Rioja
Rioja is Spain’s answer to Bordeaux: a famous region of serious reds. Like Bordeaux it is a river basin near the Atlantic, though more elevated and inland, staying hot and dry in the rain shadow of hills just to the north. The great majority of wines are red blends dominated by the spicy and tannic grape, Tempranillo, whose berry fruit, leather and tobacco notes mesh nicely with the flavours of long oak aging that are a trademark of the region. Top Rioja carries the cedar note of French oak but the coconut-vanilla infusion of American oak is more traditional. Oak also defines the local wine hierarchy, with ‘Joven’ (young) seeing no oak, ‘Crianza’ having one year in oak and one year in bottle, and ‘Reserva’ adding to this year in oak with at least two years in bottle before release.
![Rioja Rioja](https://www.caros.co.nz/media/catalog/category/rioja.jpg)
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2022 Cune (Cvne) Rueda VerdejoA deliciously fresh and value-focussed white made by Rioja masters, Cvne. Sourced in their Rueda holdings, this single varietal Verdejo is fermented in stainless steel to make the perfect ... read more$19.99 in mixed 6+ or $22.99 per bottle
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2020 Cune (Cvne) Rioja CrianzaA bright-fruited Crianza red from a top Rioja house. With some dark fruits backing up a juicy and red-fruited style, this is an effortless and versatile companion to any kind of cuisine. From a ... read more$24.99 in mixed 6+ or $27.99 per bottle
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Cune (Cvne) Cava Brut NVFamed Rioja producer CVNE recently got into the Cava game with their purchase of another house in 2018. This is an excellent entry-point to their style of Cava, and it's also great value. ... read more$27.99 in mixed 6+ or $31.99 per bottle
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2022 Muga Rioja Rosado (Rose)A classy Rose from Spain that offers a properly dry palate with bright, nuanced aromatics. This wildly popular wine has strict allocations worldwide, and we can never get enough to keep everyone ... read more$28.99 in mixed 6+ or $32.99 per bottle
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2021 Callejo Flores de CallejoA rich and satisfying red from a modern producer in the stunning Ribera Del Duero, Spain. Ripe Tempranillo delivers lashings of dark berries and spice, with a rich body and savoury-tobacco ... read more$28.99 in mixed 6+ or $32.99 per bottle
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2020 Torre de Ona San Martin Rioja CrianzaA classy and complex Rioja for a very cheap price. Torre de Ona is owned by legends of traditional Rioja, La Rioja Alta, although this more modern red is from a single estate in Rioja Alavesa ... read more$29.99 in mixed 6+ or $33.99 per bottle
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2020 Remelluri Rioja LabastidaA fine and elegant Rioja from a unique producer. Remelluri is the family estate of Telmo Rodrigues, a legend of Spanish wine whose reputation is hard to overstate. This label is both a departure ... read more$44.99 in mixed 6+ or $49.99 per bottle
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2020 Remelluri Rioja PecinaAnother great label from Remelluri's exciting village range. Peciña is a tiny hamlet in the area of San Vicente de la Sonsierra, where the relatively Mediterranean feel of the wine is reflected ... read more$49.99 in mixed 6+ or $55.99 per bottle
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2020 Remelluri Rioja Rivas de TeresoA gorgeous single-site wine from Rioja's specialist in terroir, Telmo Rodrigues. Rivas de Tereso is a tiny village of 30 inhabitants high in the mountains around San Vicente. Stony limestone and ... read more$49.99 in mixed 6+ or $55.99 per bottle
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2020 Remelluri Rioja Salinillas de BuradonA gorgeous Rioja from a single site on the region's more Atlantic-influenced stretch. The hamlet of Salinillas de Buradón is in one of our favourite villages of Labastida. This tiny catchment ... read more$49.99 in mixed 6+ or $55.99 per bottle