Rioja in Northern Spain is best known for berry-scented, barrel-aged red wines made from Tempranillo and Garnacha. It is arguably Spain’s top wine region. It is certainly the most famous, rivaled only by Jerez. The vineyards trace the course of the Ebro River for roughly 100 kilometers (60 miles) between the towns of Haro and Alfaro.
Other than Tempranillo and Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo (Carignan) are also used in red Rioja wines. A few wineries, notably Marqués de Riscal, use small quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon. White grapes are much less widely planted.
In 2017 vineyard area was recorded at 64,215 hectares (158,679 acres). 91 percent is planted in red grape varieties. Certified production of wine exceeded 250 million liters (66 million US Gallons).
Rioja is a DOCa (Denominación de Origen Calificada) – which means qualified denomination of origin – and has been a wine-producing area for over 2000 years. The region was granted a DOCa in 1991 and holds the highest number of registered wineries in Spain, with the wines displaying diversity, reliability, and value. Rioja lies in the north of Spain, named after the Rio (River) Oja, a tributary of the River Ebro. Rioja is divided into the following 3 sub-regions: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Baja.
Bodegas Berceo’s history is really close to the history of wine culture in the region of La Rioja. Its existence and foundation go back to the XX century, more exactly in 1801. The winery is named after Gonzalo de Berceo. He was a monk and a poet in the XIII century, who used to live in Suso Monastery (La Rioja). He was the one who dared to write the first verses in the Spanish language, in which wine was the main topic. The vineyards of all Gonzalo de Berceo plantings are from vines of more than 50 years of age! A blend of alluvial silt and a touch of clay dominate the soils.