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Learn Rioja for Free — Taste It With Us
Behind the Bottle · Wine Education
Learn Rioja for Free — Taste It With Us
The official Rioja Wine Academy will teach you the region from the ground up, at no cost and with a real certificate at the end. Here’s how to get started — and the bottles to open while you study.
There’s a quiet secret in the wine world: some of the best education money can buy doesn’t cost a thing. The Rioja Wine Academy — the official learning platform of Spain’s DOCa Rioja Control Board — offers a full ladder of online courses, completely free, each ending in an official certificate issued by the regulatory body itself.
That last part matters. This isn’t a slick marketing site or a hobbyist’s blog. It’s the governing authority for one of the world’s great wine regions, teaching you directly from the source. No middlemen, no spin — just the most accurate, up-to-date picture of Rioja you’ll find anywhere, structured into bite-sized modules you can work through at your own pace.
From curious to certified
The beauty of the Academy is that it meets you wherever you are. Total beginner? The Rioja Enthusiast course is a gentle four-hour introduction. Want to go deeper? The Rioja Wine Diploma is a serious fifteen-hour qualification that several graduates rate as excellent preparation for the WSET Level 4 exam. There are even specialist tracks for the trade, for wine tourism, and an advanced Educator programme for the truly committed.
Rioja Enthusiast
Tasting Essentials
Rioja Wine Diploma
Trade & Tourism Specialist
Everything is self-paced and available in English, Spanish and Chinese. You simply create a free account and begin. (One tip: pick your language before you start — switching mid-course resets your progress.)
Start Here
New to Rioja, or want the official certificate on your wall? Head straight to the Academy and create your free account — it takes a minute.
The course that pairs perfectly with your cellar
Here’s where it gets fun. One of the Academy’s standout modules is Tasting Essentials — six hours dedicated to teaching you how to actually taste Rioja like an expert: reading colour, picking apart aromas, and understanding how the region’s famous ageing classifications change a wine in the glass.
The catch — and it’s a happy one — is that the course is free, but you supply the wine. Reading about the leap from a fresh white to a savoury, cedar-laced Gran Reserva only gets you so far; the lesson lands when the glasses are in front of you. So we’ve put together a tasting flight from our shelves designed to walk you through Rioja’s spectrum, bottle by bottle, exactly as the course unfolds.
Your Tasting Essentials Flight
Six bottles, one journey through Rioja
Hand-picked from our Spanish range to mirror the Academy’s tasting course — start with the whites, work through the Reservas, and finish on the Gran Reservas to feel exactly what time in the cellar does to a wine.
Nivarius La Nevera Rioja Blanco 2019
The 2019 Nivarius Finca La Nevera is a refreshing, high-altitude Rioja white (Maturana Blanca) from Nalda, showing intense aromas of pear, apple, quince, and white flowers. It features a creamy yet structured texture with high acidity, subtle nutty notes, and a long, savory mineral finish.
Key Tasting Notes
Aroma: Intense and fresh, featuring ripe apple, pear, white blossom, and hints of lemon rind.
Palate: Medium-bodied with a creamy, textured mouthfeel from lees aging, balanced by high acidity and mineral, slightly balsamic undertones.
Finish: Long, crisp, and slightly nutty, with notes of yogurt or fine lees.
Varietal & Vineyard: Made primarily from the rare native grape Maturana Blanca, grown at 800 meters, which contributes to its aromatic intensity and natural freshness.
Pairing & Service
Best served between 8-10°C, this wine pairs well with baked fish, seafood, roasted white meats, and creamy rice dishes.
Baigorri Blanco Fermentado en Barrica 2018
Baigorri Blanco Fermentado en Barrica 2018 is an elegant, barrel-fermented white Rioja crafted primarily from old-vine Viura. It opens with aromas of ripe pear, white peach, and citrus zest layered with subtle notes of toasted oak, vanilla, and almond. On the palate, it’s rich yet balanced, showing creamy texture, vibrant acidity, and a lingering mineral finish. This vintage captures both freshness and depth — a fine example of modern white Rioja with character and finesse.
Valenciso Rioja Blanco 2023
Valenciso Rioja Blanco 2023
Complex aromas combining floral characters with preserved lemon and gently smoky notes. The palate is intense and broad with nuts, stone fruit, minerality and balancing citrus acidity on the finish. Will continue to develop in the bottle.
A white wine that will benefit from decanting. Serve with hake, saffron and mustard mash.
95 pts – Tim Atkin MW Rioja Special Report 2024
Very appealingly priced given its quality and its ability to age in bottle, the latest release of the Valenciso Blanco is one of the best yet. Pairing Viura with 30% Garnacha Blanca, with ageing in Caucasian oak, this is appealingly fresh and understated, showing layers of pear, citrus peel, jasmine and honeysuckle and a hint of beeswax. 2024-30
La Rioja Alta Viña Alberdi Reserva 2020
La Rioja Alta, S.A. Viña Alberdi Reserva 2020 is a classic Rioja made from 100% Tempranillo, showing a bright garnet color and expressive aromas of ripe red fruits such as raspberry, strawberry, and red cherry. These fruit notes are layered with traditional American oak influences—vanilla, coconut, sweet spice, tobacco, and a light balsamic touch—giving the wine a fragrant, inviting nose.
On the palate, it is medium-bodied and fresh, with lively acidity and silky, well-integrated tannins. The red fruit remains at the core, complemented by subtle smoky, cedar, and toasted notes from barrel aging. The texture is polished and balanced, offering both approachability and structure, with a long, smooth finish marked by lingering fruit and gentle spice.
Critics have rated the 2020 vintage in the low-90s, praising its harmony, elegance, and faithful expression of traditional Rioja Reserva style. It is drinking well now but has the balance to evolve gracefully over the next 5–7 years, making it a versatile and food-friendly choice for dishes like grilled meats, roasted vegetables, and cured cheeses.
Valenciso Rioja Reserva 2019
Valenciso Rioja Reserva 2019
The 2019 Valenciso Reserva is highly regarded by critics, often praised for its balance between classic Rioja style and modern, elegant, and fresh characteristics. It is produced from 100% Tempranillo, typically aged in French oak for around 17–19 months.
Critic Ratings & Notes
Critics have awarded the 2019 Valenciso Reserva scores ranging from 92 to 94 points.
Tim Atkin MW (94 Points): Described the wine as "youthful, structured and vigorous," a "compact, serious, age-worthy red" with dark plum and blackberry fruit and a "balsamic undertone".
James Suckling (93 Points): Noted "ripe, racy aromas of dark plums, cherries, dark earth, walnut husks, dark mushrooms and graphite" and a "restrained and rather understated" style with a medium body and "fine-grained tannins".
Decanter (93 Points): Highlighted "fleshy black fruit" integrated with "subtle savouriness of thyme, wild oregano, macerated sage and mint".
Vinous (92 Points): Described a garnet hue with "red fruit, cherry and light jammy notes alongside gentle oak" and a "dry and juicy" palate with "firm, fine-grained tannins and good intensity".
General Characteristics
Reviewers note a perfumed aroma with violet, blackberry, and savoury spice. The palate is described as juicy and powerful, with "gentle" or "fine" tannins. The wine shows balanced acidity and a structure suggesting good aging potential. The overall style is often called "understated" and "elegant".
Pairing & Drinking Window
Recommendations for food pairings include roast lamb, game pie, strong cheeses, and grilled dishes. The wine is suitable for drinking now but has the structure for further aging, with suggested windows generally extending from 2024 to 2035.
These reviews detail the tasting notes and ratings for the 2019 Valenciso Reserva, highlighting its complex aromas, palate structure, and potential for aging.
La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza 2019
La Rioja Alta S.A. Viña Ardanza 2019
The vintage is regarded as outstanding, with strong ageing potential.
Colour: Bright cherry red with medium-high density and a classic garnet rim.
Aroma: Redcurrant, plum and cherry layered with balsamic touches and spice notes such as black pepper, licorice, clove, nutmeg and vanilla.
Palate: Fresh, balanced and elegant. Sweet, refined tannins, vibrant acidity, red-fruit purity, hints of cedar and tobacco leaf, and a long, energetic finish.
Critic Scores
Jeb Dunnuck: 96
James Suckling: 95
Wine Advocate (Robert Parker): 94
Decanter: 94
Vinous: 93
Bodegas Roda Reserva 2019
Bodegas Roda Reserva 2019 is a sophisticated red wine from Spain's Rioja region, primarily made from Tempranillo grapes. It is known for its complex aromas of black fruit, chocolate, and spices, and its full-bodied, elegant palate with refined tannins. The wine underwent a 14–16 month aging period in French oak barrels (50% new, 50% used) followed by extensive bottle aging to ensure its structure, complexity, and long finish.
Wine characteristics
Grape varieties: A blend of 94% Tempranillo, 4% Graciano, and 2% Garnacha.
Tasting notes:
Aromas: Black cherry, plum, violet, mineral notes, and hints of spices like clove and cinnamon.
Palate: Voluminous, balanced, and rich with black fruit, minerality, spices, and cocoa flavors.
Structure: Full-bodied, elegant, with refined tannins and balanced acidity.
Finish: Long-lasting, firm, and harmonious.
Viña Tondonia Reserva 2013
Viña Tondonia Reserva 2013
96/100 Robert Parker
This wine spends 72 months in barrel, yet don’t expect it to result in an oaky wine, as it’s polished, refined, on both the nose and the palate. A wine that’s very easy to drink, thanks to its delicate mouthfeel and low alcohol content. Its colour displays evidence of its evolution, with a brick-red rim when first released, although its ruby-red colour remains constant over time. On the nose it offers the typical aromas of a classic Rioja, toasted and cocoa, but there’s also ripe fruit, yet without highlighting any particular variety used in its production. On the palate it’s a wine which is clearly dry and juicy, with refined tannins, extremely inviting and with an extraordinary freshness, foretelling a long life ahead. The secret is the old oak barrels, a very good selection of grapes, patience and wisdom. It knows how to please.
Coto de Imaz Rioja Gran Reserva 2018
Coto de Imaz Gran Reserva 2018 unfurls with grace and nuance in each sip. Its aromatic spectrum evokes a stroll through an autumnal forest, with hints of damp earth and aged leather, interwoven with the sweetness of toasted coconut and the vibrancy of ripe red fruits such as cherries and plums. On the palate, it reveals an enthralling complexity, with tannins that gently caress and a lingering finish that leaves an impression of concentration and completeness. A red wine of character and maturity that eloquently speaks for itself.
91/100 Deano da Vino - Classy, and even silkier than the 2017, and insane value for a Rioja Gran Reserva
La Rioja Alta Viña Arana Gran Reserva 2017
🍷 Tasting Profile: The wine typically shows a complex, layered nose with aromas of balsamic red and black fruits (like cherry, blackcurrant and raspberry) intertwined with spice, vanilla, toasted oak, cinnamon, brioche and subtle earthy or mineral notes from its long barrel ageing. On the palate critics and sellers describe it as medium-full bodied, balanced and fresh, with silky, fine-grained tannins, lively acidity and a long, persistent finish that combines fruit, spice and oak harmoniously.
📊 Critics’ Views: The 2017 vintage has been well-received by critics, with most scores in the 93–96/100 range. James Suckling (96) highlights a deep, savoury nose with energy and a long finish, while Jeb Dunnuck (94) praises its classic structure, integrated acidity and gravelly mineral profile. Vinous (94) notes its sun-kissed red fruit, balsamic wood and fine texture, and Wine Advocate (93) calls it harmonious and elegant, a strong performance given the challenging vintage.
📅 Ageing Potential: Critics generally agree the wine will continue to evolve positively with further cellaring. Many suggest peak drinking from the mid-2020s into the 2030s or beyond, with structure and freshness that should support longer-term development.
La Rioja Alta S.A 904 Rioja Gran Reserva 2016
Critical Acclaim & Scores
Vinous — 97/100
Described as beautifully mature and expressive, showing a sun-kissed profile with clove, licorice, vanilla, caramel, tobacco leaf and bay. The palate is complex, creamy and seamless, finishing with a touch of camphor for lift.
James Suckling — 97/100
A deep, complex Rioja with richness, intensity and complete harmony. Aromas include cigar box, pine, wild mushrooms and fine oak. The finish is long, juicy and hedonistically satisfying.
Wine Advocate — 96/100
Called “spectacular” and a benchmark example of traditional Rioja. Aromas of cigar box, balsamic herbs, dried tea leaves, leather and tobacco. The palate is silky, fresh, structured and extremely long, with polished tannins and excellent aging potential.
Tim Atkin MW — 95/100
A defiantly traditional wine from a cooler vintage. Notes of mocha, Asian spice, ash, tobacco leaf, pomegranate and wild strawberry. Refined, elegant, sculpted and built for longevity.
Studying solo or hosting a tasting night? Browse the full Spanish range to build your own flight.
Shop all Rioja & Spanish wines →
Prices and availability correct at time of publishing · All wines sold inc. VAT · UK delivery
Rioja Wine Academy is operated by the DOCa Rioja Control Board. Stellar Cellar is an independent retailer and is not affiliated with the Academy.
Rioja Wine Academy is operated by the DOCa Rioja Control Board. Stellar Cellar is an independent retailer and is not affiliated with the Academy.
