Say Rioja to many wine drinkers and they think red – smooth, food friendly red with spicy oak tannins. But the bigwigs in the Rioja region are aiming to make 2010 the year of white Rioja. Approval has recently been granted for an additional 2,000 – 2,500 hectares of new land to be allocated to the planting of white grapes, which currently account for around 7% of total production.

Viura is the most widely planted white Rioja grape: crisp, with aromas of fresh lemon and banana, it is blended with fuller bodied Malvasia to make wines that take well to oak ageing, creating the traditional style of nutty, creamy white Rioja. But new legislation, introduced in 2007, will see more aromatic grape varieties, including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Verdejo being planted in the region, meaning that soon we may see more internationally styled wines emerging from Rioja.

If you’re a fan of the traditional style of white Rioja, try some delicious oaked wines, such as the Marqués de Murrieta Capellania Rioja Reserva before it’s too late. Even this winery, traditionally associated with the pungent coconutty American oak, has made a switch to ageing this wine for 17 months in new French oak barrels, creating a rich but well balanced white wine that is fantastic with food. Finca Allende Rioja Blanco is another white Rioja that is oak aged, this time for 15 months in French Allier barrels, giving smooth and well-integrated oak character to the blend of 70% Viura and 30% Malvasia.

The practice of barrel fermentation has partially been replaced by fermentation in stainless steel tanks, although a number of wineries offer a barrel fermented white wine – the yeasts act as a buffer to the oak, meaning that the oak influence is more subtle than a wine aged in oak after fermentation. Muga Rioja Blanco is slow fermented in new French oak barrels, followed by three months of lees aging to give a fresh and lively wine with classic vanilla and coconut oak aromas. Another Rioja fermented in French oak is Luis Cañas Rioja Blanco Fermentado en Barrica, aged on its lees for a further three and a half months to give delicate yet spicy oak aromas.

For a more modern wine, try the Campillo Rioja Blanco. Fermented in French Allier barrels, it remains on its lees for 50 days, with bâtonnage to intensify the elegance of the Viura grape. Its contemporary style is expressed by the addition to the blend of 5% Chardonnay, one of the newly permitted grape varietals.

With all these delicious white Rioja wines available, the new varietals will bring an even broader choice to wine lovers everywhere.