Wine Review: Hacienda López de Haro Rioja Blanco 2016

How about a quickie for this lovely Thirsty Thursday? From Bodega Classica is Hacienda Lopez de Haro, producing seven different classic style Rioja wines. Rioja isn't a type of wine; it's a region in Spain. So they don't just make red Riojas, which many consumers are most familiar with, but they also do rosé (rosato) and white (blanco). 

Just like the reds are usually mostly Tempranillo but could also be other Spanish grapes allowed by the region (such as Garnacha), the same goes for the whites with Viura. This varietal makes 90% of the white wine in Rioja. And Viura is actually the local name for the varietal mostly known as Macabeo. Macabeo is planted all over northern Spain and is even one of the grapes used in Cava, Spain's famous sparkling wine, along with its pals Parellada and Xarel-lo.

Hacienda Lopez de Haro's 2016 Rioja Blanco is 100% Viura. It's aged three to four months in French oak barrels and has an ABV of 12.5%. First off: I love the label. The color of the wine is straw yellow. There's aromas and flavors of peaches, mangoes, and lemons, with a little but of musk. It's medium bodied with a crisp acidity, and it finishes with lemons, mangoes, and a mouthfeel containing both a little oil and fine chalk.

I mean, yeah man, it's alright. For ten bucks, why not? It's not going to make you say "holy fucking shit this is awesome" but you'll enjoy it for the money you spent. So I'm giving it a Satisfying.

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $10

Rating: 3/5 = Satisfying (what does that mean?)

The bottle used was supplied free of charge for the purpose of this review. To have your wine reviewed follow this link.