Two master tastings showcase the history and future of Rioja at the close of its Centennial Celebration

• 70 international prescribers, DOCa winemakers and industry representatives participated in the international meeting “Centennial Celebration” organized by the Rioja Control Board
• The “Vision for the Future” tasting, with 13 references, demonstrated the great dynamism of the Denomination
• A second master tasting, “Tribute to a Legacy”, took attendees on a journey through 100 years of the Appellation using 12 historical treasures

The Rioja Qualified Designation of Origin faces the final stretch of its Centenary celebrations with the “Centennial Celebration” event, which brought together 70 of the best international prescriptors of the wine sector. As part of the program, two master tastings were held yesterday at the Centro de la Cultura del Rioja (CCR, in Logroño) in which the more than 120 participants, including prescribers, QDO winemakers and other experts, were able to tour the 100 kilometers of Rioja’s diversity and excellence, as well as its 100 years of history through 25 wine references divided into two master tastings, bringing together the past, present and future of the Denomination.

Pedro Ballesteros MW, Juancho Asenjo and Elena Adell, members of the project’s Advisory Committee, also conducted both tastings.

The meeting was sponsored by Riedel, a manufacturer of high-quality crystal and glasses.

“Tribute to a Legacy” historical tasting, a journey through the 100 years of the Rioja QDO

An oenological journey through iconic references that connect the origins of Rioja with its main milestones and most representative styles.

Marqués de Riscal 1956 – Bodegas de los Herederos del Marqués de Riscal

This DOCa Rioja wine, made from a careful blend of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mazuelo and Graciano, elegantly reflects the character of a vintage described as good, marked by a relatively short vegetative cycle. Its 45 months of barrel aging adds depth and complexity. The result is a balanced, expressive wine, full of nuances.

Castillo de Ygay White 1986 – Marqués de Murrieta

This Marqués de Murrieta white comes from the Capellanía vineyard, planted in 1945 and located in one of the highest points of the Ygay estate. Made from 97% Viura and 3% Malvasia, it was hand harvested in early October 1986 and traditionally pressed. After a long aging of 252 months in barrels and 67 months in concrete tanks, it offers subtle and elegant aromas, with notes of mushrooms and tea.

CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva 2001 – CVNE

This Imperial Gran Reserva 2001, made in Rioja Alta with a careful selection of Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo, comes from a vintage classified as excellent. After a traditional vinification with malolactic fermentation and aging in American and French oak barrels and subsequent clarification with egg whites, the wine spent years resting in the cellar until it reached its current character.

Viña Tondonia red 2004 – R. López de Heredia – Viña Tondonia

This Viña Tondonia Tinto Reserva 2004 comes from a vintage rated as excellent. Made with Tempranillo, Garnacho, Graciano and Mazuelo from the winery’s own vineyards, it spent six years in barrel with periodic racking and was clarified with egg whites. The result is a bright ruby colored wine, with fine and fresh aromas, light toasted and vanilla touches.

Faustino I Gran Reserva 1964 – Bodegas Faustino

This Faustino I Gran Reserva 1964, made mainly with Tempranillo and complemented with Graciano, Mazuelo and a small part of Viura, comes from a vintage considered the best of the 20th century. With a long maturation cycle, the wine was aged for 30 months in American and French oak barrels. In the glass it shows a ruby color with ochre and golden hues, and a complex nose with notes of spices, tobacco, honey and cedar.

Gaudium 2021 – Marqués de Cáceres

This Gaudium 2021 comes from vines over 70 years old and some pre-phylloxera planted in small plots in Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, at different altitudes and on limestone soils. After 18 months in French oak and a long rest in bottle, it shows a deep burgundy color and a complex nose with black fruit, spices and a touch of scrubland.

Contino Viña del Olivo 2008 – Contino Vineyards

This Contino Viña del Olivo 2008 comes from a small plot surrounding a thousand-year-old olive tree, a unique place from which a modern, fine and elegant wine is born. Made from Tempranillo and Graciano, it was harvested by hand and fermented in oak vats before undergoing malolactic fermentation in barrels and aging for 17 months in French, American and Hungarian oak, followed by more than a year in bottle.

Aro 2010- Bodegas Muga

This 2010 Aro, made from Tempranillo and Graciano, ferments naturally in wooden vats with indigenous yeasts before a long maceration and aging for 24 months, mostly in new French oak. After refining with egg whites, the wine shows a very dark color and great aromatic depth, dominated by black and wild fruit, floral notes, minerals and well-integrated spices.

200 Monges Gran Reserva Blanco 2010 – Bodegas Vinícola Real

This 100% Viura Gran Reserva white wine comes from vineyards located at more than 600 meters above sea level in the Alto Najerilla and Iregua Valley. For this wine, two small plots were selected and the best clusters were harvested by hand and underwent skin maceration before fermenting with indigenous yeasts and finishing fermentation in barrels. After a year of aging in French and American oak and seven years in the bottle, the result is a white wine of great finesse and depth.

El Mirón del Humilladero 2021 – Paco García Winery

This El Mirón del Humilladero is a 100% Garnacha from a pre-phylloxera vineyard planted in 1880, recognized as the oldest singular vineyard in the entire DOCa Rioja. The grapes are harvested by hand and vinified in a small tank of just 1,000 kg, with a very brief aging in oak to respect the fruit as much as possible. The wine shows a bright cherry color and fresh aromas of strawberry and raspberry.

Finca Las Naves 2019 – Bodegas Ysios

This Finca Las Naves 2019 comes from a small pre-phylloxera vineyard planted before 1902 in Elvillar. The grapes are harvested by hand and all the varieties ferment together in an oak vat, following the tradition of the vineyard. After a gentle maceration and 16 months of aging in a large French foudre, the wine shows an intense cherry color, aromas of wild fruit, violets, mountain herbs and a mineral touch.

Yjar 2021 – Nuestra Señora de Remelluri Farm

This Yjar 2021 is born in the historic vineyards of Remelluri, located in the foothills of the Sierra de Toloño, between 600 and 800 meters above sea level. It is made from an old goblet-trained vineyard and traditional varieties of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano, Granegro and Rojal. Fermentation was carried out naturally with indigenous yeasts in small wooden vats. The result is a precise and balanced red wine that faithfully captures the essence of the terroir.

“Vision for the future” tasting, a journey through the 100 km of diversity of the Rioja QDO

A journey through the current diversity and excellence of Rioja, and the future projection of the QDO, with a focus on new interpretations, Singular Vineyards, varietal recovery and sustainability, showing the territorial wealth of the Designation and its ability to continue setting trends in the international wine scene.

El Bardallo 2024 – José Gil Vignerons

This El Bardallo 2024 by José Gil comes from three vineyards between 40 and 80 years old located in the Bardallo Valley, in San Vicente de la Sonsierra, at 540 meters above sea level. Harvested by hand and made with 20% stems, the wine is aged for 10 months in 500-liter French oak barrels in the château’s cellar. The result is a subtle, vibrant and harmonious red wine, with a very limited production of 4,250 bottles.

Cold vintages 2023 – Bodegas Pujanza

This Añadas Frías 2023 is a Viura white wine from a historic estate in Laguardia located at an altitude of 600 meters above sea level. Spontaneously fermented and aged for 12 months in 500-liter French oak barrels and concrete tanks, the wine stands out for its pale, bright color. A tasty and saline white.

Hacienda Pradolagar 2018 – Marqués de Vargas

This 2018 Hacienda Pradolagar by Marqués de Vargas comes from vines about 40 years old located in the estate surrounding the winery, where Tempranillo and Mazuelo grow on gravel and limestone soils. After careful manual harvesting and fermentation with indigenous yeasts, the wine is aged for 26 months in new French oak and two years in bottle. The result is a ruby-colored red, with fresh and balsamic aromas, red and black fruit.

Benedicto 2014 – Bodegas Luis Cañas

This Benedicto 2024 is born from the project of recovery of minority varieties that the family has been developing since 2016, a work that has rescued more than forty ancestral grapes. Considered the “queen” of these varieties and mother of Tempranillo, Benedicto gives wines with deep color, good acidity and tannins present, but surprisingly fine. Its floral aromas stand out for their great intensity, the result of a high concentration of terpenes.

Cirsion 2010 – Bodegas RODA

This Cirsion 2010, made only with Tempranillo from a strict selection of old plots, is the result of the winery’s research on the maturity of tannins and anthocyanins in the grapes themselves. After fermenting in French oak vats and malolactic fermentation in barrels, the wine is aged for eight months in new French oak and a further four months in bottle. The result is an elegant and fresh red wine, with great purity of fruit.

El Arca 2020 – Domain of Queirón

This El Arca 2021 is a single vineyard Garnacha from a tiny plot of less than one hectare in Quel, planted as early as the 19th century. Harvested and selected by hand, the wine ferments in open American oak barrels and completes its aging in French oak for about 15 months, before undergoing a brief refining in concrete eggs. The result is a powerful and elegant red wine. Its production is very limited, with only 1,384 bottles.

Pancrudo 2023 – Bodegas Gómez Cruzado

This Pancrudo 2023 is a Garnacha from old bush vines planted in Badarán, at an altitude of 650 meters above sea level and on clay-ferrous soils that provide freshness and character. After a traditional winemaking process and malolactic fermentation divided between French oak and egg-shaped concrete tanks, the wine shows a vibrant and expressive profile.

La Loma 2022 – Miguel Merino Winery

La Loma 2022 comes from a small plot planted in 1946 in Briones, located at an altitude of over 530 meters above sea level and settled on limestone and stony soils that give fresh, subtle and elegant wines. After a manual selection and cold maceration, the wine fermented in a small steel tank and then underwent malolactic fermentation in 500-liter French barrels, where it rested for 14 months. The result is a delicate and balanced red wine, with a limited production of only 2,516 bottles.

Santalba CVC – Bodegas Santalba

This Santalba 25 Vendimias is a unique red wine that celebrates 60 years of Santiago in the DOCa Rioja and brings together several exceptional vintages in a single CVC (Conjunto de Varias Cosechas) wine. Sourced from Rioja Alta and made in a limited edition of only 1,218 bottles, it shows a light ruby color with brick-red rims, aromas of very ripe black fruit, figs, plums, spices and light leather notes, the result of its long aging.

 Juan Valdelana White 2022 – Bodegas Valdelana

This Juan Valdelana Blanco 2022 brings together small plots of singular vineyards planted between 1920 and 1940 in Elciego, Leza, Navaridas and Laguardia. Made by carbonic maceration, as per family tradition, and aged for a year in foudres and bocoys, this white wine blends historical varieties such as Viura, Malvasía, Garnacha Blanca, Maturana Blanca and Calagraño. The wine shows a bright straw yellow color, aromas of stone fruit with a marked mineral character and subtle spices.

Finca Valhonta 2020 – Bodegas Ramón Bilbao

This Finca Valhonta 2020 comes from the most Atlantic corner of Rioja Alta, a Tempranillo vineyard planted at altitude on limestone soils and protected by the Obarenes Mountains. Harvested by hand and fermented with indigenous yeasts in concrete tanks, the wine underwent malolactic fermentation in 500-liter oak barrels and was aged for 14 months in them before being refined for another 18 months in concrete.

 El Origen Clarete Fino 2019 – Bodegas y Viñedos Valcuerna

This El Origen Clarete Fino 2019 comes from Tejares, one of the family’s historic plots planted in 1930. Hand-harvested and pressed directly from whole bunches, it is made with minimal intervention to express the fruit and minerality of the vineyard to the fullest. After a year on the lees and two additional years of refining in stainless steel tanks, the wine shows a pale salmon color and ample aromas of peach, orange and mineral notes.

Dominio de Campo Viejo 2011 – Bodegas Campo Viejo

This 2011 Dominio Campo Viejo is a blend of Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo from five selected plots in Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental, reflecting the diversity of soils and climates in the region. After careful vinification, the wine is aged for nine months in new French oak barrels from the Tronçais and Nevers forests, specially made for this edition.

For more information, you can access the technical data sheets and images of all the references present in the faces in the following link.