Rioja Crianza (Spain)
Rioja is a DOCa wine region in Northern Spain.
Rioja Crianza is a lightly oaked red wine with Tempranillo as the main grape.
Typical Flavors
 Cherry |
 Raspberry |
 Blackberry |
 Blueberry |
 Herbs |
 Licorice |
 Spices |
 Minerals |
Oak Added Flavors:
 Vanilla |
 Cocoa |
 Tobacco |
 Leather |
Cherries and Red and Black Berries are typical Rioja Crianza flavors.
Hints of Herbs, Licorice, Spices, and Minerals.
Profile
Rioja Crianza has good acidity and smooth tannins:
| BODY | Medium | ||
| TANNINS | Medium | ||
| FRUIT | Medium | ||
| ACIDITY | Medium - High | ||
| |||
Food Pairing
 Tapas |
 Ham |
 Chorizo |
 Chili |
 Pasta |
 Pizza |
 Lasagna |
 Hamburger |
 Chicken |
 Rabbit |
 Pork |
 Lamb |
Rioja Crianza is perfect with Lamb and Pork.
It is also perfect with Filet Mignon, but lacks the tannins for a fat Beef.
Young Rioja Crianza pairs well with both Spicy and Tomato based dishes.
Pairing Suggestions
Excellent Pairing:
Tapas. Olives. Cold Cuts. Chorizo.
Pizza. Spaghetti. Lasagna.
Tomato Based Meatballs.
Savory Stews. Moroccan Tagine.
Poultry. Pork. Lamb.
Red Pepper Dishes.
Tacos. Nachos. Burritos.
Cheese.
Soft Cheese.
Asiago. Cheddar. Emmental. Gauda. Hallumi.
Spanish Specialities:
Paella.
Chili con Carne.
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The Ideal Glass
The Bordeaux glass is perfect for a bodied red wine.
It is taller than other red wine glasses, and has a slimmer bowl.
The large size of the glass allows the bouquet to develop. It smooths out rough edges, plays down tannins, and allows the wines to achieve balance.
The slimmer bowl sends the wine directly to the back of the mouth for maximum taste.
Rioja DOCa
Rioja wines are normally a blend of various grapes.
A typical blend consists of 65% to 85% Tempranillo and up to 20% Garnacha.
Rioja was the first Spanish region to be awarded DOCa status in 1991:
| DOCa | Denominación de Origen Calificada |
|---|---|
| Rioja | Less than one year in Oak Barrel. |
| Crianza | Minimum 24 months aging. One year in Oak. |
| Reserva | Minimum 36 months aging. One year in Oak. |
| Gran Reserva | Minimum 60 months aging. Two years in Oak. |
About Tempranillo
Tempranillo is the third most planted grape in the world.
The name comes from Spanish "temprano" which means early and refers to early ripening.
Tempranillo aka Ull de Llebre, Cencibel, and Tinta del Pais in Spain. Aragonez or Tinta Roriz in Portugal.
Tempranillo is Spain`s noble grape variety, just like Cabernet Sauvignon is to France. It grows best in the cooler wine areas of Rioja and Ribera del Duero.
Wine made with Tempranillo grapes has a flavor of berries with medium acidity. During storing, Tempranillo can develop sweet, spicy, leather, or tobacco flavors.
Tempranillo wines are softer than Bordeax and dryer than Bourgogne wines. Medium acidity and moderate tannins make these wines tasty, easy to like and easy to pair with many types of food.
Wine Region Rioja
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Rioja is a famous wine region in the north-central part of Spain.
The region is best known for the Red Rioja Wine: a blend of the "Grape of Spain" Tempranillo, along with other fruity additives like Garancha, Mazuelo, and Graciano.