Rioja
Rioja is Spain's largest wine region, along the Ebro River, and what's on the label is mainly about aging: crianza, reserva, or gran reserva. When you think of Rioja, you quickly think of red wine, but they also make delicious white wine.
Wine by type
Rioja isn't alone on the shelf. Four closely related pages, from the broader story of red wine to Spanish sparkling wine.
Red wine
The broader story that Rioja is part of: the grapes, what oak aging does to them, and what temperature to serve it at.
About red wine →Verdejo
The other Spanish white wine, made from the grape grown in Rueda, which is often picked from the vine at night.
About Verdejo →
Merlot
A fairly large grape with a relatively thin skin, and therefore less coloring and fewer tannins than Cabernet Sauvignon.
About Merlot →
Cava
The Spanish sparkling wine from Catalonia, with the same second fermentation in the bottle as champagne.
About Cava →One region along the Ebro, three subregions
Rioja is Spain's largest and most important wine region, located in the north along the Ebro River. Its vineyards cover around 62,000 hectares, and it was the first Spanish region to receive DOCa status, the highest quality designation. The climate is a mix of Mediterranean, continental, and Atlantic influences; soils range from limestone and clay to iron-rich earth. The region has three subregions. Rioja Alta in the west produces fresh, elegant wines with good acidity and aging potential, thanks to its elevation. Rioja Alavesa borders the Basque Country to the north and produces refined, aromatic wines with a somewhat lighter body. Rioja Oriental, formerly known as Rioja Baja, is the warmest and driest, and produces fuller, more powerful wines, often with garnacha.
Red wine revolves around tempranillo, the dark-skinned grape known for its refined structure and aging potential: robust and full-bodied, yet surprisingly elegant. Garnacha, mazuelo, and graciano are also blended in to add extra strength, color, or aroma. The main grapes used for white wine are viura, also known as macabeo, malvasía, and garnacha blanca. Anything else on the label refers not to the grape but to the aging. A crianza has aged for at least two years before it goes on sale, some of that time in oak. A reserva ages for at least three years, including at least one year in oak. A gran reserva takes at least five years, including around two years in barrel and then several more in the bottle. These periods apply to red wine.
In brief
Six bottles, from crianza to white Rioja
Red Rioja almost always says crianza, reserva, or gran reserva, and the word tells you how long the wine has aged. At the bottom of this list are the two whites, because those exist too.
Cune Rioja Crianza
85 percent tempranillo, complemented by garnacha and mazuelo, and aged in oak barrels. Dark fruit with a hint of vanilla, making it an easy first taste of Rioja.
Torres Altos Ibéricos Crianza
A crianza made entirely from tempranillo, with dark fruit, spice and vanilla. Bolder in style than the previous bottle and clearly made to pair with meat.
Glorioso Rioja Reserva
One hundred percent tempranillo from Rioja Alavesa, aged for 22 months in French oak. Powerful yet delicate, with elegant tannins and ripe dark fruit alongside ginger and cinnamon.
Faustino I Gran Reserva
The only bottle here with graciano in the blend, it ages first for 38 months in American oak, then for another three years in the bodega's cellars. Complex, with vanilla, blueberries, tobacco, spices and the aroma of cigar boxes.
Cune Rioja Blanco Barrel Fermented
White Rioja made from viura grapes and aged in oak. Oak aging gives the wine extra aromas and makes the flavor richer and rounder.
Glorioso Rioja Blanco
Also made from viura, rich and sun-kissed without being heavy: flowers, apple, citrus and a touch of toasted bread. The finish is surprisingly full and almost creamy.
If you're looking for a Spanish sparkling wine rather than a still wine, you'll find it in cava from Penedès in Catalonia.
Dark fruit and vanilla, with softening tannins
Dark fruit & vanilla
Cherries, strawberries and plums, with a hint of vanilla or coconut from the oak underneath. The longer the bottle has aged, the more tobacco, spices and cinnamon emerge alongside the fruit.
Robust, full-bodied yet elegant
Tempranillo is robust and full-bodied yet surprisingly elegant, with a refined structure. In a reserva or gran reserva, the tannins feel noticeably rounder than in a young bottle.
Flavorsome and spicy
Spices, dried fruit and oak linger; a gran reserva also brings notes of blackberries, figs and tobacco. White Rioja finishes fresh and citrusy, while oak aging makes it full-bodied and almost creamy.
Flavor profile of a typical red Rioja. White Rioja scores much higher on freshness and much lower on body.
How to serve Rioja
Red belongs in the glass just below room temperature, white chilled, and an aged bottle needs a little air first.
Red at 16 to 18 degrees
Tempranillo is best enjoyed between 16 and 18 degrees, just below room temperature. A powerful, full-bodied bottle that's too warm loses its fruitiness, letting the alcohol take center stage; fifteen minutes in the fridge will fix that. Serving it too cold has the opposite effect: you smell less and the acidity takes over.
Browse the glasses →Let it breathe a little
You can pour a young Rioja straight away, but a reserva or gran reserva often benefits from thirty to sixty minutes of aeration. Decanting literally means pouring the wine into another vessel, giving it more oxygen; then let it stand for half an hour to three hours. If an old bottle has a lot of sediment, stand it upright a day in advance.
Decanters →Chilled white, and with food
Serve a fresh, fruity white Rioja at 8 to 10 degrees; an oak-aged bottle can usually be served a little less chilled. Pair reds with tapas, grilled meat, chorizo or a pepper stew, and whites with chicken, poultry, creamy pasta or a salad.
Browse the bottles →Wine cocktails
Rioja rarely goes into a cocktail; it's too much of a wine in its own right. These four come closest: two Spanish wine drinks and two spritzes made with sparkling wine.
Sangria
Red wine with fruit, orange and lots of ice, the best-known way to mix wine.
Tinto de Verano
Red wine topped up with soda and lemon, the summer drink of Spanish terraces.
Aperol Spritz
Aperol, sparkling wine and a splash of sparkling water, with a slice of orange.
Hugo Spritz
Elderflower syrup, sparkling wine, sparkling water and mint over lots of ice.The right glass for Rioja
Pour the red into a generous red wine glass so the aromas can develop properly; for white, choose a smaller bowl. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything else you wanted to know about Rioja
Can't find your question? Browse our cocktail recipes or get in touch.
To the cocktail recipes →What is Rioja wine?
What do Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva mean?
Is there white Rioja too?
What grapes are used in Rioja?
What are Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Oriental?
At what temperature should you serve Rioja, and in what glass?
Should you decant Rioja?
Buy Rioja
Want the bottle delivered straight to your door? Order Rioja online from Gall & Gall. Gall & Gall has 102.
Otoñal Rioja Crianza
Faustino VII Tinto
Faustino VII Rosado
Faustino VII Blanco
Prices as of November 10, 2026, as provided by Gall & Gall. You can see the current price and stock at Gall & Gall. Glazen.nl receives a small commission if you buy something through these links; it costs you nothing extra. No 18, no alcohol.
