Rioja Baja

Rioja Oriental — long called Rioja Baja and renamed in 2018 — is the warmest and lowest-altitude of Rioja's three sub-regions, sitting east of the Ebro near the Mediterranean influence. Its lower clay-iron soils and warmer climate favour Garnacha alongside Tempranillo, producing fuller-bodied, richer-fruited wines. Once primarily a source of blending material for the great Alta houses, modern Oriental has its own quality movement — producers like Olivier Rivière and Bodegas Ontañón make site-specific bottlings of structured Garnacha that rival the best from across the river.