Is Rioja the Next Great...White Wine Region?

Yes. And I'm not the only one saying it.

When I was in Rioja a few weeks ago, some of the most exciting bottles that I tasted were white wines. I know that may sound absurd. White grapes make up less than 10 percent of the plantings in Rioja, a region best known for its powerful, oak-aged reds.

But there are big changes happening in Rioja—a new generation of winemakers, less emphasis on oak, pl…