Rioja

Rioja is Spain’s most famous wine region, known for its elegant, oak-aged Tempranillo-based red wines. These wines offer red berry, plum, and cherry flavors, with notes of vanilla, leather, tobacco, and spice from extended oak aging. Rioja wines are classified by aging levels: Joven (young), Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva, with the latter having the most complexity and longevity. Balanced acidity and smooth tannins make them both approachable and age-worthy.