Rioja: Beyond the classics
Exploring Rioja wine beyond the usual styles...
Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW is a Decanter contributor and joint Regional Chair for Spain at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2019 alongside Ferran Centelles. He has studied around the world, including Spain, France, USA and Germany. He holds a degree in agro-food engineering and a masters in viticulture and oenology among his qualifications. A columnist for magazines in Spain and Belgium, he works in four languages. He sits at the governing board of the Unión Española de Catadores (the Spanish wine tasters’ union), the board of the International Federation of Wine and Spirit Journalists and Writers, the wine committee of the Basque Culinary Centre, and acts as expert at the OIV (International Organisation of Vine and Wine). He is a VIA Certified Italian Wine Ambassador, a member of Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino, and has been awarded the Spanish Command Order of Agricultural Merit.
Exploring Rioja wine beyond the usual styles...
With 20 wines tasted from these two contrasting vintages...
Covering the vintages 2001-2022...
Impressive results for Rioja's white wines...
Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW looks at Spain’s listings on La Place de Bordeaux...
How long to keep your Rioja for, from 2000 to 2021...
Why great vintages are made for the long haul...
The results from a 53-wine panel tasting...
Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW on Rioja’s renewed energy...
10 great wines from five top years...
A selection of white Rioja chosen by Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW...
A look at this history and current day situation of Rioja's old vines...
The results show consistent quality for wine drinkers...
Drink or keep? Comparing the excellent 2001 and 2010 vintages...
'Rioja makes the best-value fine wines in the world'...
Top 18 Spanish sparking wines
In partnership with Spanish Wine Academy
If you have any old bottles of Rioja in your cellar, now may be the right time to uncork them...
How are the individual vintages stacking up against each other now?