Everybody’s favourite Spanish wine region, Rioja stretches for 100km west to east along both sides of the Ebro River, with the Basque country to the north, and the Catalonia region to the east. Roads in Rioja are lined with vineyards – some 66,000 hectares of them, with a history of vine growing stretching back a thousand years. The vineyards are broken up by ancient monasteries straddling the Camino de Santiago Pilgrim’s Trail, and some stunning winery architecture. Then, in between, there are some of Spain’s prettiest villages – hello, Sajazarra. 

Rioja was the first Spanish region to become an officially demarcated wine region back in 1925. It was also the first area to be awarded the superior DOCa, later joined by Priorat – still the only two DOCa in Spain. Sometimes referred to as Spain’s answer to Bordeaux, Rioja produces red and white wine, rosé, sweet and sparkling wine, and like Bordeaux, it’s the red wines that most of us are familiar with, though Rioja whites are gaining recognition. 

Red Rioja is made with a blend of grapes, most notably Tempranillo, Garnacha and Graciano. Tempranillo is the most widely planted grape in Rioja and brings a fruitiness to the blend. Garnacha adds body to the wine and Mazuelo gives tannin, while Graciano is prized for its aroma and freshness. Once in decline, white Rioja now makes up a sizeable proportion of Spain’s finest white wines – plantings are growing year on year – with Viura the most important white grape variety. There are an array of styles in modern day Rioja, from the very traditional to the overtly international. 

You can thank the part oak plays in the wines, as today’s Rioja wine styles are largely determined by barrel maturation, from the type and age of the oak, as well as the time the wine spends in oak. And, oddly, this is largely down to Bordeaux negociants - they influenced winemaking here back in the day, showing the locals how to age wine in oak barrels.

There are three winemaking sub-zones in La Rioja (as it’s called here), spread across seven valleys formed by the Ebro’s tributaries, each with their own microclimates. There’s Rioja Alta to the west, boasting the largest concentration of century-old wineries with historical sites at every turn. These range from the La Estación quarter in Haro, home of Cune since 1879 and where all its Rioja wines are still aged, to the monastery at Yuso, where the first written texts of Castilian and Basque languages were found. The Atlantic climate rules here, delivering mild winters, moderate rainfall and temperate summers.

Rioja Alavesa is the second winemaking sub-zone, situated on the northeastern bank of the Ebro in the south of Alava (hence the name). Think more legendary wineries and winemakers, combined with innovative architecture – all catnip for the wine tourist, who come to Rioja’s northernmost region in their droves. In fact, Rioja clocked up some 880,00 winery visits in 2023, up 17.5% on the previous year, with Americans and the British leading the charge. Atlantic-influenced Rioja Alavesa also boasts megalithic monuments and plenty of medieval villages to explore.

Finally, there is Rioja Oriental, the easternmost sub-region, where The Med dictates the climate - delivering largely drier, warmer summers and colder winters, resulting in near perfect growing conditions for the grapes. It’s also where you’ll find cave paintings and thermal springs, and evidence of Roman settlements. 

Another fun fact - Rioja is also one of the few wines to be held back by producers until it’s ready to drink.

Crianzas must spend a minimum of two years ageing, with reds kept for at least one year in 225-litre oak barrels, and six months minimum ageing in barrel for whites and rosés.

Red Reservas spend a minimum of three years ageing between oak barrel and bottle, with a minimum two years ageing process for whites and rosés.

Gran Reservas only make an appearance in the best vintages, with a five-year minimum ageing process for reds, at least two of them spent ageing in oak barrels and at least two years in the bottle before being released for sale. 

Add to all that a wine region that now boasts seven Michelin-starred restaurants and Rioja should be at the top of the wish-list for any food and wine lover.

Good news, Rioja is a breeze to match with food. It goes with so many different flavours and textures. Obviously Spanish food is the classic pairing – think roasted meats, particularly lamb and pork, and any number of rice dishes (think traditional paella), laced with red peppers and pimentón, or saffron, and always garlic. So, what you need to think about is the style of Rioja that you want to drink. Below are some suggestions of how to pair food with Rioja, using Cune’s brilliant range of wines as an example.

Take a fruity, red Crianza – it’s perfect for this recipe of grilled Jersey Royals, sobrasada, pickled onion and Manchego with Cune Crianza. Or try the same wine with something a little spicier, such as these Chile Rellenos with salsa roja, salsa verde, and toasted pumpkin seeds.