{"id":3846,"date":"2016-10-07T17:00:15","date_gmt":"2016-10-08T00:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.winemonthclub.com\/blog\/?p=3846"},"modified":"2016-10-04T11:50:08","modified_gmt":"2016-10-04T18:50:08","slug":"best-spanish-wines-rioja","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.winemonthclub.com\/blog\/best-spanish-wines-rioja\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Spanish Wines: Rioja and More"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Spain12x16_2\"<\/a>In spite of the wealth and variety of Spanish wines that lap upon our shores, Rioja remains the name most familiar to Americans. Rioja is a traditional style of wine with longstanding brand recognition that consistently delivers affordable, quality wines in several styles, and its name is easy to pronounce. Names such as Monta\u00f1a<\/strong>, Martinez Corta<\/strong>, and Valenciso<\/strong>, among others, not only flow easily across the tongue, they connote quality, style and value. Yet, Spain remains a treasure trove of exciting red and white wines from across the Iberian Peninsula that deserve the recognition that Rioja commands.<\/p>\n

The refreshing, sprightly Verdejo<\/strong> from Rueda, <\/strong>a historic area south of Rioja, is only now catching on among wine drinkers. An indigenous Spanish white grape, Verdejo was resurrected from near extinction in the 1970s thanks to a couple of erudite wine growers, including Angel Rodriguez<\/strong> who created Martinsancho<\/strong> by grafting Verdejo cuttings from his 300 year old vineyard into a nearby vineyard, and sending those cuttings to nurseries throughout Europe. Pure, natural and unadulterated, Angel Rodriquez\u2019s Martinsancho remains the quintessential Rueda Verdejo.<\/p>\n

The full-bodied red wines of Ribera del Duero, Priorat, <\/strong>and Tarragona <\/strong>also deserve better recognition, especially among wine drinkers thirsting for bold red wines with robust frames. Condado de Haza<\/strong> and Pesquera<\/strong> from the flamboyant Alejandro Fernandez<\/strong>, as well as Dominio Basconcillos<\/strong>, Mauro<\/strong>, and the legendary but expensive Vega Sicilia<\/strong> offer unsurpassed quality from Ribera del Duero. Clos Galena<\/strong> and Pasanau<\/strong> from Priorat provide equally compelling bold reds at prices that won\u2019t necessitate a second mortgage. The same can be said for Terrer d\u2019Aubert<\/strong>, a boutique Tarragona winery that crafts exceptional full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon and Garnacha\/Cabernet blends.<\/p>\n

\"la-rioja-wine-region-by-alex-porta-i-tallant\"<\/a>
La Rioja Wine Region<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For elegant, somewhat lighter red wines we suggest looking to Spain\u2019s Bierzo<\/strong> and Ribeira Sacra<\/strong> regions for Mencia \u2013 <\/strong>a grape that some have likened to Pinot Noir. Mencia from producers such as Altos de Losada<\/strong> and Peza do Rei<\/strong> fashion age worthy red wines that offer haunting aromatics and considerable complexity. Godello<\/strong>, another indigenous Spanish varietal, also hails from Bierzo and Ribeira Sacra where it yields very tasty white wines that are well worth seeking out.’<\/p>\n

Salud!
\nDon<\/p>\n

Photos Credit: WineFolly<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In spite of the wealth and variety of Spanish wines that lap upon our shores, Rioja remains the name most familiar to Americans. Rioja is a traditional style of wine with longstanding brand recognition that consistently delivers affordable, quality wines in several styles, and its name is easy to pronounce. Names such as Monta\u00f1a, Martinez […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":""},"categories":[6,7,14],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe Best Spanish Wines: Rioja and More Regions<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Rioja is a traditional style of wine with longstanding brand recognition that consistently delivers affordable, quality wines in several styles.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.winemonthclub.com\/blog\/best-spanish-wines-rioja\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta 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