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February/March 2014 
Change is in the air!! As a loyal friend of the Rioja community, here are a few changes you’ll notice this year. First, we gave ourselves a face lift with a new “Rioja: Always Vibrant” logo. We said goodbye to “Vibrant Rioja”, but kept “vibrant” as part of our soul. After a decade-long campaign, we feel Rioja can stand alone, with “vibrant” still at our side, best describing both the wine and region — bold, exciting and passionate!
Second, we’re condensing our e-newsletters this year. As your email boxes are likely overloaded, we hope to give you more content, just less often. Keep your eyes peeled for new exclusive sweeps for our newsletter community only, as well as events, recipes, tips and more.
Third, you’ll notice lots more exclusive content and contests for our social community. If you don’t already, please follow us today on Facebook and Twitter, and be sure to use #RiojaBuzz…you may be rewarded with Rioja goodies!
Lastly, the inaugural Rioja Wine and Tapas Festival will take place in NYC on May 3rd, featuring Rioja wines paired with amazing tapas from chefs across the U.S. Stay tuned for more info and cheers to 2014!
Win an Awesome Wine Fridge!
Need a vault to store your best liquid libations? As a thank you for being a loyal member of our Rioja community, we are offering you the chance to win a Wine Enthusiast Silent 28 Bottle Touchscreen Wine Refrigerator. You’ll be the most popular guy or gal on the block.
Enter now!
Congratulations to Karen S. from Roswell, GA and Bill M. from Annandale, VA, our November and December winners of a $150 dinner gift certificate!
The Hits Keep Coming
It’s fine when we say it, but we love hearing it in the news! The Los Angeles Times featured Rioja in the article, “Planning your trip to Rioja, Spain,” including maps and beautiful photos of the region, as well as wineries to visit. For more interesting stories about Rioja, check out the LA Times feature, “Drink like it’s a new year: Seven wines and regions to discover.” and the Wall Street Journal video, “One-Minute Wine”. The San Francisco Chronicle featured Rioja in a December article, “With holidays near, Rioja’s fame has a dual edge.”
Check out all the latest scoop in our Rioja newsroom!
Rioja-Buying Made Simple
Did you know Rioja wines have an excellent aptitude for ageing, a quality that is exclusive to great wines? As Riojas age in oak barrels, they acquire new aromas and flavors, and earn a place in one of four categories:
Cosecha (wines in their first or second years)
Crianza (aged 2-3 years)
Reserva (aged 3+ years)
Gran Reserva (aged 5+ years)
Next time you pick up a bottle of Rioja, check out the back label to see if you’d like something younger and fruitier, or silkier with age! This label guarantees the ageing, but also the origin, vintage and quality of the wine.
Southeast
Mountain
COCHON 555 at the Four Seasons Hotel – Miami, FL
February 9
4-8 pm
$130.95 GA, $208 VIP
Tickets & Details
COCHON 555 at the Four Seasons Hotel – Denver, CO
March 9
4-8 pm
$130.95 GA, $208 VIP
Tickets & Details
West Coast
COCHON 555 at The Fairmont Miramar – Los Angeles, CA
February 23
4-8 pm
$130.95 GA, $208 VIP
Tickets & Details
COCHON 555 at the Culinary Institute of America – Napa, CA
March 2
4-8 pm
$130.95 GA, $208 VIP
Tickets & Details
Rioja Wines at Pacific Coast Wine Festival Island Hotel – Newport Beach, CA
March 1
5-10 pm
$375 per person
Tickets & Details
Winter Rioja Wine Tasting at New Seasons Market – Beaverton, OR
March 8
2-4 pm
Complimentary
Details
Call Boston home? Join Rioja February 15-16 at the Boston Wine Expo, America’s largest wine tasting, featuring celebrity chefs and seminars from top experts. In a special seminar, Brand Ambassador Ana Fabiano will discuss Rioja’s bold combination of history and modernity with a tasting that includes Wine Spectator’s current #1 Wine in the World from Cune. Click here for details and tickets.
For all our upcoming events, visit our online calendar.
Looking for something sweet for your sweetie this Valentine’s Day? Cuddle up with a glass of a sultry Rioja Reserva and some decadent Olive Oil Chocolate Mousse,our featured recipe courtesy of the James Beard Foundation. This rich, dairy-free dessert is the perfect ending to a
special meal.
Listen Up!
There are times when you may find wine terms or names difficult to pronounce (hello, Tempranillo? Gewürztraminer?) Struggle no more…our friends at Wine Lovers Page have more than 400 terms in its lexicon section, many which you can listen to yourself. Check it out!
V-Day Celebration Tips
Single and social? Mix it up this Valentine’s Day by hosting a gathering for your single peeps. Our friends at Epicurious have gathered advice from entertaining experts on food, drinks, décor and more to create a festive singles mixer. With tips like “Add a Few Aphrodisiac Ingredients” and “Don’t Serve Fire-Breath Food,” we sense a hit party in the making!
