Beginner’s Guide to Rioja Wine!

If you’ve ever heard of Spanish wine, you’ve almost certainly heard of Rioja. But for those who are new to the vino of this country, often they’ve heard that name but don’t quite know what it means and therefore don’t feel confident ordering it.

Well, welcome to my Rioja for [total!) beginners video! I made this to help those of you who are new to Rioja help you understand it, order it and enjoy it. And for those who already know Rioja, I think you’ll enjoy how the video explains the difference between traditional and modern Rioja wines, and also gives an update on the changes afoot in the region right now.

I kick off the video by answering three questions that I often hear in wine tastings we give:

• Is Rioja a grape or a wine region?
• What is the main grape used in Rioja?
• Is Rioja a red wine or a white wine?

And once those questions are answered, I move on and taste three Riojas from my favourite wineries of the region. The first is Viña Tondonia 2005 Reserva from the winery R. López de Heredia, then Roda I Reserva 2009 from the winery Bodegas Roda, and finally Viñas de Gain 2015 by the winery Artadi. The first is a classic, traditional Rioja, the second represents modern Rioja and Artadi is in there to highlight how the region is going through a period of massive change.

So, I hope you enjoy the video! I plan to make a tasting video for each of the 69 Spanish wine regions, so after you’ve had a watch, remember to leave a comment in YouTube about what region you’d like me to do next!

And if you enjoy the video, remember to give it a thumbs up! Lots of “likes” always bring a smile to my (and my mum’s) face!