‘It’s the same wine, ma’am, just a different label….’

So I order a bottle of Wandering Bear Merlot in an unnamed hotel chain for dinner.  It’s from California, USA. You know, the big place in the top left of the map as you look at it. The charming, but naïve waiter came back with a Chilean.  Now, I’m no Michael Palin, but I’m pretty sure these places are quite far apart. You don’t need to be an expert to guess the wines probably taste quite different.  So they really aren’t the same wines with a different label. 

Five years ago I probably wouldn’t have checked the bottle. I mean, wine waiters know their stuff right? This one didn’t. Always check your wine.

Just because a grape is the same, it doesn’t mean the wine will be. Climate, latitude, direction of the slopes plus every step of the wine making process can add to, or take from a grape.  On top of that, blending and labelling laws can further confuse us.  So most of the time, unless we have a wine dictionary and a sommelier on hand, we aren't always going to know what the wine will taste like.  

Many of us won’t care for the little differences and just know that we like a certain style. But I’m not keen on a bluffing wine waiter. Sure, there are little things we can look for to help us make decisions. The example I give here is Rioja. 

We all love Rioja. Rioja is the area in Spain, not the grape. It also produces the highest amount of fine wine in Spain. A few different grapes can be used; Tempranillo is the most popular, as well as Garnacha (Grenache), Viura (Macebéo), Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Cinsault, Mouverde ….check out a full list and more details here.   Most wines are therefore a blend of these grapes.  Rioja is split into three geographically very different regions: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Baja.  You can read further on these areas here but the key point is altitude, varying soils and heat all affect the grapes and therefore the final wine. Oak is a common theme.
Here is a great map from Wine Folly that shows how the land lies...

Until around the 1970’s most Rioja was fermented quickly, leading to a pale colour. They were soft, fruity, blended and aged in American oak which gave the wines a sweet vanilla nose. Nowadays it is more likely for this style to be fermented for longer, giving the darker colour most of us would associate with a Rioja.  They are also aged for less time, and usually using French oak, making them fruitier.   

White Riojas do exist. Mostly they are fresh and easy drinking – however more traditional white Riojas can be aged for 10-20 years in oak (Gran Reserva receiving the most oak).  Now, I have only tried one of these, but it resembled the smell of my hands once I’d cleaned out the fireplace. I’m not a massive oak-head, but for those of you out there who like to taste charred wood, knock yourself out. Usually complemented by citrus fruit and a complexity that can challenge many white Bordeaux wines.

Here are some lush examples of Rioja …

Muga Rioja Reserva Selección Especial (£22-£24)

I bought this beauty from Loki wine in Birmingham, an excellent independent wine merchant. I will always try and go independent if possible as you can find out so much more about your wine than if you went to the supermarket. You can get it from Ocado here. You can also get the slightly cheaper Reserva version from Waitrose here, but you’ll learn a lot more about your wine if you pick a good local independent (plus you can usually taste in-store!).

Anyway, this is an absolute corker of a Rioja. It is aged for 28 months in specially selected oak casks. It is then bottled and aged for a further 12 months in the Muga cellars. The resulting wine is powerful, complex with black and red fruits and spice; discover new layers with every mouthful. Drink it now, or keep it a few years. You can definitely enjoy a good hearty meal with this one.  One of my favourites.

Castillo San Lorenzo Rioja Gran Reserva (£8.66 as part of case deal) 

A more affordable version, this is currently on sale at Tesco – 45% off a case! Check it out here. I have bought this wine a few times  – it’s easy drinking; medium bodied and much more generic than the Muga example, but for the price I think its yummy and everyone will want a top-up.  Black fruits and a light, sweet spice, you don’t need food  (but would be great with a medium-weighed meal).

There are many, many terms on Spanish wine bottles. However here are a few to help identify some key characteristics:

Bodega:     Winery

DO:            This is a Spanish 'designation' for wines that meet specified grape/production quality standards.

DOCa:       These are DO’s that have consistent high quality.

Rosado:     Rosé wine

Viejo:         Quality wine that undergoes a three year (minimum) period of ageing.

The four styles of traditional Rioja wines are:

Joven or just ‘Rioja’ are young wines that don’t have the complexity and structure of some of the others, but will be fresh and fruity.

Crianza wines have aged for a minimum of one year in oak casks and a couple more once they have been bottled.  White wines have less, with six months in cask.

Reserva wines are only the best vintages that have been aged for a minimum of three years, with at least one year in oak casks. White wines are aged for two years, with a minimum of six months in casks.

Gran Reserva wines can store in the right conditions for up to 30 years!  These are selected wines from exceptional vintages, which spend at least two years in oak casks and three further years in the bottle. White wines are aged for at least four years, with a minimum of one year in casks.

Until 2014, happy drinking J