{"id":3918,"date":"2024-09-06T15:22:54","date_gmt":"2024-09-06T15:22:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/calepinduvin.com\/the-new-rioja-revitalizing-vineyards-and-embracing-tradition\/"},"modified":"2024-10-15T14:46:48","modified_gmt":"2024-10-15T14:46:48","slug":"the-new-rioja-revitalizing-vineyards-and-embracing-tradition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/calepinduvin.com\/en\/the-new-rioja-revitalizing-vineyards-and-embracing-tradition\/","title":{"rendered":"The new Rioja: Revitalizing vineyards and embracing tradition"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Rioja<\/em>, one of Spain’s most prestigious wine regions, is undergoing a renaissance as producers embark on initiatives to restore the vitality of their vineyards and celebrate traditionally planted grape varieties. Renowned winemakers such as Juan Carlos Sancha, Bodega Ruiz Jimenez, Valenciso and Arizcurren are at the forefront of this transformation, propelling the region into a new era. The introduction of labels such as Vi\u00f1edos Singulares<\/em> and Joven<\/em> has also diversified winemaking practices, offering a blend of tradition and innovation.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Revitalize vineyards<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In a bid to preserve Rioja’s rich winegrowing heritage, many winemakers have turned to sustainable, organic farming practices. These methods not only revitalize the soil, but also promote a more natural environment for growing grapes. Juan Carlos Sancha, a legendary figure in the region, has played a crucial role in this movement. Working in the hills of Ba\u00f1os de R\u00edo Tob\u00eda<\/em> in Rioja Alta<\/em>, Sancha is renowned for producing wines from old vines at high altitude. His commitment to organic viticulture, minimal intervention and manual harvesting has led to the production of wines that are both fresh and precise, deeply rooted in the terroir.<\/p>\n

Sancha’s work is not limited to well-known Rioja grape varieties such as Tempranillo<\/em> and Garnacha<\/em>. He has also been instrumental in the rediscovery of lesser-known varieties such as Tempranillo Blanco<\/em>, Maturana Tinta<\/em> and Maturana Blanca<\/em>. These grape varieties, some of which were almost extinct, have been reintroduced to the region’s vineyards, adding a new dimension to Rioja’s wine offering. The Sancha vineyards, characterized by poor limestone soils and old vines, some of which are over 95 years old, are a testament to the potential of sustainable viticulture to preserve and enrich Rioja’s wine heritage.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Rediscover traditional grape varieties<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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While Tempranillo<\/em> has long been the mainstay of Rioja, there’s renewed interest in grapes historically planted in the region. Grapes like Garnacha<\/em>, Mazuelo<\/em> (Carignan), Graciano<\/em> and Maturana Bianca<\/em> are making a comeback, offering unique flavors and characteristics that enrich the Rioja wine portfolio. These varieties, often promoted under the Joven Rioja label, have become synonymous with innovation and experimentation in the region.<\/p>\n

The Joven<\/em> label, which translates as \u201cyoung\u201d in Spanish, has enabled winemakers to create wines that emphasize the pure expression of these grape varieties. Typically lively, fruity and intended for early consumption, Joven<\/em> wines meet modern consumer preferences for fresh, accessible wines. This label has breathed new energy into Rioja, enabling winemakers to explore unique blends and showcase the versatility of the region’s grape varieties.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Vi\u00f1edos Singulares :
Celebrating unique vineyards<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In a move designed to highlight the uniqueness of certain vineyards, Rioja has introduced the Vi\u00f1edos Singulares<\/em> (Singular Vineyards) label. This initiative enables winemakers to produce and market wines from exceptional plots with distinct terroir and grape characteristics. By focusing on these singular vineyards, Rioja promotes the diversity and terroir-driven nature of its wines.<\/p>\n

Producers such as Valenciso and Arizcurren have seized this opportunity, creating wines that reflect the essence of their vineyards. Each bottle tells the story of its origin, capturing the heritage and uniqueness of the vineyard from which it comes. With the recent addition of 20 new Vi\u00f1edos Singulares<\/em>, more than 100 vineyards are now recognized under this quality indication, which was approved in 2017 by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The Vi\u00f1edos Singulares<\/em> label emphasizes the importance of terroir and identity, ensuring that Rioja wines continue to be celebrated for their connection to the land.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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The future of Rioja<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The transformation underway in Rioja is both a revitalization and a return to its roots. The emphasis on sustainability, diversity and terroir-driven wines is shaping a new identity for the region. With the introduction of the Vi\u00f1edos Singulares and Joven labels, Rioja is successfully marrying its rich winemaking heritage with the evolving preferences of contemporary wine lovers. The future looks bright for Rioja, with a renewed focus on quality, tradition and innovation, ensuring that the region remains at the forefront of the global wine industry.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Did you like what you read?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Discover more of Joanie M\u00e9tivier’s articles directly from the source.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Rioja, one of Spain’s most prestigious wine regions, is undergoing a renaissance as producers embark on initiatives to restore the vitality of their vineyards and celebrate traditionally planted grape varieties. Renowned winemakers such as Juan Carlos Sancha, Bodega Ruiz Jimenez, Valenciso and Arizcurren are at the forefront of this transformation, propelling the region into a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4186,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[83,85],"tags":[],"client":[],"class_list":["post-3918","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-spotlight","entry","has-media"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/calepinduvin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3918","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/calepinduvin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/calepinduvin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calepinduvin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calepinduvin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3918"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/calepinduvin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3918\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calepinduvin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4186"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/calepinduvin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3918"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calepinduvin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3918"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calepinduvin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3918"},{"taxonomy":"client","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calepinduvin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/client?post=3918"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}