Score: 92/100
This is a blend of 95% Tempranillo with 5% Graciano from vines averaging 40 years of age.
After fermentation, this Rioja Reserva wine was aged for 18 months in 2-year old wine barrels: 60% French oak and 40% American.
Tasting Notes:
This Rioja Reserva comes in a dense color, dark yet bright red to the rim, black in the core.
And the first sniff confirms we’re here with a dense concentrated wine.
The nose delivers intense cherry liqueur and strawberry jam aromas, powerfully backed up by plenty of lifted spices (black pepper and clove), and a wealth of toasted oak tones.
Blend these scents, add a touch of earthiness – like subtle forest-floor -, and you’re in for a charming, and intriguing aromatic experience.
You just want to smell and smell again to get over the wine’s relative shyness, and understand it better. Yes, despite it being rather powerful, it feels the nose is one of a young wine still, that will develop much further with aging.
In essence, smelling it, you just want to taste it and find out more!
From there, the palate doesn’t disappoint. First, it’s an explosion of rich bursting oaky flavors (vanilla and dark chocolate) followed by jammy berry fruits, and heaps of spices.
Literally a burst of flavors with a warming effect from the alcohol, probably not innocent to this firework of complexity and intensity!
Nice dense tannins are quite granulous but relatively fine. More importantly, the acidity here is solid considering the ripeness of the fruit. It’s not your average all-jammy fruit bomb.
There’s depth, and some freshness from the acidity that makes the red berry fruit flavors appear a little crisper.
Overall
An excellent Rioja wine filled with rich fruit goodness, but also delivering in complexity and depth.
In an oaky and modern style, it does let the fruit and earthiness of the terroir speak through for a complete experience bursting with flavors.
When to drink?
Very enjoyable now for lovers of fresher-style fruity wines. But this will undoubtedly develop further complexity and depth for the next 5 to 15 years to come.
Wine & Food pairing?
Match with hearty flavorful dishes: grilled meats sound like the perfect choice, the typical Spanish cordero asado with a few spices and herbs should be a delightful partner.
Please let me know your thoughts