Beronia 2017 Rioja Crianza

Double you pleasure with this Rioja Crianza and “baby” 375 ML bottle.

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Rioja is an iconic Spanish wine. It comes from Spain’s first premium wine region and has earned loyal fans around the world.

We recently opened the 2017 Rioja Crianza from Beronia and it came with a twist – you’ll have to read on for that. First to the wine.

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Rioja is the most famous wine region in Spain and produces about one-sixth of Spain’s quality wines. Tempranillo accounts for more than 90% of the grapes grown. The classic flavor of Rioja relies on oak aging, traditionally in American oak, and the emphasis is more on earthiness than on fruit.

Digging The Oak

The love of oak barrels goes back to the French who settled there for a brief period in the 19th century when phylloxera wiped out vineyards in France. The French winemaking experience gave the winemakers in Rioja a jumpstart.

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The Beronia is a blend of 94% Tempranillo, 5% Garnacha, and 1% Mazuelo (also known as Cariñena or Carignan). This bottle is aged in a blend of French and American oak.

American oak gives big bold flavors, while French oak imparts more finessed tastes. Crianza wines in Rioja must age at least 12 months in the barrel and 24 months overall – so the type of cooperage really makes a difference.

A Contemporary Take On Rioja

The Beronia is a more contemporary take on Rioja. It isn’t highly tannic. Instead it is pleasant blend of cherry and raspberry with bright fruit notes accented by vanilla. Herb and spice threads intertwine to give another layer of enjoyment. This is a downright pleasing wine that would do well with a variety of dishes including roasts, cheeses, and pizza. We found it beautiful all on its own.

Now about that twist. This has been a weird year. In the past, wine tastings with the friends would mean grabbing a bottle as you walked out the door. Now you must master the logistics and safety aspects. Fear not, Beronia has produced a 375 ML bottle of their outstanding Rioja Crianza. If you are invited to a driveway party, or a socially-distant party where you are avoiding a whole troop of people handling the same bottle, voilà! It is perfect for single serve meet-ups with friends at a distance.

The SRP for the 750 ML bottle is $14.99, while the 350 ML bottle goes for $7.99.

Full disclosure: These wines were received as a marketing sample.