RAISE A GLASS

If I said the wine style “Rioja” I bet you’d think of red wines. Young and juicily fruity or more statesmanlike, rich with leather, dried fruits and vanilla.

Would you think of a white wine? Maybe not. But let me plant that seed.

The white wine styles have seen a sales growth (up 19% last year on 2019 figures). Perhaps in last year’s lockdown you were making your own Rioja discoveries.

There are nine authorised white grape varieties and viura leads from the front. In another part of Spain it is known as macabeo and can be found in a tinkling glass of cava.

Also up there in the white Rioja varieties are tempranillo blanco, verdejo, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay.

The wines can be fresh, zingy, fruity and inviting. Or perhaps in a more complex style, with oak influence and lees aging.

Needless to say, in the interests of scientific research for this weekly missive, I’ve tasted a handful.

Baron de Ley Rioja Blanco (RRP £8.99, Waitrose) is a blend of three of the varieties, namely viura, tempranillo blanco and garnacha blanca.

I had some leftover roast chicken (let me finish, it’s more interesting than that) and threw it in a pan with sizzling chorizo, garlic, onion and a handful of peas. (Oh, and a shake of chilli flakes). I munched happily watching the footie with a glass of this wine. It is on the citrus spectrum, and lime, lemon and grapefruit were sprightly combatants in the palate party.

CVNE Monopole (£11, Noble Green Wines) is another where viura doesn’t need a grape variety friendship to create a fresh and fruity wine. Does it zing? Yes it does. Does it say, well hello there senses, I’ll wake you up? Yes it does. Does it sip nicely on its own or with food? Well both. I loved its lemon and melon zestiness with a crisp prawn salad.

Don Quintín Ortega White

Barrel Fermented (£16.95, jeroboams.co.uk) moves this white Rioja exploration up a notch. It is what it says on the vin – barrel fermented – and the grapes (viura, malvasía, garnacha blanca) rise to the occasion. It has a creamy, waxy mouthfeel, lemon and pear overtones, with a dash of spice from oak. The flavours last a long, lovely, time.

Discover more about Rioja online at riojawine.com

Jane is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers. Find her on social media and online as One Foot in the Grapes.