Rioja Oriental Wine Region Guide

Geography and terroir

Today, smaller, family-owned wineries and cooperatives cultivate over 24,000 hectares in Rioja Oriental. It produces approximately 40 percent of Rioja’s total wine output, yet traditionally, Rioja Baja, as it was formerly known, has not been associated with high quality. It lies east of Logroño along the River Ebro to Alfaro in the southeast, with a large part in the Rioja area south of the river. There is also a small strip within the Navarra region to the north. The terrain is mainly flat and expansive, in contrast to Rioja Alavesa. The climate, meanwhile, is semi-arid Mediterranean, with scorching hot summers being far from uncommon. However, global warming, drought, and hydric vine stress have been significant issues recently.

Potential of Terroir

Therefore, not everyone is convinced that Oriental is a premier terroir in northeastern Spain; unfavorable comparisons with Rioja Alta and Alavesa are inevitably drawn. Indeed, Rioja Oriental’s terroir and whether growers were maximizing its potential have long been a subject of intense debate in Rioja. Its key acolytes – Telmo Rodriguez and Alvaro Palacios again – have long argued that Rioja Oriental could produce wines as venerable as Rioja Alta if a suitable grape variety matches the right site. The soils are mostly alluvial silt and ferruginous clay – the former is free-draining yet very warm.

As a result, winemakers traditionally planted Garnacha on these soils, producing wines that are high in alcohol, powerful, and full-bodied but quick to oxidize and not as fine as those from neighboring Rioja Alta. Bodegas in other regions traditionally purchased Garnacha from growers as it could add fire and spice to the blends if used judiciously. But now, winemakers in the zone are producing plenty of mono-varietal and single-estate wines that rival the dramatic heft of Rioja Alta’s finest bottles.

Winemaking and regional classifications

Rioja Oriental has seen numerous changes over the past 45 years. In the 1980s, many growers decided to rip out their old Garnacha vines in favor of Tempranillo, which was easier to sell. Bodegas Berberana (now part of Arco Bodegas Unidas group) led the way, planting Tempranillo and Viura in the calcareous soils found in the higher part of the area at Monte Yerga. They proved that Rioja Oriental could produce Tempranillo wines of high quality and finesse with careful site selection. The best of this new firmament, often aged in French oak for a comparatively short period, are fruit-driven wines packed full of extract. They reach an apogee when served with Chuleton (bone-in rib-eye steak).

Palacios’ Grenache Renaissance

More recently, Palacios and his contemporaries have spearheaded a renaissance of Grenache in Rioja Oriental, particularly the old bush vines, which, if properly handled, can produce wines of incredible concentration and potency. When Alvaro Palacios released Remondo La Montesa, he set a new standard in Rioja Oriental winemaking. No longer can anyone dismiss the region as Rioja’s poor relation—the quality of wine produced in this up-and-coming zone is unprecedented. Things will never be the same again: Rioja Oriental is ready to amaze and astound Rioja connoisseurs.

We should also give a shout-out to Rioja’s sorely underrated rosé wines. Most, if not all, of the region’s finest rosé comes from Rioja Oriental, where winemakers hand-craft it using Garnacha grapes that undergo the lightest maceration before fermentation. Salmon-colored and infused with intense red fruits, Riojan pink is a summer cliché brought to life. Try it.

A Guide to the Wine Types and Classifications in La Rioja: Read more

The lowdown

In July 2020, Ramón Bilbao launched a trio of single-vineyard wines marketed under a new brand name: Lalomba. The collection garnered high scores from critics and journalists, particularly the Finca Lalinde Rosé. A blend of 90% Garnacha and 10% Viura from Rioja Oriental, the fruit is sourced from old bush vines planted in 1976. Fermented and partially aged in concrete to preserve the wine’s raciness and purity, it is unbelievably refreshing and floral. Voted the Best Rioja Rosé in Tim Atkin MW’s Rioja Report for three years running, Finca Lalinde is often voted Best Spanish Rosé in Spanish wine guides. Proof indeed that Rioja Oriental has thrown off the shackles of mediocrity and embraced the quality revolution head-on.

Quiñon de Valmira is Crafting Luxury

Six years earlier, Alvaro Palacios bequeathed Rioja Oriental, its first icon wine. Selling for over $400, Quiñon de Valmira caused a massive stir in the sommelier and collector community; was it arrogance to charge so much for an unknown commodity? Yet critics agreed that this was serious stuff: a powerfully structured and refined expression of Garnacha based on vines grown in select plots in Oriental.

Spanish critic Luis Gutiérrez described the 2016 vintage as “a wine of great harmony and elegance.” But, he added: “Even if it feels light on the palate, it seems to have more clout, concentration, power, and acidity than the 2015 like it wants to go one step further.” Nevertheless, the success of Valmira has encouraged other producers to invest in the zone, using whole-bunch fermentation and maturation in amphorae to add class and structure to their Grenache wines. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Rioja Oriental demands to be taken seriously in 2023.

Rioja Oriental gastronomy

Gastronomes on tour in Rioja Oriental inevitably find themselves in Rioja’s administrative capital Logroño. And who can blame them: wandering around this great destination provides numerous opportunities to stop for tapas and a glass – or five – of Rioja in this vibrant wine city. Moreover, there is a wealth of restaurants serving classical Riojan dishes, all with impressive wine lists and cellars built before the dawn of electricity.

Indeed, it is worth heading to the old town to sample the incredible atmosphere. Excellent restaurants abound in Calle Laurel – the only problem is choosing. Once inside, expect a smorgasbord of fresh fish (Atlantic and river), game, lamb, premium beef, and locally grown produce. Michelin stars have little clout in this part of the world; authentic home cooking is what most locals crave. And so will you.

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