best low oak tempranillos

[Joseph_Grassa]

Any Rioja more than a daily drinker will have oak, often a lot of it, even from the traditional houses. I would not try to make Tempranillo into something it isn’t and if you prefer less oak on your reds then I would look elsewhere.

It is not really that I prefer less oak, just curious to see some good expressions of tempranillo without it.

Was tempranillo historically as oaked as it is now though? I don’t know much about the history. I know that with Brunello their was a shift to smaller barriques with parkerization and some vineyards that don’t have the grapes to make a more “pure” expression of Sangiovese are still trying to keep the oak apparent. I find lots of similarities between tempranillo and sangiovese too so I am curious to what can be done with minimal oak flavors.

[Max_S1]

The Ardanza is not the higher level wine. And it can show VERY strong American oak.

Yep, confused why I like the 2010 Ardanza Reserva Especial a couple years ago when I tried it. I don’t remember it being that much of a vanilla bomb.

[John_Peacock]

From Washington, check out Kerloo Cellars and Gramercy Cellars. Both of their Tempranillos use small amounts of new oak (if any).

[Arv_R]

[DougS]

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[John_Kight]

Was tempranillo historically as oaked as it is now though? I don’t know much about the history. I know that with Brunello their was a shift to smaller barriques with parkerization and some vineyards that don’t have the grapes to make a more “pure” expression of Sangiovese are still trying to keep the oak apparent. I find lots of similarities between tempranillo and sangiovese too so I am curious to what can be done with minimal oak flavors.

I am by no means an expert on Rioja winemaking, but I do know that a heavy dose of American Oak has been a typical/common element of most of these wines going back decades (at least). I have had examples from the 70s forward that show that very distinctive “dill pickle” (or simply dill weed) smell and flavor that is typical of American Oak on Rioja (also with some degree of Coconut and/or Vanilla…although my perception is that these fade with bottle age a bit faster than the dill flavor). Finding these flavors in Rioja is not a parallel to the shift to smaller barriques with parkerization that occurred in Brunello & Barolo during the 1998 - 2003 timeframe (before many winemakers began dialing it back). That said, there are certainly more modern Riojas, which often show richer, creamier and darker fruit. Ironically, these more modern versions often do NOT show off their American Oak, and can also be quite delicious. I feel like the Muga Reserva is a good example…a delicious, well-made Rioja that seems rather modern in style, but without the heavy American Oak character…possibly French Oak instead, or maybe a combination of newer French Oak and older American Oak, I’m not sure.

[crickey]

I feel like the Muga Reserva is a good example…a delicious, well-made Rioja that seems rather modern in style, but without the heavy American Oak character…possibly French Oak instead, or maybe a combination of newer French Oak and older American Oak, I’m not sure.

For the 2018, according to the Muga website, the oak was 80% French and 20% American and/or Central European.

[Henry_Kahn]

Agree with the writer above who mentioned Goyo Garcia; their entry level bottlings are excellent and good values. Clarete and Joven de vigna viejas (probbaly don’t have the spelling quite right). Also, in Rioja, Olivier Riviere.

[lleichtman]

Okay, but the wines are very oaky.

This.

LRA claims that their wines don’t see new oak, but all their wines - including 890 - are very oaky in their youth with overt American oak influence. Some 890s and 904s have lost their obvious oak tones around 25-35 years of age, but I’ve had Ardanzas from the 1970s that still pack quite a bit of vanilla and coconut.

But then there are LdH Riojas that can see up to 10 years of oak aging and show very little to none oak influence. Their normal process is to bottle-age the wines long enough so any oak flavors integrate and release them when they are ready, i.e. no obvious oak. Some vintages might show a bit of oak upon release, but most wines seem to have dropped any noticeable oak flavors after 3-7 years of additional aging.

Agree, I perceive little to no oak in LDH but LRA always seem oaky to me and they seem to take a long time to integrate. Lower end Rioja always seems to have prominent American oak to me.

[John_Kight]

…LRA always seem oaky to me and they seem to take a long time to integrate. Lower end Rioja always seems to have prominent American oak to me.

Don’t know if you’re referring to the lower end wines of each producer, or “lower end producers”.

Certainly some Rioja producers with inherently mediocre wine may to try pump up their wines with excess oak (to impress the taster and/or the critic who can’t tell the difference between a good wine and an over-oaked wine), which is a problem in most all wine regions.

However, as a generality, it is the lower-end wines of most producers’ range (the generic Riojas & Crianzas, similar to many Rosso di Montalcino) that typically show (and receive) the least oak. The focus of these wines is usually (and should be) the simple, fleshy fruit. To some extent the legal distinction between these wines requires oak aging for the higher level wines (although doesn’t necessarily preclude it for the lower level wines). I think the Rioja-designated wines are not legally required to have any oak againg, while Crianza and Reservas are legally required to see 1 year of oak, an Gran Reservas are legally required to see 2 years of oak. Whether the barrels are younger/stronger or older/neutral is probably up to the producer. As you and other have noted, LdH wines seem to show very little oak, and even at the higher levels.

[Nick_van_der_Merwe]

I have always enjoyed Kerloo’s Tempranillo for their lack of oak.

[Mattstolz]

we tried a wine tonight at a local shop: Escobal de Ostatu: its French oak instead of American and foudre instead of Bordeaux barrels. my wife, who tends to be really hit or miss with Rioja because of the oak influence, liked it a lot.

[Dan_Kravitz]

This is a no-brainer.

Try any Rioja Joven, especially from Alta or Alavesa (more likely to have more Tempranillo).

I import Rioja. The Bodega’s Joven has a good dollop of Garnacha along with Tempranillo, but the further north you go, the higher the percentage of Tempranillo.

Dan Kravitz

[Joseph_Grassa]

Bodegas Lanzaga (Telmo Rodriguez) LZ is mostly tempranillo, raised entirely in concrete.

Some of the newer bodegas are making unoaked/less oaked bottlings. Artuke’s basic, Tolono, Pecina’s cosecha are all some examples. Not sure if they are 100% varietal pure tempranillo though.

Already mentioned, but Sierra de Toloño is probably my favourite Rioja because it’s more red-fruited and there’s no overt oak.

we tried a wine tonight at a local shop: Escobal de Ostatu: its French oak instead of American and foudre instead of Bordeaux barrels. my wife, who tends to be really hit or miss with Rioja because of the oak influence, liked it a lot.

Was able to grab all these below with some pretty great deals. Should have them mid October, and tried before the year is up! Thanks again for the advice.

Artuke Rioja 2019
Hermanos Pecina Reserva 2013
Sierra de Tolono Raposo Tempranillo 2018
Bodega Lanzaga Lanzaga 2017
Ostatu Rioja Escobal 2018

[Arv_R]

Nice. That Pecina you picked is going to get some oak though.

Their early release cosecha is the tank raised one IIRC.

I haven’t seen Ostatu around here since the 2010 vintage.

[Joseph_Grassa]

Nice. That Pecina you picked is going to get some oak though.

Their early release cosecha is the tank raised one IIRC.

I haven’t seen Ostatu around here since the 2010 vintage.

figured that much. The cosecha is a go to wine for me, so I thought I would give that one a go to get me over $100 for the coupon codes.

[Joseph_Grassa]

we tried a wine tonight at a local shop: Escobal de Ostatu: its French oak instead of American and foudre instead of Bordeaux barrels. my wife, who tends to be really hit or miss with Rioja because of the oak influence, liked it a lot.

Thanks for the suggestion on this. I am finally getting to it tonight. 2018 vintage. I am enjoying it. Not a bad qpr, but I am still wondering if I can find a bit more red fruit in a young tempranillo.

[Pat_Martin]

Are you talking about the Gran Reserva 904 or he 890? Depending on the year, those spend from three to ten years in barrels. The barrels are generally not first use, but they’re not exactly neutral. Those two wines are dead giveaways in blind tastings because of the overt oak.

I had this discussion with someone else. They use older oak barrels. Gran Reserva 904 "Selección Especial"

Okay, but the wines are very oaky.

Okay, but the wines are absurdly oaky.

[Adam_For]

Lots of good picks on this thread thank you for sharing!

[Robert.A.Jr]

That may be true on how old the barrels are, but the time in oak gives off a very distinctive signature. Personally, I love it and use La Rioja Alta for classic blinds. But, if I’m reading the OP right, it sounds like he doesn’t want that flavor in his Tempranillo

This.

I want to love these wines and simply cannot.