Affordable crianza wines guarantee barrel and bottle aging
The maturing process ensures these Spanish wines reliably deliver more flavor depth than younger red wines from the same region.
European wine labels are often packed with words — place names and grape names and family names — that it can be hard to know which are which. However, there are also a handful of regulated label terms that are worth learning, since they can identify specific styles or quality ranks and foreshadow how the wine will taste. The Crianza designation on Spanish wines is an example of how a single word can help you crack the wine code.
Crianza translates as “upbringing” as for children. In the wine world, it refers specifically to the maturation of wine after fermentation is complete and before commercial release. The term is regulated only in Spain, where wine law recognizes two distinct types of wine aging — time spent in oak barrels and time spent in bottles before commercial release. These key quality factors are used as criteria for a regulated hierarchy. In this system, age-worthy red wines can be certified as either Crianza, Reserva, or Gran Reserva to certify that have already matured for at least two years, three years, or five years, respectively. While the wines in the top two tiers are often pricy, Crianza wines tend to be much more affordable, typically costing only a dollar or two more than standard wines. Thanks to their guaranteed barrel and bottle maturation, Crianzas reliably deliver more flavor depth and more aromatic complexity than younger red wines from the same region, as is the case with this lovely Rioja Crianza from a leading vintner. This dry, midweight red is made primarily with tempranillo grapes, accented with small amounts of garnacha and graciano and partners well with everything from grilled seafood to heavier roasted meats. It features mouthwatering flavors of cherries, blackberries, and plums, with the distinctive cedar and vanilla accents that result from spending a minimum of one year in oak barrels.
Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Crianza, Rioja, Spain
$13.99; 14% alcohol
PLCB Item #7212
Sale price through 8/28 – regularly $15.99
Also available at:
Joe Canal’s in Lawrenceville, N.J., $11.99, lawrenceville.jcanals.com; Canal’s in Mount Ephraim, $12.99, mycanals.com; and Total Wine & More in Wilmington and Claymont, Del., $13.99, totalwine.com.