those who enjoy the Rioja or the Ribera del Duero’s world-class reds.  But, wait!   There is "white" life beyond "red" for wine lovers.   Spain’s north produces some wonderful white wines and you don’t have to travel to Spain necessarily to have them.  With summer approaching these sublime whites can enchant even the most discerning of wine connoisseurs.

                            Rioja Blanco is a rarity in the red Tempranillo-centric Rioja district

White Rioja (aka Rioja Blanco) is made from a blend of white grapes, the most important of which is Viura.   Rioja Blanco is rare, accounting for only a mere 10% of the Rioja’s entire wine production.   Often aged in oak, these whites take on bold aromas of roasted pineapple.  On the palate, an older white Rioja can reveal layers of subtle lemon flavors, minerals and good acidity.  In its youth, these whites offer a lemon-lime profile, laced with honeydew melon and mineral nuances.

As mentioned above, white Rioja is a blend of Viura with an accompaniment of a few other obscure white varieties not known to consumers outside of Europe.  For example, ever hear of a white Tempanillo?  A cousin of the red Tempanillo grape, this white often appears in a Rioja Blanco.  Malvasia and white Garnacha are two other popular white grapes used for blending.  By law, however, Viura must account for the majority of any Rioja Blanco.

          Seafood paella, popular in Spain's south, is often accompanied by a Verdejo from the north

Verdejo is the other hallmark grape of northern Spain.  Go into any restaurant in Spain and ask for a glass of white wine.   Or, head to any wine shop in Spain and ask for white wine.  Chances are in both cases you’ll be offered a Verdejo from Spain’s Rueda wine region.  Verdejo accounts for 40% of all wines sold within the country of Spain.   Its popularity may be due to Spain’s warm climate, although Verdejo is a flavor bomb offering up tropical, stone fruit and citrus.   


If you’re looking for a new white for the summer, both White Rioja and Verdejo from Rueda are terrific wines to try.  Both are available in the US.

 


Monday, March 4, 2024

Rueda Wine: 5 Important Facts to Know

             An inhospitable terroir allows only grapes & grains to grow in the harsh Rueda

The last three blogs have discussed the wines of Spain’s Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Toro wine regions.   Today we move to the final wine district in the quartet of northern Spain wine regions that Wine-Knows travelers will be visiting this autumn, the Rueda.  The first three wine regions are known for their red wines.  The Rueda, however, is all about white wine.  Below are five facts a wine lover visiting the region (or simply drinking these high QPR wines at home) should know.


1.  The Verdejo grape put Rueda on the world’s wine map. 

The Rueda is home to the largest number of Verdejo vines in the world.  98% of Rueda’s wines are white and the majority of them come from the Verdejo grape.   Research has shown that Verdejo arrived in Spain from North Africa in the 11th century.  It gradually made its way north to the Rueda after adapting in the vineyards of Spain’s south.

Today 4 out of every 10 wine bottles sold in Spain is made from Verdejo and most of it comes from the Rueda. 

          2.  Verdejo wine is a light to medium bodied aromatic wine with the                              following characteristics:

          ~ Citrus (lemon, lime, grapefruit)

          ~ Stone fruit (peach, apricot)

          ~ Tropical (pineapple, melon, mango)

          ~ Herbs (licorice, grass)

Well made Verdejo, unlike many white wines, can often age beautifully for 5-10 years developing rich textures and nutty nuances in addition to its fruit-centric tastes. 

             Stones absorb the heat during the day & warm the vines during cold nights 

3.  Rueda’s terroir forces grapevines to work hard.

Like the adjacent Toro wine region, Rueda is located on the same 2,000-3,000 foot plateau where the harsh landscape is wild and the soil is low in nutrients.  On the other hand, this higher altitude means cooler temperatures during the area’s extreme summers.  Plants are forced to work hard to survive so only grains and grape vines grow in Rueda’s inhospitable terroir.   

Rueda’s stony soils provide a great drainage system for winter rain to seep deep into the earth.  In order to live during the hot summers the grape vines must send their roots downward through the earth to seek water and nutrients.  Traversing many layers, the struggling vines bring back to the plant complex nutrients which translate into complex wines.    

The Duero River helps moderate the heat of summer and cold of winter so it’s no surprise the finest wines are made from vineyards located along the Duero’s banks.

           Wine-Knows has a harvest appointment at Menade to taste their high-scoring wines

           4.  Rueda's wine laws effect what's in your wine glass.

Rueda received official status from the Spanish Government (D.O.) as a unique region with noteworthy wines in 1980.  In order for Rueda to appear on a wine label, it must contain a minimum of 50% Verdejo.   Wines labeled “Ruedo Verdejo” have a higher bar in that they must have a minimum of 85% Verdejo grapes.  Many Ruedo Verdejo, however, are made entirely from the Verdejo variety.

The D.O. wine laws also permit blending with Sauvignon Blanc, along with Palomino, Virua, Viognier and Chardonnay.  That being said, Verdejo D.O. must be a minimum of 50% of all Ruedas made.

 

5.  The Rueda also grows some red grapes for red wine.

Up until the end of the 19th century when the vineyard bug phylloxera destroyed most of the vines throughout Europe, the Rueda region was known for its red wines.   It wasn’t until after the phylloxera pandemic that white grape vines were planted.  The Rueda, like its western neighbor Toro and eastern border Ribera del Duero, grows Tempranillo.   Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Garnacha are also permitted by Rueda’s D.O. laws.



Sunday, February 25, 2024

Toro is Taking the Bull by the Horns

           The Toro wine district will be the first Spanish wine region Wine-Knows will visit 

Toro means bull in Spanish.  This tiny wine district lies just across the border from Portugal’s grape growing region for Port grapes, but it’s not just a border these two wine areas share.  The famous Douro River in Portugal flows from Portugal’s most famous viticultural region, to the city of Porto where it empties into the Atlantic.   The Douro becomes the Duero River the minute one crosses into Spain.  The Duero/Douro is actually birthed in Spain between the Rioja and the Ribera del Duero wine regions. 

                            The Duero river exerts a tremendous influence on Toro's terroir

Wine-Knows will follow the Douro to the Duero on our trip from Portugal to Spain on this autumn’s itinerary.  Toro, like Napa, is the name both of the area’s main town, as well as the wine district. While it is unclear exactly how the town’s name originated, the “bull” is nonetheless a fitting symbol for its quite robust red wines have been coveted by royalty since the 13th Century.  

             Toro town, with a population of  8,000 persons, offers a slice of off-the-beaten-path Spain

The Toro region was among the first to be recognized by the Spanish government as having unique and special wines.  In 1933 it was granted important D.O. status which at the time was the highest quality wine in Spain.  Shortly thereafter the Spanish Civil War broke out and Toro wines were one of the many casualties.  It took 50 years for the area’s winemakers to refocus.  In 1987 a handful of local wineries banded together to reapply for a second D.O. status.   It was granted and this began a renaissance in Toro.             

  D.O. guarantees the consumer a level of quality from grapes grown under certain conditions in Toro

Fast forward to today, there are now 60 wineries in Toro.   Many of the owners of these new wineries are from outside of Toro (most notably the Ribera del Duero and the Rioja), however, some of the most illustrious movers-and-shakers in French wine have invested heavily.    Moreover, Toro is winning awards on the world-wide wine stage.  Britain’s Decanter, (their equivalent of Wine Spectator) is giving 97 point scores to Toro’s muscular reds.

          Wine-Knows will be staying in Zamora, a historic Roman city on the Duero while in Toro

If you’re one of the fortunate Wine-Knows coming with us on the Portugal-Spain tour in September, you’ll have the opportunity to taste this upcoming region’s stellar wines and learn first-hand how Toro’s unique terroir is responsible for shaping a different version of the renowned Tempranillo grape.


Ever heard of Spain's Rueda wine region?   The next blog will cover these coveted white wines made from the Verdejo grape.



Thursday, February 15, 2024

5 Big Differences: Ribera Del Duero v. Rioja

                 Although both districts are Tempranillo-centric, the wines of the Ribera del Duero                                                                      are very different from the Rioja 

Spain’s Rioja wine area was discussed in the last Blog.  Today, we’ll focus on the neighboring Ribera Del Duero (RdD) district.  The RdD, like the Rioja, produces high quality, complex wines that have great aging potential.  While both of the wine regions are located at approximately the same latitude and only a few hours drive from one another, they are distinctly different.   Below are five significant differences between the two rock-star districts.

    The Duero River (Douro across the border in Portugal) exerts a huge influence on the RdD's terroir

1.     Terroir

Both the RdD & Rioja have major rivers that moderate their climates.  The RdD, traversed for 70 miles by the Duero River, is a 3,000 foot high plateau with baking hot summers and freezing cold winters which are tamed by this river.   Unlike the Rioja, there is no maritime influence from the Atlantic.  Furthermore, in contrast to the Rioja, the RdD’s soil is clay, silt & limestone.

                     RdD wines are more masculine than the Rioja's softer style wines

          2. Wine Characteristics

The extreme climatic conditions coupled with the heartier soils of the RdD translate to wines that tend to be more muscular than those of the Rioja.  RdD wines are typically from riper grapes of darker fruit with higher alcohol potential.  Due to its terroir, the RdD also has more assertive flavors (think black cherry & blackberry), while the Rioja offers softer red fruit flavors such as strawberry.

3.     Grapes

 Tempranillo is King in both the RdD and the Rioja.  In the RdD, however,         Tempranillo is called Tinto Fino (an actual local varietal of Tempranillo that has   adapted to the harsh terroir).  In contrast to the Rioja, the RdD also uses Cabernet   Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec for blending.

The official seal guarantees authenticity for the consumer that wine is from the RdD wine region

4.     Wine Laws

     The RdD is a wine infant in comparison to the Rioja.   The Rioja’s wine laws were established in 1925 while the RdD did not launch its regional rules until 1982.  While the Rioja is entrenched with nearly a century of laws, the new kid on the block is thinking out of the box and pushing the envelope for new ideas such as single vineyard wines.  

5.     Amounts & Types of Wine Produced

The RdD produces 98M bottles annually, however, the Rioja produces a whopping 350M bottles.  While both wine districts are red-centric producers, the RdD’s production of red wine accounts for 97% of its total.  In contrast, the 86% of the Rioja’s wines are red.   


Stay tuned for the next Blog which will showcase the wines of the Toro region that Wine-Knows' travelers will also be visiting on the October tour of Northern Spain.

Monday, February 5, 2024

5 Facts You Should Know about the Rioja

Whether you're coming with Wine-Knows on their sold-out tour to Spain this autumn or not, here's a quick summary of the top things for wine-lovers to know about the Rioja wine district.

1.  The Rioja is Spain’s most famous wine district. 

The Rioja is arguably Spain’s top wine region and certainly the most famous wine area with the exception of Jerez (Sherry) in southern Spain.  Internationally renowned, the Rioja’s prestigious wines often receive top-ratings by critics and connoisseurs.   This being said, the Rioja has increasingly had to fight off competition from the nearby Ribera Del Duero region.   Nonetheless, the Rioja is still considered Spain’s most important and finest producer of premium red wines.

                             Tempranillo, the Rioja's most famous grape, is a major part of red blends

         2.  Wines are often blended in the Rioja.


Red wines in the Rioja are traditionally a blend of traditional Spanish red grape varieties.  The base of the blend is Tempranillo, however, Garnacha (aka Grenache), Graciano and Mazuelo (aka Carignan) are also used in the blends. 

 

                             The Rioja is also one of Spain's most beautiful wine regions


       3.  The Rioja also produces terrific white, rose & sparkling wines.


Although the Rioja is associated mainly with red wines, the region also makes some stunning whites and rose (rosado) wines.  White Rioja (Rioja Blanco), is quite rare making up only 5-10% of the region’s wines.  Viura is the main grape of these white wines, however,  Rioja Blancos are a blend of other grapes like Garnacha Blanca, Tempranillo Blanco, Malvasia, and even Chardonnay.  Sparkling wine is also made and has been included in the Rioja's latest wine classification.

             Rioja Alavesa lies at the foot of the mountains separating the Rioja from the Atlantic


        4.  The Terroir of the Rioja is Diverse.


The Rioja wine region is about 210 square miles.  The mountains on its northern border help moderate the climate by protecting the region from the strong influences of the Atlantic.  The River Ebro flows through the region also moderates the climate, protecting it in winter from freezing temperatures and cooling it in the scalding summers.   In general, the Rioja’s soil is limestone and iron.


The Rioja is divided into 3 sub-districts based upon terroir.

~ Rioja Alavesa is the most northern of the 3 sub-regions.  It is closest to the Atlantic so the area is colder.  Soil here is limestone and clay.

~ Rioja Alta comprises the higher altitudes vineyards in the western section of the Rioja.  Soil is iron rich and clay.

 ~ Rioja Oriental (formerly called Rioja Baja) is located in the eastern section of the district and accounts for 40% of the region’s wine.  This area is composed of lower altitude vineyards.  Unlike the other two sub-districts, it is warm and dry.  Soil, washed down from higher altitudes, is high in iron.


      

    5.  The Rioja’s wine classification system was changed in 2018.


While aging requirements have always been present in the Rioja's wine system (Crianza 2 year minimum, Reserva 3 year minimum & Gran Reserva 5 year minimum), the biggest change in the new rules is the addition of the sparkling wine category, Gran Anada, and the allowance of single vineyard wines echoing the importance of terroir.



Stay tuned for the next article on the Ribera del Duero wine district that Wine-Knows travelers will also be visiting this October.


Monday, January 22, 2024

Champagne's Unusual Way of Pricing Grapes

                                 Champagne's grape pricing system began in the early 1900's


Did you know that the cost of grapes in the Champagne district is totally dependent upon a quality rating system based upon the village in which they are grown?  Let me explain this fascinating system used in the Champagne appellation to determine how much certain grapes are worth.


Overview of Champagne Region

The Champagne region actually begins about 75 miles east of Paris.  It is quite a large geographic area (90 miles north - south, by 70 miles east - west).  Moreover, the Champagne appellation has 318 different villages that grow grapes for the world’s most coveted bubbly.  Each village has been given a quality rating and the price of the village’s grapes are dependent upon this.

           The mountain of Reims has several villages classified as either Grand Cru or Premier Cru

Quality $ystem

Think of the Champagne vineyard rating like a ladder with 3 rungs.   The top rung composes grapes from the 17 Grand Cru designated villages.   The middle rung includes grapes from the 44 Premier Cru villages.  On the bottom rung are the grapes of the remaining 257 villages.  

Each year the price of grapes is determined by the CIVC (Comite Interprofessioanl de Vins de Champagne), a joint trade association representing both the grape growers and Champagne makers.  Once the annual price is established here’s how the three parts of the ladder are paid:

~  Grand Cru villages are paid 100% of the price

~ Premier Cru villages are paid 90-99% of the price

~ The remaining villages are paid 80-89% of the price


                          Wine-Knows' Champagne, Burgundy & the Rhone trip is sold out

If you’re one of the fortunate participants of this September’s trip, you will actually be hosted by the CIVC trade organization for a private seminar and tasting.  Additionally, you will be visiting Champagne makers with Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards.


Toasting all a healthy 2024! 




 

Friday, January 12, 2024

What is GSM?

                      France's Rhone River Valley is ground zero for the GSM blend

Over the past twenty years the phrase GSM has become quite popular among serious wine lovers.  Sommeliers are using the term to discuss their wine list, and tasting room personnel in California’s Central Coast wineries toss it to and fro like it was commonplace.  For those of you who are coming on our September trip to the Rhone Valley and don’t know the term, you need to know it.  GSM is code for the immensely popular Rhone blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre.  

                          GSM appears in both the north & south Rhone but in differing proportions 

The Rhone Valley is the second largest wine growing region in France.  GSM is dominant throughout both of its two sub regions, the northern & southern Rhone. Here’s a recap of these three varieties that comprise GSM.


Grenache

One of the most versatile red grapes in the world, Grenache thrives in hot, dry climates such as the Rhone Valley, Spain (where it is named Garnacha), and California.  Grenache produces wines that can range from light to full-bodied; from simple inexpensive wines that offer immediate satisfaction to complex ones that are cellar worthy and do not come cheaply.  Grenache is all about fruit…strawberries, blackberries, raspberries.  That being said, the variety’s earth notes can include an interesting layering of spices such as allspice, cinnamon or pepper, as well as subtle nuances of floral notes. 

Grenache is the superstar grape in the wines of the southern Rhone.  Chateauneuf du Pape, for example, is typically a blend of 75% Grenache.  In second and third place in the south’s blend are Sryah and Mourvedre, respectively.  

                  Wine-Knows visit the famous hill of  Hermitage in the Northern Rhone

Sryah

Unlike the southern Rhone where Grenache rules, Syrah is King in the Northern Rhone dominating the blend in famous wines such as Hermitage and Cote-Rotie.  In fact, DNA testing shows the Syrah grape is indigenous to the Rhone Valley.

Syrah, in contrast to Grenache, contributes not only firm tannins that make for powerfully flavored and full bodied wines, but Syrah’s very dark inky color adds  deep hues to these northern Rhones.    Similar to Grenache, on the other hand, the Syrah grape yields rich fruit flavors in the form of black cherry, blackberry and plum.  Syrah also provides a beguiling spice profile of cloves, licorice, white or black pepper, and even chocolate.  

Wine-Knows will visit the town of Chateauneuf du Pape & its famous wineries

Mourvedre

The “M” part of GSM tends to produce deeply-colored and tannic wines that can be high in alcohol.   Mourvedre is mainly used for blending in both the northern & southern Rhone and is rarely vinified as a varietal except in the appellation of Bandol (on the Mediterranean) where the cooling maritime influence can change it into a rockstar.  Mourvedre offers earth flavors such as leather, as well as dark fruit flavors.  There is often even a patina of chocolate.

If you’re joining the Wine-Knows' harvest tour this September in France you’ll have several opportunities to sample GSM in the famous southern Rhone appellation of Chateauneuf du Pape, as well as Hermitage and Cote Rotie of the northern Rhone.  We have remaining 1-2 spaces still available for a lucky GSM lover.  But, since we’ll also be visiting Burgundy and Champagne on this same trip, Pinot Noir & bubble lovers are also welcomed!

Burgundy & Champagne – Wine-Knows Travel (wineknowstravel.com)