Old vs. New style Riojas

[wondersofwine]

I hope no one from WLDG, especially Robin Garr, James Roscoe and Joe Perry (all of whom I have met in the past) will object to me copying and pasting this here:

(It categorizes Spanish wine producers as traditional, modern, ultramodern, but doesn't go into describing the taste differences of traditional vs. new or international style )

James Roscoe :
In other words Joe, is there a list of the generally accesible Spanish wine that fall into one of the following three categories: Spoofulated and undrinkable; spoofed but drinkable; unspoofed? If Manuel is able to pop his knowledgable head in here I wouldn't mind listening to his sage advice as well. I generally avoid Spanish wines as most of the stuff at the $15 - 20 range is pretty oaky and I am not into beaver food.

Joe Perry's reply (from July 2006)

My updated (and biased) list.

Here’s my key:

$ calculations 0 = $9-15 $ = $15-50. $$ = $50-100. $$$ = 100+
T = Traditional, M = Modern, UM = Ultra Modern
GR = Gran Reserva

1st Tiers:
La Rioja Alta “Marques de Haro” GR (not really feasible $$$+++)
La Rioja Alta “890” Gr (T) $$$
(pre-1989) Marques De Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial GR (T) $$
CVNE “Imperial” GR (T) $
CVNE “Vina Real” GR (T) $
R. Lopez De Heredia “Vina Tondonia” GR (T) $$
R. Lopez De Heredia “Vina Bosconia” GR (T) $$
Artadi “El Pison” (UM) $$
Muga “Prado Enea” GR (T) $
CVNE “Real de Asua” (M) $$
(pre-1970) Paternina “Conde de Los Andes” GR (T) $$
Finca Allende “Aurus” (UM) $$

2nd Tier:
La Rioja Alta 904 GR (T) $
Artadi “Pagos Viejos” (UM) $$
Remirez de Ganuza (M) $$
Marques de Murrieta “Dalmau” (UM) $$
Contino “Vina del Olivo” (M) $$
Riojanas “Monte Real” GR (T) $
Contino (M) $
Roda I (M) $$

3rd Tier:
Paternina “Clos Paternina” (M) $$
Bodegas Franco-Espanolas “Royal” GR (T) $$
Marques de Riscal “Baron de Chirel” (UM - Cab) $$
Marques de Riscal Gran Reserva (T/M) $
Sierra Cantabria Privada (M) $
Muga “Torre Muga” (UM) $
(Pre-1996) Bilbainas “Vina Pomal” GR (T) $
Señorio de San Vicente (M) $$
Roda II (M) $
Palacios Remondo “Herencia Remondo"(M) $$
Remelluri GR (M) $
La Rioja Alta Ardanza/Arana/Alberdi (T) $
Riojanas Vina Monty Reserva (T) 0
Muga Reserva (T) $
Labastida (T) 0
(old) Monticello “Vina Monty” GR (T) $

4th Tier:
Ramón Bilbao GR (T) $
Breton “Alba de Breton” (M) $
Rioja Santiago “Gran Enologica“ GR (T) $
Marques del Pomeral GR (T) $
Marques de Caceres GR (T) $
Berberana “Vina Alarde“ GR (T) $
Gonzalo de Berceo GR (M) $
Palacio “Glorioso” GR (T) $
Valsacro Dioro (UM) $
Bodegas Lan Lanciano (UM) $$
Marques de Caceres “Gaudium” (UM -Cab) $$
Campillo Reserva Especial GR (T) $
Bodegas El Coto “Coto del Imaz”(M) $
Martinez Lacuesta GR (T) $
Bodegas Palacio Cosme Palacio y Hermanos (M) $

5th Tier:
Gonzalo De Bereco (T) $
Campo Viejo GR (T) 0
Marques de Grinon (M) $
Fustino I GR (T) $
Torre de Ona “Baron de Ona” (M) $
Martinez Bujanda “Conde de Valdemar“ (T) $
Barón de Ley “Vina Imaz” GR (M) $
Marques de Arienzo GR (T) $

Unranked because I haven’t tasted them: Roda “Cirson“, Benjamin Romeo, "La Vina de Andres Romeo", Bodegas Lan “Culmen de Lan”, Muga “Aro”, etc.
For wines like the Vina Bosconia, Vina Tondonia and Cune Imperial which are the Reserva (not Gran Reserva) just stick them in the next tier.

The above is not perfect as vintages in different microclimates are a factor. Also, some wines are better than others within their given tier.

Best,

Joe Perry
Wine guru