Campo Viejo - DOCa Rioja
Denominaction de Origen Calificada (DOCa) was introduced in 1988 and is the highest classification for wine in Spain. There are a handful of DOCa regions and Rioja was the first to be awarded this distinction.
Two mountain ranges the Cantabrica and the Pyrnees, protect the wine zones of North Central Spain, providing favourable conditions for red wine grapes. The best known of these DO zones is undoubtedly Rioja. It's vineyards are found in the southern part in la Rioja itself. The name of Spain's most famous red wine comes from the region of La Rioja. The first part of the regional name comes from Rio, Spanish for river and the name of the river from which the name's second half derives is the River Oja.
Rioja are aged wines, the process of ageing the wines was called raising or criar – it is the same word for children and plants therefore the oak aged wines themselves came to be called Crianzas. As well as being the collective word for any oak aged Rioja, Crianza is also the official classification term for those Riojas aged in wood for the shortest time.
Campo Viejo was founded in 1959 by José Ortigüela, as a Rioja quality brand. In 2012 it became the first Spanish winery to be CarbonNeutral® certified. It is the No 1 Rioja wine brand worldwide.
2011 Campo Viejo Tempranillo €11.82
Stockists: Widely available in most off licences & supermarkets including Tesco, Dunnes Stores, Super Valu
The finesse and highly aromatic qualities of the Tempranillo red grape variety make it the star of the Spanish varieties. The grapes are harvested from the three sub-regions of Rioja Alta, Alvesa and Baja. This is a Vina Joven (or young wine). The wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged for four months in American oak casks and in the bottle. The use of American oak makes the wines seem richer more full bodied. People like the aromas, flavours and silky, smooth texture and approachable style, so it is no accident that Rioja is often one of the first red wine styles that drinkers enjoy.
This wine is perfect served with fresh salad, pasta, poultry, fresh light cheese, or the more traditional Spanish dish Patatas con Chorizo. Rioja Style Potatoes
Stewed with chorizo. A very simple recipe but certainly characteristic of the region.
TAPAS
Tapas is supposed to have originated in Andulacia as a cover or lid (tapa) to keep flies out of your sherry glass.
Another theory is that the tapa was born when, due to an illness, the Spanish king Alfonso the 10th, the Wise, had to take small bites of food with some wine between meals. Once recovered from the disease, the wise king decreed that no wine was to be served in any of the inns in the land of Castile , unless accompanied by something to eat. This was a wise precaution to counteract the adverse effects of alcohol on those people who, through lack of money to buy a nourishing meal drank alcohol on an empty stomach.
Originally it was simply a piece of jamón (ham), chorizo or bread, but as the trend stpread they became more complex and interesting. Tapas were originally found in the cities and Andalucia and also in the Basque country where they are known as Pintxos (the Basque word for Tapas). In the past it was a simple nibble with a drink. It took the tourist boom to make it creative and gastronomic so much so that you can now go on a Tapas Tour in most major Spanish cities, sharing lots of little dishes instead of dinner.
2008 Campo Viejo Reserva €15.05
Stockists: Widely available in most off licences & supermarkets including Tesco, Dunnes Stores, Super Valu
This wine is a very traditional aged style of wine from Rioja It is made from a blend of three grape varieties 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo.
Tempranillo is an early ripening Spanish red grape with low alcohol levels. It improves with both oak and bottle ageing. It produces flavours of cherry, spice and blackcurrants. Graciano is a low yield red grape that tannic wines that develop magnificently under the Spanish ageing system. Mazuelo is the name for Carignan grown in the Rioja region of northern Spain. Carignan is heavy in acidity, tannins and color, which make it great for blending, it grows well in hot climatesand gives flavors of pepper and plum.
This is a very traditional grape blend from the Rioja region. The wine is a Reserva which means it was selected from one of the best vintages and has been aged for a minimum of 3 years, with at least one year in cask. This wine was aged in a mix of American and French oak. This wine will go very well with red meat, game or mature cheese.
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