As with every great fine wine region, the weather leaves a lasting imprint on the wines. Last year, after being so impressed by the consistency and quality of the 2021s, I released our first-ever vintage-focused in-bond offer from Rioja. It proved such a success that I thought it should become an annual feature for Rioja lovers and collectors. So here is the second instalment: the warmer, more Mediterranean 2022 vintage.
The finest 2022 reds are ripe with rich fruit, refined tannins and excellent ageing potential. I'm delighted to introduce this small but exceptional selection of my favourite 2022s, several released early and exclusively for Wine Society members. From a vintage that rewarded altitude, thoughtful viticulture and patient winemaking, these are Riojas that prove even the hottest years can produce wines of real class.
Order by midday, Thursday 8th October
In Rioja, 2022 was the hottest growing season on record. A wet autumn replenished water reserves, but an early spring heatwave accelerated vine growth before a long, dry summer and periods of intense heat challenged growers. Without the stronger Atlantic influence seen in cooler years such as 2021, elevation, along with careful vineyard management, proved the defining factors. Vineyards in Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, particularly those above 400 metres, benefited from cooler nights that helped retain acidity and aromatics.
As harvest approached, cooling northerly winds helped the vines through the final stages of ripening, allowing the best sites to produce beautifully balanced fruit. Few wines illustrate this better than Finca Allende's outstanding Gaminde, an 80-year-old hillside vineyard in Briones that combines the concentration of the vintage with remarkable freshness and structure. Likewise, Roda Reserva shows how meticulous vineyard selection and careful winemaking can transform a hot year into a wine of balance and composure, layering ripe black fruit with fragrant Mediterranean herbs and fine tannins.
The vintage also suits some of Rioja's great traditional names. CVNE's Imperial Reserva is richer and spicier than its superb 2021 predecessor but retains the balance and longevity that have made it one of Spain's benchmark Riojas, while Viña Real Reserva offers classic Rioja Alavesa character, generous dark fruit, savoury complexity and the firm structure which will allow for further ageing in bottle.
