Renowned for its beautiful rustic landscape, deep history and a yearly production of tasty red wines, the legendary winegrowing region of Rioja stretches 75 miles along the Ebro River in northern Spain.

The wine laws of Rioja are some of the oldest in the world, originating in the 16th century. In 1925, Rioja became the first Denominación de Origen (DO) in Spain. In 1991 the region was named a Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOC) and to this day remains the sole region in Spain to carry the prestigious title.

Since the early days of Roman occupation, the main red grape grown in this region has been the robust Tempranillo. In late August, the berries on each cluster start to develop tiny wrinkles. By harvest, the weighty skins look like they want to slip off the fruit.

As a rule, Tempranillo's thick skin carries a heavy load of tannins that can be very coarse or astringent if picked too soon. So maturity on the vine is a widely used technique to smooth out this harshness.

Over the past 20 years, Rioja has experienced a richly deserved renaissance due to the use of innovative technology and new winemaking techniques that have helped catapult the wines into the international spotlight.

Today, the flavors of this unique grape variety make lively, food friendly wines loaded with elegantly balanced taste sensations of ripe fruit and spice. In addition to being bottled alone, Tempranillo grapes are often blended with Graciano, Garnacha (Grenache), Monastrell (Mourvedre) and newer grapes to the region, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, to make many new styles of tasty red wines.

While some of these contemporary wines are made to drink very young, others are designed to be aged. A tasty example of this style is the Vaza 2004 Crianza ($15*). In Rioja, a "crianza" is a wine that must be aged for two years, with a minimum of one year in oak.

This expressive wine is a fusion of modern winemaking techniques and flavors that only grapes grown in this celebrated region can produce. Made with grapes grown in Rioja Alavesa, a high altitude region marked by moderate climate, calcareous clay and limestone soils, this wine is 100 per cent Tempranillo.

Despite low yields, the elderly vines grown in this area and the nearby sub-region of Rioja Alta produce Tempranillo grapes with more concentrated flavors and higher acid than those grown in the lower region of Rioja Baja. After the grapes are picked and vinified, the wine is aged for 14 months in American and French oak barrels.

The result is a fabulous wine layered with aromas of black fruit, leather and tobacco, flavors of raspberry, plum, black currants, earth, vanilla and dried herbs, soft tannins and a generous finish.

A great film pairing is Goya's Ghost, a heady epic based on a fictional account of the life of famous Spanish artist and royal court painter Francisco Goya (1746-1828). The film finds Goya (Stellan Skarsgard) embroiled in a scandal when his muse Inés (Natalie Portman) is accused of being a heretic by a wicked monk during the Inquisition.

As the plot deepens, Goya's employer at the castle, Brother Lorenzo (No Country for Old Men's Javier Bardem), launches a campaign to make sure justice is served at any cost. This fantastic film brims with drama and intrigue while offering a glimpse of old world Spanish culture.

The important period depicted in the film also marked the bonding of brave winemakers in 1790 to establish the Royal Economic Society of Rioja (Real Sociedad Economica de Cosecheros de Rioja) to promote the cultivation and commercialization of their tasty regional wines in their native country, Europe and eventually around the globe.

For an extra touch of satisfaction try this wine with medium or hard cheeses, grilled vegetables, sausages, chicken, pork or spicy Spanish tapas.

*Prices quoted in U.S. dollars