sommelier quick tips - rioja trade portal · 2017-03-28 · sommelier quick tips ... , but our...

SOMMELIERQUICKTIPS

Buildingarelationshipwithon-premisepatronsmaybegreatlyelevatedbyworkingwithDOCaRiojawines.

RiojaisamongthetopgreatOldWorldwineregionsinreputation,longevity,andwell-knownasafantasticvalueatalllevelsofproductionandaging.Itisnoteasytofindwinesthatpairwellwithfoodandprovidethe“meditation/wow”factoraswell.

ThekeytoDOCaRiojadeliveringonbothisthestructureandbalanceofourwines–moderateandbalancedinacid,softtanninsandalcohol.Rioja’sgrapevarietiesageoverdecadestoretainstructureanddevelopcomplexaromas.Thisstructuralbalancealsoovercomeschallengesinstorageandservicetemperaturesforrestaurants,hotelsandwinebars.

HereisaquickprimerontheRiojaregionanditswinesforsommeliersandfood/beveragedirectors…

§ Oneoftheworld’stopwineregions,equaltoBordeaux,Burgundy,Barolo.Spain’sfirstDOCaregion.§ Diversestyles–freshyoungwhites,rosés,youngreds,agedredandwhitewines.RiojaWineStyleslink§ Notedforoakagingtraditions;modernstylesandoak-lesswinesarealsogaininginpopularity.§ Regulationsensurethatthewines,whenreleased,arereadytodrink,makingthemanexcellentinvestment.§ Tempranillo(tem-pra-knee-yo) istheprimaryredgrapevarietyaccountingfor80%ofourvineyardsandthereafter

Viuraisthewhitegrape.§ Aromatics–freshredfruit,driedredfruit,brightredcherry,plum,bakingspices,exoticAsianspices,cigarbox,

eucalyptusaretypicalofmanyRiojaredwines.Citrus,strawandwildfieldflowersaretypicalofouryoungwhite wines;roséswillhavestrawberryandredcherryonthenosewithalotofminerality.

§ Balancedpalate–moderateinalcohol,fruit/tannin/acid,forgivingofchangesinstorageandservicetemperatures§ Savoryandfruitpalate(vsfruit-forward)

RIOJABYTHEGLASSThebusinessofworkingwithRiojamakesitanhardtomatchvalueforthequality.Riojawhitewines,rosésandtintos(reds) allworkverywellbytheglass.AnotablesurpriseforwinedirectorsandpatronsareRiojaReservas,whichareexceptionallypricedforbytheglassaswellasreservelists.FindRiojawinestyleshere

BUILDINGTHELISTWITHDOCARIOJAOurstringentqualitycontrolgrapevarietiesandagingstylesmakeRiojaaverysafeandsatisfyingchoiceforabottleorreservewinelist.Why?

§ Readytodrink.DOCaRiojaregulatesminimumagingforourwines,sothattheyarereleasedonlywhenreadyto drink.Riojawinesmayagealotlonger,butourstandardsensurethatwhenasommelieropensabottleofRioja thepatronwillnotbedisappointed.Checkwithyourimporterforspecificsonwines.

§ Greatvintagesareinthemarketnow.Riojaistheonlystill-wineregiontodeclareeachvintage,basedonharvests andoutcomes.ReservaandGranReservaRiojawinesaregenerallymadeinVeryGood(MB) orExcellent(E) vintages;winedirectorsshouldeasilybeabletofindReservaandGranReservaRiojatobuyfromthemillennium’s starvintages–2001,2004,2005,2010,2011.Checkourvintagemasterchart

§ Excellentprice/valuefactor.YoumayputagedRiojaReservaorGranReservawinesonthelist,keepbottleprices reasonableandstillmaintainaverygoodmarginonthesewines.

SERVICETEMPERATURES&GLASSESWineStorage–idealat55°Fforredsandwhitesforthewinelist.Coldcaseisfineforblancosandrosados.

WineService–Riojaredsareidealat61°F;inthe5to10minutesbetweenorderandservice/pouringRiojaredsshouldwarmupabit,andmoreoncepouredintheglass.Usewhitewineglassesforwhites/rosés.Bordeauxglassesforalltintos,allagingstyles.

RememberthatRiojawineswillstarttoshowbeautifularomasthemomenttheyhittheglass.Asthewinescometoroomtemperatureduringthemeal,themoderatealcoholinRiojawineswillmaintainthebalancedpalatethroughoutandevenmorearomaswillemerge.Decantingshouldnotbenecessary,unlessthewineisofmid-1990’svintageoroldertoremovepossiblesediment.Decantingtoaerateshouldnotgenerallybenecessary.

LABELSONTHEBOTTLE–RiojaWineStylesRiojaisonlysoldinbottles,eachwitha“trustseal”labelindicatingtheagingofthewines.

§ Green“Cosecha”label–wineswithlittleornooakaging,ormadeinamodernstyle.Thesewineswillemphasizefruitandfreshness,withlessspice.Light,mediumbodyforwhites/rosésandfullbodyformodernredwines.Rubytopurpleforreds,lightsalmontodeeppinkforRosés.Seafood,saladsforblanco/rosé,spicyfoodsformodernreds.about$10to$15bytheglasspricingonyoungwines;$100+formodernredsforthelist.

§ Red“Crianza”label–musthaveoneyearofoakaging,andmoreinthebottlebeforereleasetomarket.RedCrianzasarewonderfulbytheglasswines,showingspicesandoakflavors.Mediumbody.Forloversofblends,everydaywine.Burgers,cheeses,mushrooms.Darkrubyred.about$9to$14bytheglass.

§ Maroon“Reserva”label–Requiredtobeagedoneyearinoak,2yearsinbottle.MostReservasgetatleastanotheryearofoakaging.Morearomatics,fullbodied,smoothandpersistentonthepalate–achangefortheCabernetSauvignon/Bordeauxlover,ChiantiandBrunellofan.Rubyredtogarnet.Roasts,stews.$20bytheglass;$50to$200winelists.NootherregionworldwidecandeliverthisqualityatRiojaReservapricepoints.RemainsthebestvalueRiojaforwinelists.

§ DarkBlue“GranReserva”label–Requiredtobeaged2yearsinoak,3yearsinbottle–manyareagedwellbeyondminimums.Thesewineswillshowelegance,balanceandhighcomplexaromas,belighterrubytogarnetincolor,withlighttomediumbody.ForhighqualityPinotNoirandBarololovers.Elegantmeatpreparations,meditationwines.$90andhigherdependingonvintage.