Rioja Gran Reserva, com mais de 8 anos

Na última 5ª feira, dia 17 de março, fizemos mais uma degustação no Rosmarino, com a presença de apenas 5 confrades, degustamos seis otimos exemplares de Rioja Gran Reserva, com mais de 8 anos. O menu escolhido pelo nosso confrade Paulo Sampaio, como normalmente, estava excelente.

Os vinhos harmonizaram de forma excepcional com o menu escolhido..

Couvert: Pães especiais da casa, chèvre al huille, relish de pepino e manteiga.

Entrada: Mini-salada.

Primeiro Prato: Risoto à milanesa e funghi porcini.

Prato Principal: Guisado de cordeiro com polenta mole.

Sobremesas: Creme brulée ao limão siciliano, tarte tatin com sorvete de canela, torta de nozes e mel com sorvete de creme, sorvete de coco com baba de moça ou terrine de frutas frescas.

O ambiente, a comida e o serviço, como de costume, estavam excelentes..

Como dito acima, a degustação contou com seis vinhos, apesar de um repetido, com níveis alcoólicos variando entre 13 e 14%.

A seguir uma breve descrição dos vinhos degustados:

Faustino Gran Reserva 1994

Produtor: Bodegas Faustino

País/Região: Espanha/Rioja

Graduação alcoolica: 13%

Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva 2001

Produtor: Marques de Murrieta

País/Região: Espanha/Rioja

Graduação alcoolica: 14%

Campillo Gran Reserva 1995

Produtor: Bodegas Campillo

País/Região: Espanha/Rioja

Graduação alcoolica: 13.5%

Izadi Seleccion Reserva 2001

Produtor: Viña Villabuena

País/Região: Espanha/Rioja

Graduação alcoolica: 13.7%

Campillo Gran Reserva 1995

Produtor: Bodegas Campillo

País/Região: Espanha/Rioja

Graduação alcoolica: 13.5%

Gran Reserva 904 1997

Produtor: La Rioja Alta

País/Região: Espanha/Rioja

Graduação alcoolica: 13%

O vinho mais antigo foi o Faustino Gran Reserva 1994 da Bodegas Faustino, que apresentou uma cor vermelha rubi, com toques atijolados, uma excelente acidez, porem com uma persistência não muito longa. Alem deste, tivemos 2 vinhos da safra 1995, um da safra 1997 e dois da safra 2001, sendo que um era apenas Reserva.

Vinhos degustados

Os vinhos Gran Reserva de Rioja, são vinhos de grandes safras, envelhecidos pelo menos dois anos em barril de carvalho e três em garrafa. Rioja foi a primeira região vinícola espanhola a adotar as tipificações Crianza, Reserva e Gran Reserva. As castas utilizadas em Rioja, são normalmente, Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo e Tempranillo

Os Rioja Gran Reserva com mais de 8 anos de evolução, são vinhos que apesar da idade ainda apresentam grande potencial de envelhecimento, pois ainda possuem excelente acidez. Os aromas dos vinhos mais evoluidos estava ótimo, apresentado toques balsâmicos, couro e mentolado, entre outros. Os vinhos degustados estavam muito agradáveis de ser bebidos.

O painel apresentou resultados bastante interessantes, entretanto o vinho Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva 2001, decepcionou os confrades, tendo ficado em último lugar. No nariz, apresentou baixa complexidade aromática, alem de um aroma algo desagradável de acetona. Foi escolhido o pior vinho por 3 dos 5 confrades presentes.

O segundo melhor vinho do painel, foi o Gran Reserva 904 1997, considerado o melhor vinho por dois confrades e o segundo melhor por outros dois.

O Campeão da noite, foi um Rioja Reserva, o Izadi Seleccion Reserva 2001, importado pela Peninsula, que ficou em primeiro lugar para três confrades.

Vejam os resultados completos abaixo.

Em função do feriado, o nosso próximo encontro será no dia 14 de Abril, quando degustaremos Douro Reserva. Até lá....

Rioja - Viticulture and grapes

Rioja wines are normally a blend of various grape varieties, and can be either red (tinto), white (blanco) or rosé (rosado). La Rioja has a total of 57,000 hectares cultivated, yielding 250 million liters of wine annually, of which 85% is red. The harvest time for most Rioja vineyards is September-October with the northern Rioja Alta having the latest harvest in late October. The soil here is clay based with a high concentration of chalk and iron (which provides the redness in the soil that may be responsible for the region's name Rioja meaning red). There is also significant concentration of limestone, sandstone and alluvial silt.

Among the Tintos, the best-known and most widely-used variety is Tempranillo. Other grapes used include Garnacha Tinta, Graciano, and Mazuelo. A typical blend will consist of approximately 60% Tempranillo and up to 20% Garnacha, with much smaller proportions of Mazuelo and Graciano. Each grape adds a unique component to the wine with Tempranillo contributing the main flavors and aging potential to the wine; Garnacha adding body and alcohol; Mazuelo adding seasoning flavors and Graciano adding additional aromas. Some estates, Marques de Riscal most notably, have received special dispensation to include Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, due to historical inclusion of that grape in their wine that predates the formation of the Consejo Regulador.

With Rioja Blanco, Viura is the prominent grape (also known as Macabeo) and is normally blended with some Malvasía and Garnacha Blanca. In the white wines the Viura contributes mild fruitness, acidity and some aroma to the blend with Garnacha Blanca adding body and Malvasía adding aroma. Rosados are mostly derived from Garnacha grapes. The "international varieties" of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have gained some attention and use through experimental plantings by some bodegas but their use has created wines distinctly different from the typical Rioja.

Some of the most sought after grapes come from the limestone/sandstone based "old vine" vineyards in the Alavesa and Alta regions. The 40 year plus old vines are prized due to their low yields and more concentrated flavors. A unique DO regulation stipulates that the cost of the grapes used to make Rioja must exceed by at least 200% the national average of wine grapes used in all Spanish wines.

Fonte: Wikipedia

Rioja Wines

Rioja is a wine, with Denominación de Origen Calificada (D.O.C. Qualified designation of origin) named after La Rioja, in Spain. Rioja is made from grapes grown not only in the Autonomous Community of La Rioja, but also in parts of Navarre and the Basque province of Álava. Rioja is further subdivided into three zones: Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Alavesa. Many wines have traditionally blended fruit from all three regions though there is a slow growth in single zone wines.

Geography and climate

Located south of the Cantabrian Mountains along the Ebro, La Rioja benefits from a continental climate. The mountains help to isolate the region which has a moderating effect on the climate. They also protect the vineyards from the fierce winds that are typical of northern Spain. Most of the region is situated on a plateau, a little more than 1,500 feet (460 m) above sea level. The area is subdivided into three regions - Rioja Alavesa, Rioja Alta and Rioja Baja. La Rioja Alavesa and la Rioja Alta, located closer to the mountains, are at slightly higher elevations and have a cooler climate. La Rioja Baja to the southeast is drier and warmer. Annual rainfall in the region ranges from 300 mm in parts of Baja to more than 510 mm in La Rioja Alta and Alavesa. Many of Rioja's vineyards are found along the Ebro valley between the towns of Haro and Alfaro.

The three principal regions of La Rioja are Rioja Alavesa, Rioja Alta and Rioja Baja with each area producing its own unique expression of Rioja wine.

Rioja Alta

Located on the western edge of the region and at higher elevations than the other areas, the Rioja Alta is known more for its "old world" style of wine. A higher elevation equates to a shorter growing season, which in turn produces unripe fruit flavors and a wine that is lighter on the palate.

Rioja Alavesa

Despite sharing a similar climate as the Alta region, the Rioja Alavesa produces wines with a fuller body and higher acidity. Vineyards in the area have a low vine density with large spacing between rows. This is due to the relatively poor conditions of the soil with the vines needing more distance from each other and less competition for the nutrients in the surrounding soil.

Rioja Baja

Unlike the more continental climate of the Alta and Alavesa, the Rioja Baja is strongly influenced by a Mediterranean climate which makes this area the warmest and driest of the Rioja. In the summer months, drought can be a significant viticultural hazard, though since the late 1990s irrigation has been permitted. Temperatures in the summer typically reach 95 °F. A number of the vineyards are actually located in nearby Navarra and the wine produced from those grapes belongs to the Rioja appellation. Unlike the typically pale color Rioja wine, Baja wines are very deeply colored and can be highly alcoholic with some wines at 18% alcohol by volume. The wines typically do not have much acidity or aroma and are generally used as blending components with wines from other parts of the Rioja.

Fonte: Wikipedia