In 1933, Rioja became the first Denominación de Origen (DO) in Spain, in recognition of the region's great quality. In 1991, it was the first appellation upgraded to Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa) status, the highest level of achievement for a wine-producing area in Spain. Adding to its renown, Rioja's wines consistently offer fantastic value. (In fact, of all Spanish wines Wine Spectator reviewed in 2023, from Rioja as well as other regions, more than 40 percent were priced $25 or less per bottle.) This week’s lineup spotlights this value with 9 high-quality reds priced $40 or less.
Rioja winemakers have barrel-aged their reds (made primarily from the Tempranillo grape) since the 18th century, when they borrowed aging techniques from France's Bordeaux region. While American oak was widely used by producers through much of the 20th century, winemakers now embrace the use of French oak, either on its own or alongside American Oak, imparting secondary flavors like vanilla and butterscotch.
This lineup includes the Bodegas Tobía Rioja Selección de Autor 2019, the top scorer, which is lightly spiced with plum, black currant, thyme and cocoa notes. Read on to get our score and full tasting note for this Rioja wine and eight others!
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