Rioja’s modern history divides neatly into three periods. The first was the era of American oak: huge productions, sweet vanilla, brand-led, the wine that taught an entire generation what Rioja tasted like. The second was the French oak revolution: smaller producers, longer ageing, more structured wines, the period that produced the Gran Reserva and the reputation for serious wine. The third is now: the return to old vines, single-vineyard wines, and a serious conversation about terroir that the region spent decades avoiding.
Rioja is changing. The changes are worth paying attention to.
The Geography
Rioja is divided into three sub-regions:
Rioja Alta (the western part, around Haro) — the high-elevation vineyards with calcareous and ferrous-clay soils. The wines are perfumed, elegant, built for ageing.
Rioja Alavesa (northwestern, in the Basque Country) — small producers, old Garnacha, indigenous grape varieties that rarely get out of the region. The wines are lighter, fresher, more accessible.
Rioja Oriental (eastern, formerly Baja) — warmer, drier, more continental climate. Garnacha dominates. The wines are bigger, more alcoholic, often the source of the strongest expressions of old-vine Tempranillo and Garnacha.
The Producers Worth Finding
Lopez de Heredia
The most historic producer in the region. Viña Tondonia is their benchmark wine: Tempranillo blended with Garnacha, Graciano, and Mazuelo, aged for 10+ years in American oak before release. The current release is from 2010. The 1981 is one of the great wines of the last fifty years.
CVNE
The Imperial Gran Reserva is one of the benchmark wines of Rioja. The Monopole white (made from Viura) is one of the great white wines of Spain.
Marqués de Murrieta
The Castillo Ygay is the iconic wine: Tempranillo and Mazuelo, aged 25 months in oak. The Gran Reserva Especial 2010 is exceptional.
Bodega Lanzaga
A new-wave producer making wines from old vines in Rioja Alavesa. Lanzaga is the entry; Tabuérniga is the single-vineyard wine from pre-phylloxera vines. The wines are some of the most serious in modern Rioja.
Bodega Contador
A producer that began in a cave and now produces wine at the top of the region. Contador is the icon wine; La Cueva del Contador is the single-vineyard second wine.
Bodegas Lecea
Old-school producer in San Asensio, making traditional wines in underground caves. The wines are not fashionable. They are excellent.
The Honest Assessment
Rioja at the top end — from Lopez de Heredia, Marqués de Murrieta, CVNE, and the new-wave producers like Lanzaga and Contador — produces some of the most serious and ageworthy wine in the world. The middle market is dominated by producers making wine designed for retail: reliable, consistent, drinkable, but not interesting.
The wines you should be buying:
- Lopez de Heredia Viña Tondonia Reserva (current vintage, drink now)
- CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva (current release, keep 5 years)
- Marqués de Murrieta Castillo Ygay (current release, keep 10 years)
- Lanzaga Tabuérniga (current release, drink soon)
- La Rioja Alta 904 Gran Reserva (current release, the most reliable Gran Reserva in the region)
The wines you should not buy:
- Anything labelled only “Rioja” without a sub-zone or producer name you recognise
- Anything with a black plastic closure
- Anything from a producer you cannot pronounce
When to Go
September — the harvest, the Fiesta de la Vendimia, the small towns full of energy and activity.
June — San Bernabé in Logroño. The streets fill with food and wine. Eat and drink.
March — Batalla del Vino in Haro. People pour wine on each other from horseback. It is not a wine tasting. It is very fun.
What to Bring Home
One bottle of CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva (drink in 2027). One bottle of Lopez de Heredia Viña Tondonia (drink whenever). One bottle of Lanzaga Tabuérniga (drink soon, with lamb).
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