EBRO RIVER VALLEY

Territory

As the name suggests, the region’s most important river, the Rio Oja, did not lend its name to Rioja, but instead, this wine is associated with the Ebro River. Snaking between the Sierra Cantábrica and the Sierra Demanda, the Ebro and its tributaries have helped vineyards gain their space, these vines have been celebrated for at least two centuries. Rioja itself has three sub-regions —Rioja Alavesa, Rioja Alta, and Rioja Baja— each with different characteristics. However, there is no hierarchy in terms of quality between the three. Among the varietals grown here, Tempranillo is surely king, but Garnacha, Mazuelo (Carineña), Graciano and increasing numbers of other indigenous grapes are the forerunner of new styles in the region.

Wines

“There’s no place like home” – or like the Ebro Valley in this case; for reds, whites and rosé wines. The reds account for the greater part of this area’s fame. Ageing classifications are the primary means for differentiating wine styles from one another: - Joven (“young”) wines, which are for drinking early. - Crianza wines are aged for two years, one of those are done in-barrel. - Reserva wines, undergo three years of ageing with one of those in-barrel. They can be age-worthy but are also great when consumed immediately. - Gran Reserva wines are regarded as the region’s pinnacle. They are at least five years old and generally ready to drink, but they can age for years as well. Rioja has been known as the traditional area of quality in the Ebro Valley, but it’s not the only one. Navarra in fact, is not far behind in its wines and in the minds of Spanish wine enthusiasts. The international grapes Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot have been more recently planted, alongside the DO’s historic and Spanish well-known Garnacha vineyards. The bold Garnacha is still beloved, but Navarra is finding its route outside the country as well, combining tradition with change and progress. In the Ebro Valley the four Garnacha driven Denominations of Origin are gaining more and more popularity: Aragon, Campo de Borja, Calatayud, Cariñena and Somontano. Juicy Garnacha is the primary driver, even in Cariñena, where its namesake grape is little planted.