Dinastía Vivanco Rioja White Blend - Journey Through Rioja Wine #1 • Reverse Wine Snob

70% Viura, 20% Malvasia, 10% Tempranillo Blanco from Rioja, Spain.

SRP of $14 and available for as low as $10. Sample received courtesy Rioja Wine for review purposes.

From the bottle:

"Four generations of winemaking tradition has enabled the Vivanco Family to select this wine made from hand-picked Viura (70%), Malvasia (20%) and Tempranillo Blanco (10%) grapes sourced from own vineyards.

Design inspired by the original 18th century bottle on display at out Dinastía Vivanco Museum of Wine Culture.

12.5% Alcohol"

This week we will be taking a journey through the Wines of Rioja. Similar to the Tour of Chile a couple weeks ago, we will focus on wines from this region all week long while also learning a little about the area. And one of the first questions that comes to mind is probably, why Rioja? There are lots of answers to that question, but perhaps the most intriguing one is simply that Rioja has something unique to offer. And today's wine is a perfect example.

If you noticed the listing of grape varieties for the Dinastía Vivanco, you may be wondering about "Tempranillo Blanco". You wouldn't be alone in that. Tempranillo Blanco is a natural mutation of the "red" Tempranillo grape and was discovered on a vineyard in Rioja in 1988. Essentially this is an albino Tempranillo. Today it is grown in very small quantities and is found exclusively in Rioja. But ultimately we have to ask, how does it taste?

The 2010 Bodegas Dinastía Vivanco Rioja White Blend begins with aromas of lemon, a little peach, white floral notes, and grapefruit. The wine tastes fresh and crisp and reminds me of a Sauvignon Blanc with its good acidity that will allow it to match with lots of different foods. The primary flavors when tasting are green apple, pear, and lemon along with a little minerality. The wine ends with lingering notes of citrus zest. Overall, very tasty and very easy to drink.

As an added note, this wine held up surprisingly well to Chicago Mix (caramel and cheese) popcorn I decided to snack on just in case anyone else has a similar craving while drink it!

See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.

Taste Rating: 7 Cost Rating: 8