Below is a report written by Jamie Tonkin following a recent visit to Rioja, Spain.
We were delighted to have been chosen by the Rioja wine board to be one of their official Rioja Wine Club members - an exclusive group of wine merchants handpicked to promote the region in the UK.
I have just returned from 3 days in the region where they have been keen to show us what is new and how things are changing in this surprisingly diverse and forward-thinking area.
Alongside the world famous Rioja of Crianza, Reserva & Gran Reserva, there is a new identity being forged that it is hoped will sit alongside this classic tradition that everyone knows.
Rioja is a region that is facing up to climate change and the role that this will play in shaping its future. It is also an exciting area where there is a breed of winemakers and growers keen to rise to the challenge and show that the region has a lot to offer. Their goal is not to de-throne the old king and start a civil war, more to strengthen his hand and make his court refreshed & more outward looking. The Rioja wine region spans over 60 miles across and it would be odd if this did not allow for some expression of "terroir" and modernity, so often hidden from view hitherto.
Rioja is now giving more light to the white wines it produces and we were shown multiple expressions of the en vogue Tempranillo Blanco. A fuller, fruiter white grape than the traditional Viura. It makes a really generous, easy drinking white that would food match well. It ranges from orchard to tropical fruit but also retains some fresh nettle character - it should therefore appeal to all drinkers, be they a fan of Chardonnay, Viognier & even Sauvignon Blanc. It is a relatively new grape (discovered as a natural mutation in the 1980's) and we are only now seeing what winemakers can do with it. 
Viura is also gaining recognition, with fresh, modern styles full of citrus and zest that will appeal to Sauvignon Blanc and Picpoul fans, much like the Real Agrado Blanco. These vibrant wines sit alongside more serious offerings, crafted in a style reminiscent of Burgundy, delivering exceptional value, similar to the Las Planas Single Vineyard Rioja, Real Agrado.
In terms of volume, red wines still dominate. Here, things are still built on the foundation of the traditional grape varieties but style and terroir are the key influences. Rioja finds itself, physically as well as metaphorically, at a juncture where its rivers have tributaries flowing & diverging from the main source of energy. Instead of choosing a single path, they are scouting their options. This can been seen in wineries such as Real Agrado.
Situated in the Rioja Oriental, they are making the traditional wines like their Crianza but they are also at the vanguard of the Vinedos Singluares wines with their La Lobera and Las Planas. These wines are from single sites which have been identified as special, high quality sites that must meet rigorous standards. This is a concept that gives more freedom to producers to make a wine in their own style and still qualify as being a high-quality Rioja - something that would recently not have been possible.
Not ones to sit still ourselves and as a direct result of this trip, I am delighted to say that we have discovered a new gem. We will shortly be importing into the UK for the first time the wines of a new high quality project that I have no doubt will be considered a new great on the Rioja scene.
I can't give too much away at the moment but if you would like to be among the first to know more then please register your interest here. These terroir-driven, hand-made wines will only be available in small quantities and I would expect demand to out-strip supply. Every single wine merchant on the trip was blown away with them and I am in the process of getting the first shipment together.
