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Lexicon

The largest wine encyclopedia in the world with 24,945 Terms.

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Crianza

Spanish term (literally "education" = maturation) for a wine that has been aged for a certain time in oak barrel and bottle before it is allowed to be put on the market. These wines must have matured for at least 24 months, six months of which in oak barrels and the rest in the bottle. Renowned producers often follow the higher maturation periods of Rioja or Ribera del Duero. In the Penedès or Toro areas, many Crianzas are aged for at least 12 months in oak barrels; wines with "only" 6 months of aging are called Roble or Semi-Crianza, even though they meet the local Crianza criteria. Even longer aging times are found in the Reserva and Gran Reserva quality levels. "Sin Crianza" (sin = without) is used to describe a mostly young wine that has not been aged in barrel. See also under Spain in the section of wine law regulations.