{"title":"Rioja Wine","description":"\u003cp\u003eRioja is Spain's most celebrated wine region — a name synonymous with Tempranillo, oak ageing, and wines that range from everyday pleasures to profound, cellar-worthy classics. Nestled along the Ebro river in northern Spain, Rioja's three sub-zones — Rioja Alta, Alavesa, and Baja — each contribute something distinct to the region's rich tapestry of flavour, with Alta widely regarded as producing the most elegant and age-worthy wines of the three.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTempranillo is the undisputed king here, bringing medium body, natural acidity, and flavours of red cherry, dried herbs, tobacco, leather, and earthy complexity. Traditional Rioja winemaking has always leaned on oak — American oak for the classic, vanilla-laced Crianzas and Reservas; French oak increasingly for newer-wave styles. The Crianza classification means a minimum of one year in oak; Reserva extends that further; Gran Reserva represents the top of the pyramid — wines released with genuine bottle age and the capacity to evolve for years to come.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWines Direct has long been a home for Rioja lovers, and we're proud to carry wines from two of the region's most committed family producers. Señorío de Rondán has farmed its vineyards in Quel since the late 19th century, and their range — from the approachable Crianza to the impressive Gran Reserva — offers a masterclass in classic Rioja style. Viñasperi, based in the hilltop village of Laguardia in Rioja Alavesa, is one of the last family wineries still producing entirely from their own estate, and their Selección Limitada is a genuine statement wine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you're looking for a mid-week bottle to go with lamb chops or something to tuck away for a special occasion, Rioja delivers every time. It remains one of the world's great bargains for quality — and our range covers the full spectrum, from food-friendly Crianza to serious, age-worthy Gran Reserva.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"rondan-crianza","title":"Rondan Crianza Rioja DOC Spain","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Señorío de Rondán estate in Rioja Alta has been producing wines from their own vineyards in Quel since the late 19th century. Crianza means the wine spends at least one year in oak, giving the Tempranillo backbone a lovely softness and complexity while preserving the variety's characteristic bright cherry and dried fruit character.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRuby red with aromas of cherry, vanilla, and a hint of toasted oak. The palate is medium-bodied and smooth with well-integrated tannins and a clean, satisfying finish. Classic Rioja Crianza in style: honest, food-friendly, and wonderfully reliable. Ideal with lamb chops, roast chicken, grilled pork, or a classic Rioja staple of patatas a la riojana.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wines Direct IRL","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43672981733590,"sku":"10193","price":17.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0657\/2471\/1126\/files\/10193-w.png?v=1688057846"},{"product_id":"rondan-reserva","title":"Rondan Reserva Rioja DOC Spain","description":"\u003cp\u003eSeñorío de Rondán's Reserva spends at least one year in oak and a further year in bottle before release — the traditional Rioja approach that allows the Tempranillo to develop real complexity and elegance. This is wine with genuine depth and character, where the extended ageing adds layers of spice, dried fruit, and leathery complexity that the Crianza can only hint at.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMedium garnet with a mature, complex nose of dried cherry, vanilla, tobacco, and warm spice. The palate is refined and harmonious with silky tannins, a long, spiced finish, and that classic Rioja quality of being simultaneously complex and approachable. A perfect match for roast lamb with rosemary, slow-cooked oxtail, or a well-aged Manchego.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wines Direct IRL","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43672981766358,"sku":"11137","price":24.25,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0657\/2471\/1126\/files\/11137-w.png?v=1698309849"},{"product_id":"senorio-de-rondan-gran-reserva","title":"Senorío de Rondan Gran Reserva Rioja DO Spain","description":"\u003cp\u003eSeñorío de Rondán is a respected estate in Rioja, producing traditionally-styled wines with real depth and longevity. The Gran Reserva is the pinnacle of their range — a wine made only in the finest vintages, spending a minimum of two years in oak barrels followed by extended bottle ageing before release. The result is a wine of extraordinary complexity and character.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDeep garnet with a classic Gran Reserva nose: dried cherry, leather, tobacco, cedar, and a beautiful aromatic complexity that only comes with time. On the palate it is silky and refined — full-bodied with integrated tannins, layers of dark fruit, and a very long, elegant finish. An exceptional wine for special occasions, best with roast lamb, game, or aged Spanish cheeses.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wines Direct IRL","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43672982126806,"sku":"11219","price":47.75,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0657\/2471\/1126\/files\/11219-w.png?v=1695912971"},{"product_id":"vinasperi-crianza","title":"Vinasperi Crianza Rioja DOC Spain","description":"\u003cp\u003eVinasperi is a family producer in Rioja Alta, the sub-zone of Rioja considered by many to produce the most elegant and age-worthy wines in Spain’s most famous red wine region. Their Crianza — aged for a minimum of one year in oak barrels and one year in bottle — is a classic expression of Tempranillo: structured, earthy, and built for the table.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDeep ruby with aromas of dark cherry, leather, tobacco, and vanilla from the barrel ageing. Medium-to-full bodied with firm, fine tannins and a long, satisfying finish. A wine of genuine character and classic Rioja style — excellent with lamb chops, grilled beef, cured Iberian ham, or a plate of aged Manchego. Reliable and honest at a very fair price.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wines Direct IRL","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43672982847702,"sku":"10355","price":17.5,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0657\/2471\/1126\/files\/10355-w.png?v=1701381526"},{"product_id":"vinasperi-seleccion-limitada","title":"Vinasperi Seleccion Limitada Rioja DOC Spain","description":"\u003cp\u003eViñasperi is one of the last true family wineries in the historic hilltop village of Laguardia, in Rioja Alavesa — one of Rioja's most prized sub-zones, where the cooler Atlantic influence and clay-limestone soils produce wines of exceptional structure and refinement. The Selección Limitada is their flagship: made only in the finest vintages from a careful selection of their oldest Tempranillo vines, and aged in French and American oak to develop genuine complexity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDeep and powerful, yet beautifully balanced: ripe plum, blackberry, and cassis on the nose, with layers of smoke, cedar, and cigar box from oak ageing. The palate is full-bodied and structured, with fine-grained tannins and a long, evolving finish that continues to develop in the glass. Decant for at least an hour, or lay a few bottles down for three to five years — this is a wine that rewards patience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA natural partner for slow-roasted leg of lamb, Iberian suckling pig, aged Manchego or Idiazábal, or any dish that can hold its own against a serious red.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wines Direct IRL","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43672982880470,"sku":"11145","price":30.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0657\/2471\/1126\/files\/11145-w_0c9ac8f7-c635-492a-ab9d-dbd91e05dc5c.png?v=1768906910"}],"url":"https:\/\/winesdirect.ie\/collections\/rioja-wine.oembed","provider":"Wines Direct Ireland","version":"1.0","type":"link"}