The many colors of Rioja wines
If you are a lover of Spanish wines, you may save your Rioja for special occasions. These wines can be big and bold with notes of leather and American oak best suited for hearty meat-centered meals. We recently tasted three wines that smashed that stereotype.
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El Coto is the largest vineyard owner in the Rioja DOCa and is considered one of Spain’s best-known wine brands. We opened a red, a white, and a Rosada (rosé) and found a trio of accessible and affordable wines.
Sipping White Rioja
Only nine percent of wine in Rioja is white, so sampling one is a unique treat. The 2022 El Coto Blanco is primarily Viura with smaller qualities of Sauvignon Blanc and Verdejo. Viura wines are light with plenty of fruit flavor. This Blanco is a refreshing bottle with zesty citrus notes and a perfect pick with seafood. The SRP is an appetizing $11.99.
I truly enjoy rosé from Spain, called rosado. While is seems the world is engulfed with rosé modelled after the Provence style, rosado rewards us with deeper color and flavor.
Rosado From Rioja
The 2021 El Coto Rosado is made from 90% Tempranillo and 10% Garnacha from the Los Almendros estate vineyard. Round and lovely on the palate, there are flavors of red currant and strawberry. Serve chilled at your next holiday event and you’ll see it is perfect with appetizers and all but the heaviest meals. Priced at $11.99.
Made 100% from Rioja’s signature grape, Tempranillo, the 2019 El Coto Crianza receives 12 months of aging in oak. The resulting wine is well-balanced with a silky finish. You’ll find layers of raspberry, red fruit, spice and oak.
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We paired this with homemade pizza and a nice spinach salad and expect the wine will go nicely with a variety of meats and cheeses.
El Coto is a great choice for entertaining or casual sipping. These Rioja wines are sure to please and come at a price that allows you to stock up.
Full disclosure: These wines were received as a marketing sample.
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