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The Best Wines From Rioja Under $20 - The Reverse Wine Snob Picks!

Words like Reserva and Gran Reserva actually carry little meaning in many places in the winemaking world. Wineries are free to slap the label on a bottle for no other reason than marketing if they please.

The Best Wines From Rioja Under $20 - The Reverse Wine Snob Picks!
In places like Rioja; however, that's definitely not the case. These terms actually carry strict regulations and thus mean something. Specifically, here's what those terms mean in Rioja:

Young wines: Wines in their first or second year.

Crianza wines: Wines which are at least in their third year, having spent a minimum of one year in casks and a few months in the bottle. For white wines, the minimum cask ageing period is 6 months.

Reserva wines: Selected wines of the best vintages that have been aged for a minimum of 3 years, with at least one year in casks. For white wines, the minimum ageing period is 2 years, with at least 6 months in casks.

Gran Reserva wines: Selected wines from exceptional vintages which have spent at least 2 years in oak casks and 3 years in the bottle. For white wines, the minimum ageing period is 4 years, with at least one year in casks.

One other thing you'll notice in these regulations is the amount of time specified for wines to age in bottle. In what's a pretty unique situation in the wine world, Rioja as a whole has decided that they do not want to release their wines until they are ready to drink. This doesn't mean the wines can't age well for a significantly long time after release but it does mean that as a consumer you can be sure that that bottle of Rioja you buy this afternoon is going to taste great at dinner tonight, no additional aging required.

As far as grapes go, Tempranillo is king here but you'll also find plenty of Garnacha along with smaller amounts of Graciano, Mazuelo, Viura and Garnacha Blanca among others.

Read on for our list of The Best Wines From Rioja Under $20!

Beronia Rioja Reserva – Brilliant

By: Jon Thorsen Last Updated: December 14, 2018

Beronia Rioja Reserva - Brilliant

A mastery of oak imparted flavors, the Bodegas Beronia Rioja Reserva.95% Tempranillo, 4% Graciano and 1% Mazuelo from Rioja, Spain. … [Read more...]

Published: December 11, 2018 Filed Under: Highly Recommended, Spain - Rioja, Tempranillo, Thanksgiving

Lopez de Haro Rioja Reserva – A First-Rate Rioja

By: Jon Thorsen Last Updated: December 7, 2018

Lopez de Haro Rioja Reserva - A First-Rate Rioja

Another Rioja Reserva that delivers a lot more taste than its $12 price tag.The Lopez de Haro Rioja Reserva is 90% Tempranillo, 5% … [Read more...]

Published: December 7, 2018 Filed Under: Costco, Highly Recommended, Spain - Rioja, Tempranillo

Vivanco Rioja Crianza – Well-Rounded

By: Jon Thorsen Last Updated: November 24, 2018

Vivanco Rioja Crianza - Well-Rounded

From the label to the bottle itself to the wine inside the Vivanco Rioja Crianza has a lot of nice things going on.100% Tempranillo … [Read more...]

Published: November 24, 2018 Filed Under: Spain - Rioja, Tempranillo

Kirkland Signature Rioja Reserva – Costco Scores Again

By: Jon Thorsen Last Updated: October 22, 2018

Kirkland Signature Rioja Reserva - Costco Scores Again

Insane value at just $6.99 a bottle! Real deal Rioja Reserva aged 36 months in oak barrels.100% Tempranillo from Rioja, Spain. … [Read more...]

Published: October 22, 2018 Filed Under: Bulk Buy, Kirkland Signature, Spain - Rioja, Tempranillo

Carlos Serres Reserva – Silky Smooth Rioja Goodness

By: Jon Thorsen Last Updated: January 22, 2017

Carlos Serres Reserva - Silky Smooth Rioja Goodness

The highly satisfying Carlos Serres Reserva at a great Costco price. 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano from 30 year old vines in the Finca … [Read more...]

Published: January 20, 2017 Filed Under: Bulk Buy, Costco, Spain - Rioja, Tempranillo

La Rioja – A Spanish Region That Is A Feast For The Senses!

By: Jon Thorsen Last Updated: January 3, 2017

La Rioja - A Spanish Region That Is A Feast For The Senses!

The wines from Rioja, Spain are some of our most recommended here at Reverse Wine Snob. And while those wines are a great find at your local … [Read more...]

Published: January 3, 2017 Filed Under: Spain - Rioja, Wine Travel

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