Rioja Wine

Rioja is Spain's most famous wine region, renowned for Tempranillo-based reds that range from bright, youthful and fruit-driven to complex wines matured for years in oak and bottle. Traditional classifications such as Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva can provide useful clues to ageing, but producer, vineyard and individual winemaking style are just as important.

At Spy, our Rioja selection brings together distinctive wines from carefully chosen producers, from fresh modern expressions to more traditional, mature styles. While red Rioja is the region's great speciality, white Rioja can be equally fascinating, offering everything from fresh, vibrant wines to richer, more complex examples.

  • Bottle of Rioja Manoso Joven Tinto wine

    Rioja Joven Manoso Tinto

    Rioja Joven Manoso Tinto

    75cl | ABV: 13.5%

    £10.95
    £10.95
  • Rioja Gran Reserva Muriel

    Rioja Gran Reserva Muriel

    Rioja Gran Reserva Muriel

    75cl | ABV: 14.0%

    £19.95
    £19.95
  • Proelio Reserva Rioja

    Proelio Reserva Rioja

    Proelio Reserva Rioja

    75cl | ABV: 14.5%

    £23.95
    £23.95
  • Rioja Blanco Kaori

    Rioja Blanco Kaori

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    Rioja Blanco Kaori

    75cl | ABV: 12.5%

    £15.95
    £15.95
    Sold out
  • Bodegas Muriel Rioja Reserva

    Bodegas Muriel Rioja Reserva

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    Bodegas Muriel Rioja Reserva

    75cl | ABV: 14.0%

    £14.95
    £14.95
    Sold out
  • Rioja Blanco Manoso

    Rioja Blanco Manoso

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    Rioja Blanco Manoso

    75cl | ABV: 12.5%

    £10.95
    £10.95
    Sold out
  • Rioja red with Japanese writing on the label, made from Tempranillo

    Kaori Rioja Tinto

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    Kaori Rioja Tinto

    75cl | ABV: 14%

    £15.95
    £15.95
    Sold out
  • Proelio Rioja Garnacha Vinedos Viejos

    Proelio Rioja Garnacha Vinedos Viejos

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    Proelio Rioja Garnacha Vinedos Viejos

    75cl | ABV: 14.5%

    £24.95
    £24.95
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Rioja Wine Buying Guide

Rioja is easy to recognise but surprisingly diverse. Tempranillo is the region's most important red grape, often blended with Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo, while white Rioja is traditionally based around Viura. Ageing classifications such as Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva can help you understand how a wine has been matured, but they do not define its flavour or quality. Producer, vineyard, vintage and winemaking approach can make just as much difference, with Rioja ranging from vibrant, fruit-driven wines to complex, savoury bottles capable of developing for many years.

What do Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva mean?

Rioja's traditional ageing classifications describe how long a wine has been matured before release. Crianza wines generally spend less time ageing and can retain more youthful fruit, while Reserva and Gran Reserva require progressively longer periods of maturation. Older classifications do not automatically mean better wine, however. Many excellent Rioja producers now make wines outside these traditional categories, placing greater emphasis on individual vineyards, villages and the character of the fruit.

Traditional or modern Rioja?

Traditional Rioja is often associated with long ageing in American oak, which can bring distinctive flavours of vanilla, spice, coconut and tobacco alongside increasingly savoury fruit. More modern styles may emphasise fresher fruit, individual vineyards and different types of oak, including French oak. In reality, many producers sit somewhere between the two approaches, so exploring different bodegas is often more useful than thinking of Rioja as simply traditional or modern.

How do you choose a Rioja?

Start with the style you enjoy rather than relying solely on the ageing classification. For something fresh and fruit-driven, look towards younger wines and producers who emphasise fruit and vineyard character. If you prefer savoury flavours, softer tannins and the complexity that comes with ageing, Reserva and Gran Reserva can be rewarding places to explore. And do not overlook white Rioja: Viura can produce everything from fresh, lively whites to richer, textured wines with considerable complexity.

Rioja Wine FAQs

What is the difference between Rioja Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva?

Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva are traditional Rioja ageing classifications based on how long the wine has been matured before release, including minimum periods in barrel and bottle. Crianza generally spends less time ageing, while Reserva and Gran Reserva require progressively longer maturation. They can be useful clues to style, but they are not rankings of quality, and many excellent Rioja producers now make wines outside these traditional categories.

What grape is Rioja made from?

Tempranillo is the most important red grape in Rioja and forms the backbone of many of the region's red wines. It is often blended with Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo. White Rioja is traditionally based around Viura, sometimes accompanied by other permitted white grape varieties.

What is the difference between traditional and modern Rioja?

Traditional Rioja is often associated with longer ageing in American oak, which can give the wines distinctive flavours of vanilla, spice, coconut and tobacco alongside savoury fruit. More modern Rioja may emphasise fresher fruit, individual vineyards and different types of oak. Many producers combine elements of both approaches, so the distinction is not always clear-cut.

Does Rioja wine need to be aged?

Not necessarily. Many Rioja wines are delicious when young, particularly fresh, fruit-driven styles. Reserva and Gran Reserva wines are matured for longer before release and can often develop further in bottle, but ageing potential depends on the producer, vineyard, vintage and style of the wine rather than simply the classification on the label.

Continue exploring distinctive Spanish wines

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