Rioja vs Ribera

Head-to-head, our two fave titans of Tempranillo. It’s an afternoon to battle it out between Rioja and Ribera. Who will win? Probably you!

But today’s masterclass won’t necessarily be a big red fest! Both regions are increasingly focussing on white and rosé production, Rioja even has a new category of fizz! Will diversity win the day for one of these two red regions?

But, getting down to business, we’ll see how comes top in the Tempranillo charts.

Comparing younger, fruitier, fresher wines from each region side by side, to be followed by those big, bold, oak aged reds. Ribera tends to work with French oak barrels, Rioja often uses American oak, will you taste the difference? Which will you prefer? Ribera works typically with Tempranillo as a monoculture, unblended and singular in its variety. Rioja typically uses some Garnacha, or perhaps some Carignan, even a splash of Maturana. Which style will please your palate?