Rioja Dozen

A beautifully balanced crianza made predominantly from garnacha, which gives depth and structure to this juicy, spicy Rioja with plenty of blackberry and plum fruit and a sweet, peppery finish. An outstanding food wine, particularly with its classic match of lamb.

A restrained and refined Rioja that is made from 100% tempranillo grown in Alavesa vineyards, renowned for the most elegant style of Rioja. This is fine, pure and silky aged in a mixture of American and French oak.

Buttery and slightly nutty flavours are balanced by fresh, citrus acidity and white flowers with a soft, waxy texture and precise finish. It is produced from entirely local grapes – mostly viura, with small percentages of malvasía, tempranillo blanco, garnacha blanca and turruntés – from high-quality vineyard plots in Sonsierra and Alto Najerilla. Try it a breadcrumbed fishcake flecked with parsley, crisp and golden, alongside some chips.

Rioja is Spain's pre-eminent wine region, renowned for its graceful, stylish wines, mainly from the tempranillo grape. The Society's Rioja is made in the classic, traditional style that Society members so adore by Bodegas Palacio, who are based in the spectacular fortified village of Laguardia. Ageing in oak for 15 months results in a smooth, mellow and juicy tempranillo with red-fruit flavour complemented by hallmark savoury, leathery complexity. The ageing of wine in barrels is absolutely integral to winemaking in Rioja, and our new label for this member favourite pays homage to the cooperage tools that are used to make these traditional vessels.

A charming white Rioja, smooth on the palate, with hints of crisp apple with a beautifully structured and creamy weight with lively acidity and freshness. Elegant, expressive, and utterly food-friendly. We are pleased to say that they are Wine Society Pioneers for their efforts towards sustainability. They select only the best grapes for, paying fairly and above market rate to ensure quality, secure supply, and encourage growers to farm more organically and regeneratively with composting, cover crops and soil analysis, conducting their own chemical soil analyses on compaction, organic matter, macro and micronutrients, phosphorous, etc. before making recommendations of what looks like the best approach. They also hire seasonal workers direct to ensure they are looked after, paid at or above minimum wage. To top it off, they have installed solar panels this year.

A classically styled white Rioja made from this Spanish region's traditional white grapes (mostly viura with some malvasia), with a proportion aged in barrel. It is lemony-gold in colour with aromas that are spicy and nutty, rather than fruity.

Another beautiful expression of Glorioso Reserva. The 2021 is an excellent vintage with depth, power and beautifully integrated, finely grained tannins you've come to expect from this wine. Perfectly balanced and polished, with red and black cherries, and lovely lingering sweet spice. Bodegas Palacio was founded in 1894 by Don Cosme de Palacio who went on to establish Ribero del Duero`s legendary Vega Sicilia. Acquired by Hijos de Antonio Barcelo, one of Spain`s largest winemaking conglomerates, in the 1990s, there has been much investment, allowing Palacio to expand, modernise and thrive.

The nose opens with a fragrant burst of wild violets and crushed raspberries, underpinned by an earthy, slate-like minerality typical of the Alavesa limestone. Remarkably fluid and bright on the palate; crunchy redcurrant and plum flavours are framed by fine-grained, chalky tannins. Certified biodynamic by Demeter, their vineyard work is almost homeopathic with compost and their vine treatments all made in house. The recycle and treat wastewater as well as all non-vineyard waste (the vineyards are all farmed without irrigation) ferment with native yeasts, and use very lightweight bottles. And they encourage cover crops between alternate rows of vines in their 18 vineyard sites, with native plants spontaneously growing, including wild garlic, all while trying not to compact soils.

A modern, site-driven take on a classic Crianza, this is one of the most aromatic, fresh, elegant, and fruit-forward examples I’ve tasted. Israel’s youthful yet assured style focuses on wines that clearly reflect their origin. Sourced from vineyards in Ábalos, the Tempranillo is aged in fourth-use barrels to preserve purity of fruit, with traditional foot-treading allowing for gentle extraction and a soft, refined texture. Brambly red fruit leads, layered with spice, plum, and damson. Superb value, and a compelling expression of the next generation of Rioja winemakers.

This is not Rioja as you know it, made with carbonic maceration in the same way as Beaujolais, Israel Eguíluz is revealing the raw and beautiful juicy fruit of his Rioja village Ábalos. No oak, just bags of juiciness and a gorgeous bright violet colour. Black cherry, raspberry, plum and thyme jump out the glass and there's a gentle grip on the finish making it ideal for laid-back foods like pizza and cured meats.

Fresh, fluid and vibrant, this youthful, effortlessly drinkable Rioja is made predominantly from tempranillo, co-fermented with 20% of the region’s white grape, viura. Javier uses around 30% whole bunches in the ferment, which allows for gentle extraction, contributing to the wine’s light peppery character, while a small amount of the lesser-known maturana tinta adds a little extra structure and bite. The result is a bright, expressive and crunchy style, with floral and peppery spice, balanced by some breadth and structure on the palate. Fruit-forward and aged for just three months in barrel, it allows the juicy red fruit to do all the talking.

An exclusive, elegant, mineral and slightly aromatic white rioja from the talented Javier San Pedro who’s looking to express the fruit and terroir over the oak. A blend of malvasia, viura and tempranillo blanco with barely detectable neutral oak ageing, it has wonderful bright acidity with a weighty mouthfeel, elegant fresh pear, white peach and a hint of fennel.