This elegant and subtle Reserva is soft and fresh with an elegant structure and flavours of red fruit compote, vanilla and cinnamon. From the older vines that the winery access, this is very good value Reserva that has all the hallmarks of the region and category in a very approachable and accessible style.
 
This wine is made solely from Tempranillo grapes and is matured for a minimum of 18 months in American and French oak barrels. Not all of the barrels are new, which means that there isn't too much of an intense or heavy impact on the flavour of the fruit. Because the grapes are from across the Rioja region, the quality can't be controlled as easily as if it was from a single estate, thus the quality is determined only when they hit the winery.
 
This then informs the oak barrel philosophy and in this case, a mix of French and American, old and new is just the ticket. The wine then ages for a further 18 months in the bottles. This extra ageing allows for the softening of tannins in the wine before release to market. Soft oxidative ageing with delicious vanilla notes and a softening of the body of the wine after that... no wonder that the region is so popular!
 
Best food matches: Tapas, Pork, Pizza, Pasta