What is the difference between a Reserva and a Gran Reserva?
Rioja Wine is built on a foundation of Tempranillo. This grape is hugely popular around the world b Leer más
Is Gran Reserva worth the price?
Diego Palacios
2025-11-26 19:09:45
Respuestas
: 19
Each year, the wine world eagerly awaits Wine Spectator’s “Top 100” list.
Since 1988, the magazine’s editors have looked back over the wines they’ve reviewed over the previous 12 months to rank the 100 wines that most impress them “based on quality, value, availability, and excitement.”
This year, the competition was stiffer than ever; more than 20,000 wines vied for a spot on the coveted list.
It’s no wonder why retailers and consumers alike have made a parlor game out of speculating which wine will land at the top.
This year’s highest honor went to the 2004 Imperial Gran Reserva from Cune, a fifth-generation, family-run winery in Rioja, Spain.
This marked the first time that a Spanish wine came in first, so the news was celebrated across Spain.
In the United States, the announcement helped bring attention to a region that’s been overlooked and undervalued for far too long.
When it comes to “quality, value, availability, and excitement,” Rioja leaves most regions in the dust.
It’s no wonder why Cune’s 2004 Imperial Gran Reserva took home Wine Spectator’s top prize this year.
Jesús Batista
2025-11-21 22:38:26
Respuestas
: 17
White and rosé wines must have spent a total ageing period of 48 months between oak barrel and storage in bottle, as a minimum, with a period of at least six months ageing in oak.
As for reds, the ageing period required is 24 months in oak barrels, followed and complemented by 36 months’ bottle ageing.
So, added together we are talking about a total of 60 months, 5 years.
This is what we demand for our Gran Reserva.
Even so, the latest vintage of the exceptional Montecillo Gran Reserva is 2008.
More than eight years have passed since we released our most exclusive wine that is produced on a recurring basis.
Recently we opened a Montecillo 1987, and we able to check that the lifespan of this wine is more than several decades, without any problem.
Currently, the wine on sale is the 2001, one of the greatest vintages in the history of the D.O.Ca.
Rioja, without doubt of the quality of 1994, 1982, 1970 and 1964.
Knowing how to enjoy the passage of time with wines as special as these is priceless.
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What is the difference between Ribera and Rioja wine?
La región es hogar de más de 600 bodegas donde los productores cultivan Tempranillo y otras variedad Leer más
Rodrigo Riojas
2025-11-09 15:54:54
Respuestas
: 7
I went to my local supermarket, and looked for a bottle that looked good and was easy to find for you guys abroad.
After checking a few in the store and not being able to find them online in the US, I finally bumped into Barón de Ley.
I checked it online and found it was available at wine.com, although for twice the price I paid in Spain: it costed me 20€, and it was selling for around $40 online in the US.
As soon as I opened it, I smelled the cork and noticed a distinct woody aroma.
It made me expect something robust and traditional, maybe something bold and dry.
But the surprise came with the first sip.
The wine is softer than expected, especially when compared to other Riojas like Marqués de Riscal.
It’s smoother, more fruity, and less oaky than I imagined.
If I had to summarize it in one word: approachable.
It’s polished, elegant, and not trying too hard.
Adriana Olmos
2025-11-09 15:07:04
Respuestas
: 11
Rioja Gran Reserva, from the Rioja region in northern Spain, generally bypasses that issue.
Some of them, depending on the kind of barrels they've been aged in and the nature of the vintage and the blend, still need a few more years to absorb their oak; others are raring to go as soon as you pop the cork.
The majority of Rioja tends to be a blend of Tempranillo and Garnacha, with Graciano, Mazuelo, and Maturana Tinta also permitted.
Exceptions, however, are increasingly available.
The case can be made that Rioja Gran Reserva is one of the most underrated wines on the planet, and for the money, easily one of the best deals.
Excellent Rioja Gran Reserva, on the other hand, can be found for $30 or less.
If you want to spend more, keep an eye out for the Gran Reservas of R. López de Heredia, Marqués de Riscal, and Bodegas Muga, which are reliably delicious, too.
Rioja Gran Reserva often acts like some sort of vinous crystal ball, offering a glimpse of what the future of the wine will hold, and usually without the necessity of aging it for any longer than the trip between the wine shop and the kitchen table.
Much of this has to do with the production regulations that producers of red Rioja Gran Reserva have to follow.
The terroir in which the grapes were grown is, as always, a key consideration as well.
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What's the best Spanish red wine?
Spanish wines are hugely popular, and this is well deserved as there are some great wines being prod Leer más
What is considered the best Rioja wine?
They are completely irresistible. They don’t so much invite another sip as demand it. These wines Leer más