The results in full from The Rioja Masters 2021

We bring you the results in full from this year’s Rioja Masters, which drew attention to the quality and value on offer from this famous Spanish region, while highlighting the star buys, be they whites or rosés, Reservas or Viñedos Singulares.

IF ONE were asked to name a single element about the wines of Rioja following our annual  tasting competition on the region, it would be the incredible value on offer.

Whether it were ones under £10 or those over £30, these are drops that have so much appeal for relatively little cash. They are wines with ripe juicy fruit, structure, spice, and freshness – and that latter point is key: such is the bright character of Rioja it makes you salivate, even when the wines are loaded with sweet oak and fleshy berry fruit.

But a second facet to this famous Spanish wine region is diversity. The breadth of styles is remarkable, from the entry-point simple appealing red to the complex and fine ageworthy wines at the top end. Then there are fruity or delicate rosés, light or oak-aged whites, and, among the reds at all levels, a range of tastes, from the medium-weight to the punchy, rich and tannic.

With this in mind, I have chosen a top 10 selection from this year’s Rioja Masters competition to take in all types of this excellent wine – from a joven to a very old gran reserva; a pale salmon rosado to a barrel-fermented blanco, along with a couple of  outstanding single-vineyard options taking in the newly formed Viñedo Singular classification.

Such was the quality of wines in this year’s Rioja Masters, it was extremely hard to narrow this list down to just 10 (which you can see by clicking here) and none of the medallists in the following tables would disappoint – indeed, any of them would delight.

• Read on for the results in full and further information about the competition. 

White Joven

White Crianza

White Reserva

White Vinos de Autor

Rosé Joven

Red Joven

Red Joven

Red Reserva

Red Gran Reserva

Red Vinos de Autor

About the Competition

The Rioja Masters is a competition created and run by the drinks business, and is an extension of its successful Masters series for grape varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, as well as other regions such as Tuscany and Champagne, along with styles from rosé to sparkling.

The competition is exclusively for Rioja wine, and the entries were judged using Riedel Chianti glasses supplied by Sensible Wine Services.

The top wines were awarded Gold, Silver or Bronze medals according to their result, and those expressions that stood out as being outstanding received the ultimate accolade – the
title of Rioja Master.

The entries were judged on 4 November at 28º-50º Covent Garden. The judges were: Andrea Briccarello, Martin Hudson MW, Patrick Schmitt MW, Patricia Stefanowicz MW, Tim Tiptree MW, and Siobhan Turner MW. This report features the medal-winners only.

Please visit The Global Masters website for more information, or, to enter future competitions please call: +44 (0) 20 7803 2420 or email Sophie Raichura at: sophie@thedrinksbusiness.com