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Without doubt, wine is an integral part of both Spanish culture and cuisine. Rioja is just one of many Spanish wines and it is named after the river, Rio Oja which runs through the Oja Valley in the province of La Rioja in northern Spain. The wine producing region runs for 120 kilometers down either side of the river which supplies the large quantity of water needed for all fourteen thousand vineyards to reap their harvest. Rioja wine is the product of a long and varied tradition of winemaking in this area, which began in 11th century BC with the Phoenician settlers. Many of the Rioja vineyards were founded by the Ancient Romans, as is the case with several of Europe's most renowned wine areas. In 1970 the Regulations for Denominación de Origen were approved and in the early 1990's the esteemed "Calificada" nomination was awarded to the Rioja region which made it the first Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa) in Spain. Tempranillo is the most well known and widely used grape to make red wine (tinto). It is a black grape often referred to as Spain's noble grape which ripens several weeks prior to the other varieties and provides the full bodiedness of red wines. A blend will usually consist of sixty percent Tempranillo and up to twenty percent of Garnacha, with much smaller proportions of Mazuelo and Graciano. Each and every grape makes the wine unique. The main flavor and aging potential of the wine comes from the Tempranillo grape, with the Garnacha adding body and alcohol, the Mazuelo seasoning flavors and the Graciano providing the aroma.