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Rioja

Rioja Demoninación de Origine Calificada is Spain’s most important wine region. Located in northern Spain, it comprises 135,000 vineyard acres and was the first official appellation in Spain, earning its official DO status in 1926. In 1991 it became Spain’s first DOCa, Spain’s most prestigious appellation category. The DOCa is divided into three subzones: La Rioja Alavesa in the northeast; La Rioja Alta in the southwest; and La Rioja Baja in the east. About 75 percent of Rioja wines are reds, with Tempranillo the predominant grape. Garnacha (Grenache), Mazuelo (Carignan) and Graciano, a spicy, high-acidity red grape, are also allowed. White wines are made from Macabeo, Garnacha Blanca and Malvasia. Wines were made in this region well before the Romans arrived, though the Romans then the medieval monks refined vineyard management and wine production. In the 19th century French families migrated to Rioja after phylloxera wiped out their vineyards, and the French helped establish the tradition of wine blends, still part of Rioja winemaking. According to the rules for the appellation, a wine labelled a simple Rioja can spend less than a year in an oak aging barrel. A Criziana is aged for at least two years, one in oak. Rioja Reserva is aged at least three years, with at least one in oak. A Rioja Gran Reserva must be aged at least five years, with two years in oak.

1964 Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Vina Monty Reserva

Capsule condition issue; light signs of past seepage; 5 cm ullage; light label condition issue

1964 Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Vina Monty Reserva

Capsule condition issue; lightly depressed cork; light signs of past seepage; 4.5 cm ullage; light label condition issue

1964 Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Vina Monty Reserva

Light capsule condition issue; lightly depressed cork; light signs of past seepage; 3.5 cm ullage; light label condition issue

1964 Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Vina Monty Reserva

Light capsule condition issue; lightly depressed cork; light signs of past seepage; 3 cm ullage; light label condition issue

1964 Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Vina Monty Reserva

Light capsule condition issue; lightly depressed cork; light signs of past seepage; 4 cm ullage; light label condition issue

2009 Bodegas Muga Rioja Prado Enea Gran Reserva

WA  96   
VN  95   
WS  93   
2 available
Bid *

2006 Bodegas Muga Rioja Prado Enea Gran Reserva

6-bottle Lot, Wood Case

Light label condition issue

JS  98   
WA  96   
WS  92   
2 available
Bid *

2006 Bodegas Muga Rioja Prado Enea Gran Reserva

3-bottle Lot, Wood Case

JS  98   
WA  96   
WS  92   

1961 Bodegas Riojanas Cenicero Vina Albina Rioja Reserva

Light capsule condition issue; depressed cork; signs of past seepage; top shoulder fill; label condition issue

2009 Bodegas Roda Rioja Roda I Reserva

Light label condition issue

VN  93   
2 available
Bid *

2011 Cune (CVNE) Imperial Rioja Gran Reserva

1.5ltr

VN  94   
WS  92   
2 available
Bid *

2012 Cune (CVNE) Imperial Rioja Gran Reserva

WA  95   
JD  95   
VN  94   
JS  94   
JG  93+    
WE  92   
WS  91   
JR  18   
10 available
Bid *

2014 Cune (CVNE) Imperial Rioja Gran Reserva

WA  94   
VN  94   
JS  94   
WE  91   
3 available
Bid *

2016 Cune (CVNE) Imperial Rioja Gran Reserva

JS  98   
WE  96   
WS  93   

1970 Faustino I Tinto Gran Reserva

Elevated cork; 4 cm ullage; light label condition issue

1970 Federico Paternina Ollauri Vina Vial

Light capsule condition issue; top shoulder fill; label condition issue

1973 Federico Paternina Ollauri Vina Vial

Light capsule condition issue; top shoulder fill; light label condition issue

1973 Gomez Cruzado Vina Dorana Rioja Gran Reserva

Light capsule condition issue; light label condition issue

2012 La Granja Nuestra Señora de Remelluri Rioja Blanco

Light label condition issue

JS  97   
VN  93   
JR  17   

2010 La Granja Nuestra Señora de Remelluri Rioja Gran Reserva

Lightly elevated cork; light label condition issue

WA  95   
VN  95   
JD  94   
JR  17.5   

2001 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904

WA  96   
VN  93   
WS  91   

2005 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904

Light capsule condition issue; light label condition issue

WA  96   
JS  95   
VN  94   

2009 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904

JS  97   
WA  95+    
WS  92   
JR  17   

2010 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904

JS  98   
WA  96+    
WS  91   
3 available
Bid *

1973 La Rioja Alta Vina Arana Sexto Ano Reserva

Capsule condition issue; very top shoulder fill; label condition issue