Rioja wines are made from grapes grown in the La Rioja appellation in Spain. These Spanish wines vary from fruity to complex, depending on how they are aged. Rioja wines fall into 4 categories, named by their aging methods. The youngest is called "Rioja," and is aged less than a year in oak; next is "Crianza," which is aged two years (one of those in oak); third is "Reserva," aged three years, (one of those in oak); and finally, "Gran Reserva," aged 5 years (two in oak, three in bottle). Some of these categories may not appear on the main label of the wine, but on the neck or back label.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rioja_(wine)
Serving Information
The younger Rioja wines are more fruity and vibrant while the aged wines are more complex and pair with a wider variety of food. Each type of Rioja pairs well with a different type of food and is discussed more in depth on this page.
There are a number of wineries in the appellation of Rioja in Spain, and the area welcomes visitors. If you are thinking of a Spanish Vacation, you might consider making it a Rioja Vacation.
