8 Sunny Rioja Reds Up to 91 Points

Rioja, Spain’s best-known wine region, is located in the north-central part of the country and encompasses more than 160,000 acres of vineyards. This week’s Tasting Highlights features eight delicious bottlings that showcase the variety and quality of the region’s Tempranillo-based reds.

In 2017, amendments to the appellation’s labeling laws were introduced that helped better define this large wine region. Three long-established—if not officially recognized—subzones were approved for use on labels: Rioja Alta, at the western end of the region; Rioja Alavesa, to the north; and Rioja Oriental, spreading from central Rioja to the eastern edge. Wine lovers will increasingly find a subzone listed on a bottle’s label, indicating that all grapes used for the production of that wine were sourced from the stated area. At the same time, Rioja’s governing body, the consejo regulador, also approved more than 140 village names for use on labels and almost as many recognized single vineyards. (Bottlings from those single vineyards will be labeled “Vino de Viñedo Singular.”)

All of these new regulations offer consumers an opportunity to explore Rioja in greater detail and with more site specificity. But most Rioja bottlings are still produced and labeled using the traditional aging methods and terms that were common more than a century ago. This grouping showcases bottlings from Marqués de Cáceres, Beronia and more. Read on to get our expert scores and full tasting notes!

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