New grape varietals allowed in Rioja
Tuesday, January 23rd, 2007How ironic that the same week I should heap praise upon the Blanco de Remelluri, a five-grape white blend that includes Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc—and which has been allowed to call itself Rioja because its constituent grapes were planted before the grapes were officially outlawed—the OIPVR (Organización Interprofesional del Vino de Rioja), the region’s marketing and regulatory body, should approve the use of three new white grapes in Rioja beginning with the 2007 vintage: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Verdejo.
The news was reported in an article written by John Radford on January 16, and appeared on Decanter.com. Click here to read the article.
Somewhat taken aback at first, upon further reflection I think the approval of new white grape varietals in Rioja—yes, even Chardonnay—is not such a bad thing at all. The 49% ceiling precludes the outcome traditionalists fear the most: 100% Chardonnay Rioja butterballs indistinguishable from their counterparts in California or Australia.
No matter how you slice it, Viura, the dominant white grape of Rioja, has its limits. (more…)
