Description

Welcome to my sixth and latest Rioja Report. This is the most exciting and diverse line-up of wines that I’ve ever tasted from Rioja, featuring a record number of top whites and everything from varietal Garnachas, Maturana Tintas and Mazuelos to wonderfully traditional Gran Reservas.

The 1,200 wines I tasted for this report were sampled over a period of three weeks in London in January 2021, accompanied by 184 Zoom calls with producers.

As ever, I’ve singled out my star wineries and winemakers of the year in the report. This is a chance for me to acknowledge not just the well-known, and in some cases legendary wines and winemakers I have encountered, but also the rising stars of both categories, along with my favourite great value wines of the year.

The report runs to 187 pages and is, I hope, the definitive overview for English-speaking fans of this outstanding wine region.