Taste Test: Rioja Reds

Red wines from Rioja, Spain, have generations of fans—for good reason. These wines are known for being lush and opulent (the sorts of bottles you’d serve with roast lamb), but there’s “change afoot in one of the world’s most hidebound wine regions,” writes Betsy Andrews in her article for our March/April 2025 issue. 

While winemakers in Rioja historically aged Tempranillo grapes in American oak to create their characteristically rich red wines, modern producers are embracing a spectrum of grapes and winemaking styles to achieve lighter, crunchier, terroir-driven results. Their choices reflect not only recent changes to Spain’s wine classification system, but also shifting consumer tastes, winemaking trends, and climatic conditions.

These seven bottles highlight the brighter, fresher side of Rioja reds.

Bodegas Lanzaga Corriente 2021

Expect ripe raspberry and cherry aromas and flavors from this crowd-pleaser made from organically farmed Tempranillo, plus spicy, earthy notes and vegetal undertones. The finish is dry and velvety with beautifully integrated tannins. $18.99, mvwines.com

Bodegas Moraza Tempranillo 2022

Bright and approachable, this easy-drinking bottle from a minimal-interventionalist producer in Rioja Alta offers considerable value for money. There are notes of cloves and allspice alongside the juicy red berry flavors and pleasantly grippy tannins. $22.95, mysa.com

Sierra de Toloño Raposo 2021

A field blend of Tempranillo and Graciano, this irresistibly terroir-driven bottle has tart acidity and velvety tannins to spare. Juicy blackberries and savory spices headline the delightfully crunchy, complex flavors. $28.99, wine.com

Jose Gil Rioja Viñedos en San Vincente de la Sonsierra 2021

A blend of Tempranillo with Garnacha and smattering of white wine grapes, this beautifully crafted high-elevation wine combines red berries and gently floral flavors with spicy minerally notes. The dry finish and silky tannins will have you reaching for another sip almost immediately. $49.99, zachys.com

Bodegas Montecillo Vina Monty Garnacha 2016

Tart cherries and just-picked blackberries headline this single-variety Garnacha from Montecillo’s Viña Monty label. It combines juicy, fruit-forward flavors with sophisticated structure and a long, crisp finish. $59.98, winex.com

Artuke Tempranillo La Condenada 2022

From one of Spain’s most celebrated producers comes this biodynamic, beautifully structured single-vineyard wine. It has layers of raspberries and blackberries as well as earthy vegetal flavors alongside zippy acidity and grippy tannins. While you certainly could drink it right now, this investment-worthy bottle will only become more complex with age. $84, saratogawine.com

Ramon Bilbao Lalomba Finca Lalinde 2021

Admittedly, this isn’t a red wine at all: It’s a single-vineyard rosado that gets its ballet-pink color and crisp texture from aging a blend of Garnacha and white Viura wines in concrete. But it demonstrates the fresh approach being undertaken by historic producers like Ramon Bilbao. Andrews calls it “bone-dry with terrific minerality and food-friendly grip,” and it pairs beautifully with everything from shellfish to grain bowls to burgers. $45.50, theboozeoutlet.com