La Rioja

TYPES OF WINE

Red wines: Classic wines with bold colours, crispness, an intense aroma, which are light on the palate and have a moderate alcohol content. The predominant grape variety used is Tempranillo.

Rosé wines: Very light and fresh on the palate, with a strong fragrance, a vibrant pink colour and a moderate alcohol content. The predominant grape variety used is Garnache.

White wines: Greenish yellow in colour, some tending to be paler than others, with a fine aroma and light body; their alcohol content is not very high. The predominant grape variety used is Viura.

Depending on the ageing process, the following categories have been established for Rioja wines:
 

Young wines: Wines in their first or second year that still conserve their primary characteristics of freshness and fruitiness.

Crianza wines: Wines that have aged for at least three years and that have been barrel-aged at least one year as well as bottle-aged for some months. For white wines, the minimum period of barrel-ageing is six months.
 

Reserva wines: Wines from the finest vintages that have been selected for their outstanding qualities and aged for three years, at least one of which should be in the barrel. For white wines, the ageing period is two years, of which at least six months should be in the barrel.
 

Gran Reserva wines: Wines selected from exceptional vintages that have been aged at least two years in the barrel and three in the bottle. For white wines, the ageing period is four years, of which at least six months should be in the barrel.