Rioja Crianza
MARCH 2025
Rioja is the most famous growing region in Spain. The main grape is Tempranillo, and the region is famous for its age-old oaking techniques.
Tempranillo is a thick-skinned, dry grape that requires a lot of heat to ripen, and then is subsequently super tannic. Oak is used to mitigate the dryness of the wine. Your March club features two Rioja Crianza (=12 months in oak), from two different producers.
The wines are fabulous. Rioja wines have their own flair in general, and these two producers have created wines within the same rule base that taste very different. I'm a big fan. Hope you enjoy.
About Rioja
Located in northcentral Spain, Rioja is a long, narrow province that runs east-west along the Ebro River with his northeast side sharing a border with the lesser-known DO Navarra region. Rioja has a centuries-long tradition of winemaking (with the first written evidence of grape cultivation dating back to a Rioja monastery in 873 AD).
Today, Rioja is known for producing Spain's finest wines, primarily red wines made from Tempranillo with long aging in oak which creates this unique, dusty tobacco, leathery flavor special to the region.
Per the map above, Rioja has 3 sub-regions: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Oriental (originally called Rioja Baja.) The basic aging rules are: Crianza (aged 2 years with at least 12-months in oak), Reserva (aged 3 years with at least 12-months in oak barrels and at least 6-months in bottle), and Gran Reserva (aged for 5 years before release with at least 2 years in oak barrels & 2 years in bottle).
Bodegas Carlos Serres
Haro, Rioja Alta
Carlos (=Charles in French) Serres headed to Rioja from Bordeaux during the phylloxera scourge in the late 1800's. In the village of Haro, he found wines that were worthy of exporting to the world market, which he did starting in 1896 – a man truly ahead of his time. Forming the Rioja Wine Exporters Syndicate in 1907, this organization was the first stage of what became Rioja's Designation of Origin Control (DOC) Board.
The estate vineyard, Finca El Estanque, covers 60 hectares of chalky-clay-gravel soils near Haro (elevation 500 meters above sea level) – ideal land for growing Tempranillo. The winery also contracts with local growers around Haro for their entry level wines.
Carlos Serres 2021 Crianza • Rioja, Spain • Reg $18.99 | WINE CLUB $16.99 | Mixed Case $13.59
The grapes for this wine come from local growers around Haro in long-term contracts with the winery. 100% Tempranillo. Aged for 14 months in American & French oak barrels and 6 months in bottle before release.
The nose is super sexy! Soft cherry, blackberries, earth (pecans), spices (hint of nutmeg?). Medium-bodied. Long, spicy, softly dry, exciting finish. Absolutely fantastic for the money. The local meat is lamb. Would be perfect with a smoky lamb dish, charcuterie, or a chicken or pork skewer with lots of grilled veggies. Drink now to 2 years.
Bodegas Faustino
Oyón, Rioja Alavesa
Founded in 1861 by Eleuterio Martínez Arzok, his great grandson (who took over in 1983) still owns and operates the estate today. With this extensive history and what is today quite a large production (currently 60,000 barrels and nine million bottles in the aging process), it is one of Rioja's most recognizable labels in the market today. Their Gran Reserva captures 40% of Rioja Gran Reserva sold around the world.
Faustino 2020 Crianza • Rioja, Spain • Reg $18.99 | WINE CLUB $17.99 | Mixed Case $14.39
100% Tempranillo. Aged 12 months in new American oak. Beautiful nose of red & dark plums and spices. Exciting herbal note. Just a sexy nose. Palate adds in black & red cherries. Super well-integrated. Great acidity. Note of smoky Rioja-style oak on the finish. Great wine. Drink now to 2 years. Enjoy with meats: lamb, steak, charcuterie, dishes with rich pulled pork, mushrooms.
A Note from Jens:
I'm a huge fan of Rioja wines! I lived and worked in Barcelona for a year after I completed my military service, and it’s one big great memory for me including the food and wine! This club showcases 2 different styles of Rioja Crianza. Fun! Perfect wines for early spring.
Your wine club pick-up tasting is always the 2nd Saturday of the month. Hope you can make it. The wines are great & you'll be able to taste the FLAGSHIP club wines as well – 2 reds (Marselan & Tannat) & 1 white (Albariño) from Uruguay.
Cheers,
Jens Strecker, Owner
Portalis Wine Shop
If you are here because you’re curious about our wine clubs: Here’s more general info & online signup> You can also peruse the last 12 months of both clubs to get a feel for the themes we pick and the wines we showcase: Portalis EXPLORES (our everyday wine club) & Portalis FLAGSHIP (our signature club).