Our Rioja Wine Guide: Wine Styles, Classification & La Rioja Region Guide

The Camino de Vino

Rioja lies along the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, which brought thousands of travellers through the region during the Middle Ages. Monasteries along the route played an important role in hospitality and viticulture, housing weary travellers and, of course, sharing their wines. It’s thought that this movement of pilgrims and merchants may have helped spread awareness of Rioja’s wines beyond northern Spain.

The Unification of Producers

In 1560, local producers agreed on common labelling to denote wine quality and authenticity. In 1787, producers became even more organised, creating the Real Junta de Cosecheros (Royal Board of Harvesters). Its main target was to promote grapevine farming, to enhance the quality of wines and to facilitate the commercialisation of wine in northern markets.

Coming into Classification

Rioja became Spain’s first official Designation of Origin via royal decree in 1925, before ageing categories were introduced in the 1980s and the tiers of Joven, Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva became standard for classifying Rioja’s wines. In 1991, Rioja was named Spain’s first Denominación de Origen Calificada (Qualified Designation of Origin) to signify superior, consistent quality. 

Today, changes continue to take place within the world of Rioja wine. The region approved new grape varieties in 2007, and in 2017, a new classification system was introduced as a way of recognising origin, regional microclimates and single vineyards, rather than relying solely on oak ageing as a quality marker.

Generic / Joven

Generic Riojas (also known as ‘Joven’, meaning young) have no oak-ageing requirements. They are served young, typically within one or two years of the harvest. While these wines do not have as much structure or nuanced oak aromas as other Riojas, they are easy to drink and express bright, fresh fruit flavours, like cherry, strawberry and raspberry, with low or soft tannins.

Reserva

Red wines typically have a good balance between fruit and structure, with subtle aged flavours of spice and dried fruit. The Reserva level is for still wines, with sparkling wines falling under their own quality tier called Espumosos de Calidad de Rioja.

• Red wines: Aged for at least three years, with a minimum of one year spent in oak barrels and six months maturing in bottles. Balanced mix of primary red fruits, secondary spice, vanilla, and balsamic or leather notes.

• White and rosé wines: Aged for a minimum of two years total, with at least six months in oak barrels. Rich, complex notes of roasted pineapple, hazelnut, vanilla, honey and buttery citrus, with crisp acidity.
• Sparkling wines: Wines must be aged ‘en tirage’ (on the lees) for no less than 24 months. Vintage-dated sparkling wines must be hand-harvested.

Gran Añada Rioja

A celebrated category for vintage sparkling wines in Rioja, which requires sparkling wines to age ‘en tirage’ (on the lees) for at least 36 months. Vintage-specific espumosos (sparkling wines) must be hand-harvested. These numbers mirror the production methods and ageing requirements of vintage Champagne.

Rioja Alta

The westernmost of Rioja’s sub-regions, Rioja Alta plays host to higher altitude vineyards than Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental (up to ~800m). Influenced by cooling Atlantic weather patterns, it enjoys moderate temperatures, greater rainfall and a longer growing season. These conditions help grapes ripen slowly, preserving freshness and acidity while developing complex flavours. 

The region’s predominantly clay-limestone soils are particularly well suited to Tempranillo, producing elegant, structured wines known for their red-fruit character, balanced tannins and excellent ageing potential. Clay soils retain moisture and help regulate soil temperatures, while limestone provides drainage and encourages deep root growth. Together, these soils create balanced growing conditions for Tempranillo, helping the variety maintain freshness and express the distinctive character of its terroir. Haro remains the sub-region’s historic heart and home to many of its most famous bodegas. Rioja Alta is especially renowned for traditional oak-aged Reserva and Gran Reserva wines that helped establish the region’s international reputation.

Rioja Oriental

Rioja Oriental (formerly Rioja Baja) is the largest and easternmost sub-region of Rioja. Experiencing the strongest Mediterranean influence, it is warmer and drier than both Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, and benefits from abundant sunshine and lower rainfall. This helps grapes achieve full ripeness with ease. Historically associated with Garnacha, the region produces wines that are typically fuller-bodied, richer in fruit and higher in alcohol, with ripe blackberry, plum and spice notes. 

While modern plantings of Tempranillo have become increasingly common, Garnacha remains a key variety and performs particularly well in Rioja Oriental’s varied soils. The region’s combination of warm temperatures, old vines and diverse terroirs enables wineries to craft both powerful reds and vibrant, fruit-driven styles that offer a distinct expression of Rioja.

Tempranillo

The undisputed backbone of Rioja’s wines, Tempranillo makes up roughly 88% of the region’s red plantings, providing red fruit, spice, structure, and ageing potential. It’s a versatile grape which can be used to make young reds, as well as more serious, oak-aged reds with notes of vanilla, liquorice, tobacco, and leather. The name is derived from ‘temprano’, meaning early in Spanish, as the grape ripens weeks before most other Spanish grapes.

Graciano

This aromatic Spanish red grape variety is known for its deep colour, high acidity, and firm, structured tannins. Notes include bold dark fruits, like blackberry, blackcurrant, plum and red cherry, along with aromas of fresh violets and hibiscus tea. Spice notes include black pepper and subtle liquorice, while savoury notes are leather, damp earth and balsamic undertones. When matured in oak, it develops notes of vanilla, cedar, cocoa powder and chocolate.

Maturana Tinta

This rare, indigenous red wine grape was recovered from near extinction in the late 1980s and officially authorised for use in DOCa Rioja in 2007. It’s late-budding but has a short, fast ripening cycle and produces deep violet-red, full-bodied wines with firm tannins and high acidity. Wines frequently show a distinct green bell pepper or paprika note caused by high levels of pyrazines, alongside dark fruits. The grape is used primarily as a minor blending component to boost acidity, colour intensity, and structural complexity, although some modern producers bottle it as a niche single-varietal wine.

Viura (Macabeo)

Viura is Rioja’s most widely planted white grape and is used to make both young and aged white wines. The grape is known as Macabeo in Catalonia, where it’s used as the primary blending grape in Cava sparkling wines. Primary flavours include green apple, white peach, honeydew melon, and fresh citrus like lemon and lime peel, along with white flowers and aniseed.

Garnacha Blanca

Garnacha Blanca can be blended with traditional Rioja grapes like Viura or Tempranillo Blanco, or crafted as a single-varietal wine aged in stainless steel, French oak, or amphora. It adds richness, body, and flavours of peach, pear, and citrus.

Tempranillo Blanco

A natural mutation of the Tempranillo tinto vine, discovered in 1988 in an old vineyard in Murillo del Río Leza, La Rioja. The grape contributes crisp acidity to wine, along with aromas of bananas, citrus fruits, tropical fruits and flowers.

‘Nuevo Viejo’

Literally translating to ‘old new’, Tim Atkin MW coined this term to describe an emerging style which focuses on vineyard expression and terroir, rather than traditional ageing methods. This approach to making Rioja wines emphasises factors such as vineyard site, altitude and soil type to produce pure, fruit-driven wines with energy, freshness and a strong sense of place. The movement has also seen winemakers champion old bush vines (viñas viejas) and focus on single-vineyard, village-designated (Vino de Municipio) or site-specific wines, rather than defining wines solely through classifications such as Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva.

Rioja Rosés

Rioja rosé wines range from pale, fruit-forward modern styles to complex, oak-aged or lees-aged bottles made from classic regional grapes like Tempranillo and Garnacha.

• Rosado wines are made mostly like white wines with brief skin contact for a pale pink or salmon colour, offering bright strawberry and cherry aromas
• Clarete is made using the traditional method of co-fermenting red and white grapes together (like a light red), resulting in a paler orange-pink hue and a structured palate
• Aged & Reserve Tiers: Following rules similar to white Riojas, some rosés are aged on the lees or in oak barrels, spanning Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva classifications

Sparkling Rioja (Espumosos de Rioja)

Although still wines have long defined Rioja’s reputation, a number of pioneering producers have been making traditional-method sparkling wines in the region for decades. In 2017, the DOCa Rioja formally recognised these wines through the creation of the Espumoso de Calidad de Rioja category, establishing strict production standards.

As with Champagne and Cava, these wines must be made using the traditional method (método tradicional), whereby a secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle. They must be produced from authorised grape varieties and aged on their lees for a minimum of 15 months, with extended ageing requirements of 24 or 36 months for higher classifications.

Rosé sparkling wines must contain at least 25% red grape varieties, helping to ensure sufficient colour, flavour intensity and structure. Today, Espumosos de Calidad de Rioja represent an exciting and increasingly recognised expression of the region’s winemaking heritage.

Haro

Often called the capital of Rioja wine, Haro sits in the heart of Rioja Alta and is one of Spain’s most important wine towns. The town rose to prominence in the late 19th century when French winemakers, seeking alternatives to vineyards devastated by phylloxera, helped drive investment and modernisation in the area’s wine industry. Today, Haro is best known for the Barrio de la Estación, a unique district surrounding the railway station that is home to a remarkable concentration of historic wineries. Beyond its wine heritage, Haro offers a charming historic centre, lively tapas bars and the famous annual Wine Battle, held each June at the nearby cliffs of San Felices de Bilibio.

Briones

Situated in Rioja Alta, Briones is a small medieval hilltop town with a strong wine culture. Surrounded by sprawling vineyards, the town hosts several annual festivals in its central square, Plaza de España. The town is also home to the Vivanco Museum of the Culture of Wine, declared the best in the world by UNESCO in 2007 and a must-visit for any wine lover.

Elciego

Elciego is one of Rioja Alavesa’s most renowned wine villages, where centuries of winemaking tradition meet striking modern architecture. The village is perhaps best known internationally for Marqués de Riscal, one of Rioja’s oldest and most influential wineries. Its striking City of Wine, designed by architect Frank Gehry, has become an icon of modern wine tourism. Like much of Rioja Alavesa, Elciego benefits from limestone-clay soils, a continental climate, and the protection of the Sierra de Cantabria mountains, with these conditions particularly well suited to Tempranillo.