Description
Please Note: This report is also part of The Spanish Subscription, a new bundle which includes all the new Spanish reports plus the back catalogue of all Spanish reports from 2024.
At 208 pages and more than 70,000 words, my tenth Rioja Special Report is the most extensive, in-depth and controversial overview of Spain’s leading wine region.
Rioja is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the of the creation of its Denominación de Origen this year at a time of considerable flux. It has just weathered – the operative word – the very tricky 2024 vintage and still making more wine than it can sell.
But that’s only part of the story. At the top end, Rioja is producing the most exciting and diverse wines in its history, reds and whites with a unique sense of place that deserve to be compared with the best in the world. For now, these wines remain under-priced and, I believe, under-valued.
The last three vintages will not be remembered with fondness by people in the region, but the 2021 reds, many of which are now on the market, are some of the greatest ever Riojas. For me, this is the best vintage since 2001.
There are no 100-point wines this year, but two reds scored 99 points and seven scored 98 points. Overall, 129 wines – my wines of the year – scored 95 points or more. The diversity really is remarkable, rivalling anything in the world.
My 2024 special report contains:
- 868 tasting notes for wines that scored over 90 points
- An 18,000 word introduction, telling you everything you need to know about Rioja
- My annual classification of the best 200 bodegas, including two new First Growths
- A guide to the best places to eat, drink and stay
- Suggestions for further reading
- A collection of my photographs of the landscapes and winemakers of Rioja
