RIOJA Terroir
Rioja is one of Spain’s most known wine regions. Situated in the Ebro valley north of Madrid, it covers the Provinces of Navarra, the Basque Country and Castilla y León. Its northern border is determined by the Sierra de Cantabria mountain range, and in the south by Sierra de la Demanda, and the resulting conditions create a very privileged environment for vineyards. Rioja was the first Spanish wine region to hold the maximum category designation of Calificada (Qualified). Its Regulations establish the demarcation of the production area, the grape varieties which can be grown, the maximum allowable yields, winemaking and ageing techniques.
The Area
The diversity in soil and climate has led to the classification of the Rioja wine region into three subareas: Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Alavesa. The different development of the vines in the different areas results in distinctive characteristics which are ingrained in the special nature of the wines.
The Climate
The Rioja, climatically, is defined as "the end of arrow of the Mediterranean luminosity in the Cantabrian mist". It is a zone of very northern luminosity within our peninsula, but it has another singular characteristic and it is that the mountains of Cantabria make a natural barrier that stops the influence that the Cantabrian sea exerts on the Basque provinces. This barrier protects the area from the cold wet winds coming from the north and northwest. The Rioja Baja enjoys a Mediterranean climate, but, unlike the Baja, both the Alta and the Alavesa regions have climates in which the hot, Mediterranean weather is moderated by cooler breezes from the Atlantic Ocean.
The Soil
The soil consists of yellow calcareous clay which occurs all over the Rioja Alavesa and extends well into the Alta region. Tempranillo flourishes here in the limestone, producing grapes with balanced acidity and a good concentration of flavors. Much more of the Alta soil is very similar to the silt and clay of the Baja and consequently grows Garnacha.