Uncork the Joy of Autumn with Rioja.
Discover pairings for seasonal moments you’ll fall for.
THERE’S A RIOJA FOR EVERY MOMENT FALL BRINGS.
From a Sunday dinner worth slowing down for, to harvest-season celebrations and a wine tasting party built for the season’s quieter nights, the versatility of Rioja meets every occasion autumn brings.
Fall Pairings No. 1
Roasted Chicken, Glazed in Aged Rioja Red
The kind of dish that turns a Tuesday into an occasion: tender roasted chicken finished with a rich red-wine glaze, paired with three aged Rioja Reservas built for the moment.
This Roasted Chicken recipe makes for an incredible dish you won’t forget anytime soon. Here are three bottles to try alongside it.
Featured Wines:
ROASTED CHICKEN WITH AGED RED WINE GLAZE
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 whole chicken (about 4–5 pounds)
- 2–3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 lemon, cut in half
- 4–6 garlic cloves, peeled
- Fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, or sage) for stuffing
- 1 cup aged red wine
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons butter
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Rinse chicken inside and out, then pat it dry with paper towels.
- Place chicken in a roasting pan or cast-iron skillet. Tuck its wingtips behind the back.
- Rub chicken with olive oil, and season with salt, black pepper and dried thyme.
- Stuff the cavity with lemon halves, garlic cloves and fresh herbs. Tie the chicken legs together with kitchen twine for even cooking.
- Roast chicken in the preheated oven for about 1–1.5 hours, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Baste it with its juices every 20–30 minutes for golden, crispy skin. While the chicken roasts, it is the perfect time to savor a glass of your Rioja.
- In a saucepan, combine the aged red wine, balsamic vinegar and honey. Simmer over medium heat until it reduces by half, forming a thick glaze. Stir in the butter for richness.
- Once chicken is cooked, remove from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Carve chicken, drizzle the red wine glaze over the slices, and serve with your choice of sides.
Pair these aged Rioja reds with your roasted chicken for elevated flavors. Download tasting notes:
Fall Pairings No. 2
Toast the Harvest with Rioja White & Rosado
Autumn is harvest season, and there’s no better way to celebrate than with some of its finest years past: a crisp Rioja white or rosado, tapas to share, and an evening spent outside with the people you love.
If enjoying lighter bites (cheeses, seafood, or fresh salads), go for the citrusy notes and crisp acidity of a Rioja white. For heartier fare, like charcuterie and roasted vegetables, the red-fruit aromas and food-friendly acidity of a Rioja rosado will do.
Fall Pairings No. 3
Host a Rioja Wine Tasting Party
When the weather turns, make the most of a cozy night in: pick the Rioja varietals you want your guests to try, pour freely, and spend the evening comparing impressions of each new bottle.
Make it a full evening by building a charcuterie board to go alongside your tasting: the interplay of cured meats, cheeses, and accompaniments is one of the easiest ways to draw out the character of each pour, and gives your guests something to do with their hands between glasses.
Building the board:
- Cured meats: thin-sliced jamón or prosciutto, a hard cured salami, and a soft cured sausage for a range of textures
- A soft, bloomy-rind cheese alongside something firmer and aged, to bridge the Crianza-to-Gran-Reserva range you’re tasting
- Grissini or a simple crisp cracker, to reset the palate between pours
- Marinated olives and pickled vegetables, for the brightness Rioja’s acidity loves
- Toasted walnuts, for a nutty echo of the wines’ oak aging
- Fresh rosemary sprigs and a whole artichoke for the table itself
[Pending RGG’s confirmation: a starter board pulled from the photo above.]
There isn’t one right way to host a Rioja wine tasting. However, choosing wines to compare differing ages and styles often makes for a much fuller experience, showcasing Rioja’s depth and diversity. Offering red and white wines that are known for aging, Rioja’s Crianzas, Reservas, and Gran Reservas are perfect for this.
Take this lineup as an example for how you can select wines to compare their ages and styles:
- Start with a Rioja Crianza or Genérico.
- Red Crianzas and white Crianzas are both aged for two years.
- Genéricos are a young wine with little to no aging
- Next, uncork a Rioja Reserva.
- Red Reservas are aged for three years.
- White Reservas are aged for two years.
- Then close things out with a Rioja Gran Reserva.
- Red Gran Reservas are aged for five years.
- White Gran Reservas are aged for four years.
Featured Wines:
What’s Next
Come Back for the Next Season
More Seasonal Pairings are to come — we can’t wait for you to see the wine and activity pairings curated for winter. With each season comes moments that pair perfectly with a pour of Rioja.
Have a lovely fall, and stay tuned for winter pairings.
Find the Perfect Pairing
Transform your next evening with a bottle of Rioja.