Rioja
Spain · Spain’s classic Tempranillo region, known for oak ageing.
Unofficial study resource · not affiliated with or endorsed by WSET®In short
Medium-bodied reds built on Tempranillo, traditionally aged in American oak for vanilla and coconut notes. Ageing categories (Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva) signal how long a wine has aged before release.
Key grapes
Tempranillo, often with Garnacha (Grenache).
Why it matters for WSET
The reference region for Tempranillo and for Spain’s ageing-category label system.
Practise your regions knowledge
Wine regions are core WSET material. Try free practice questions with explanations, then get the full bank and a wrong-answer notebook in the Eclavin app.
Download Eclavin on the App StoreFrequently asked questions
What grape is Rioja made from?
Mainly Tempranillo, sometimes blended with Garnacha (Grenache).
What do Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva mean?
They are Rioja’s ageing categories, showing increasing minimum time in oak and bottle before release, from Crianza (least) to Gran Reserva (most).