Rioja Report 2025: Reserva & Gran Reserva

Lovely freshness and purity of fruit, with chiselled plum, cherry and blackberry flavours. The tannins are muscular yet juicy with an elegant spicy lining (white pepper, cardamon, nutmeg). Long velvety finish, with a tail of smoky dark chocolate and fried sage. A vibrant 2012 still with plenty of time ahead in bottle. Sourced from the highest vineyard on the Ygay estate, La Plana, in the south of Rioja Alta, 40ha at 485m, planted in 1950. 81% Tempranillo and 19% Mazuelo were destemmed, fermented separately in stainless steel tanks then aged separately, each for 34 months in 225L French oak barrels, the Tempranillo in American and the Mazuelo in French. After blending, the wine rested for 20 months in a concrete tank until bottling in May 2019.

A classic gran reserva with an elegant profile and subtle evolution. It still offers delicious raspberry and red berry fruit, slightly jammy but in the best sense of the word. Tannins are soft and round, and the oak is now perfectly integrated. Quite spicy on the finish, it is still lively with lots of life ahead. Sourced from fairly high vineyards, at 550m-600m, in three villages in the northwest corner of Rioja Alta, Tempranillo and Garnacha with Mazuelo and Graciano were fermented in oak vats, with 14-16 days of maceration, followed by a minimum of 36 months' ageing in French and American oak casks. After light fining, the wine was bottled and remained in the cellar for at least a further 36 months before release.

From grapes grown on the Finca San Rafael vineyard, which lies in a loop on the northern side of the Ebro river just northwest of Logroño, in Rioja Alavesa. 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo sourced from the 62ha estate's best micro-plots, destemmed and fermented in concrete and stainless steel vats, then transferred to a mix of new and used French oak barrels for aging for 24 months. A highly recognisable style with elegance and finesse, the oak perfectly integrated, bringing just the subtlest of pencil shavings and chocolate sweetness. It frames the red berry fruit and sweet tannins on the palate which lead to a long finish. A wine with everything in its place, and just a touch of black pepper spice on the finish. The definition of Rioja gran reserva.

Mouthwatering freshness supported by a firm acid verve and chalky tannins hold the core of prune, blackberry and black cherry with strrenth and ease. Powdery graphite, dark chocolate shavings, liquorice root, mocha and chcocolate mousse build layers of broody complexity. CVNE's best vineyards in Rioja Alta provide the fruit for Imperial Gran Reserva – 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo in 2018, from Villalba and Torremontalbo. Fermentation with native yeasts was followed by malolactic in concrete vats, then the wine was aged for two years in 80% French and 20% American oak barrels, new and second-use, with racking every eight months, and further ageing in bottle before release. A wine that, still teasingly coiled, has a long time ahead of it.

A wonderfully classic, soft and enticing gran reserva that shows off the potential of this category. It offers spicy notes and red berry fruit with grippy tannins that provide structure. The balanced acidity drives the wine, which finishes with Rioja red berry fruity and red pepper. Very classy: un vino de siempre. Sourced from a number of top vineyards in Laguardia and Elciego, Rioja Alavesa, all small sites between 500m and 650m with vines aged more than 35 years. 95% Tempranillo and 5% Graciano, fermented in stainless steel tanks with native yeasts, aged for a minimum of 24 months in new and second-use French and American oak barrels, then left for a minimum period of three years in bottle before release.

Good definition of blackberry, plum, red apple and blackcurrant fruit with a saline undercurrent of green olive brine. Pleasant assertivess and wet stone freshness characterise the tannins. Elegant and focused with a juicy, lifted finish. Tempranillo fruit comes from 40-year-old vines in the Haro, Villalba and Foncea areas of Rioja Alta, with the 4% Mazuelo sourced from the stony soils of LAN's Viña Lanciano vineyard. Fermented in small stainless steel tanks, the wine was aged for 25 months in a mix of French and American oak barrels, then a further 36 months in the bottle before release.

Flavour definition and deft wood and alcohol integration in this gran reserva full of detail and depth. Sappy coating to the ripe yet crunchy dark fruit. Well presented tannins lined with tobacco, sage and mint. Good persistence, supported by a zesty grip. 50% Tempranillo with 30% Garnacha and the remainder Mazuelo and Graciano, sourced from Rioja Oriental vineyards in Azagra and San Adrián north of the river and in Aldeanueva de Ebro. Fermented in small stainless steel tanks, aged for 36 months in French and American oak barrels between four and six years old, then an additional two years minimum in bottle before release. Still time ahead of it.

A bold gran reserva with obvious but quality oak, chocolate and graphite notes and a stony freshness. It still displays layers of red berry and blueberry fruit with lots of spice, and has some grippy tannins. A youthful wine despite its age, it surely has a lot of life to come.

There's a beautiful, refreshing quality to the tannins here, with blood orange and craberry juice drenching the mineral framework. Superb integration of both wood and alcohol,with a spicy veil carrying the wine through to its long finish. A wine with energy, verve and great ageing potential.

Elegant, fragrant top notes of violets, rose petals, oregano and sage dominate the nose. The palate echoes this perfumed effortlessnes,s marrying lavender and rosemary to the ripe black and red fruit. Herbal tannins, with a fine spicy lining, give it nuance, great elegance and depth of field. Still such assertiveness and energy – this has a long way to go. Lingering spice and an iodine edge.

Jammy raspberry fruit, sweet ripe tannins and well-managed oak combine to make for a highly drinkable and well-aged gran reserva with potential to age further. It is elegant and immediately appealing, in the best traditions of market-ready gran reserva. Highly enjoyable and complex at the same time.

Fabulously classic gran reserva with coconut and vanilla sweet oak, match by intense red berry fruits. The tannins are soft and perfectly integrated, and the palate is fresh and juicy. A classic.

Dark berry fruit and warm alcohol drive this wine which also offers peppery spice and grippy but ripe tannins. Oak is present, but it´s well balanced, and even though this is a big, bold wine, it offers a lot of satisfaction.

Beautiful layers of black olive tapenade, salty liquorice, poached plum, red apple and pear peel. Broody earthiness plays in the background with a touch of petrichor, prune, Earl Grey tea and wild oregano. Round, savoury tannins. It's still a bit coiled and will benefit from time in the bottle.

There's a certain purity and effortlessness to this wine, forcing wood and herbal notes to the foreground, allowing the fruit character (both fresh and dried) to shine and linger. Plum and prune, black and green olives mingle with red apple, nutmeg, sage and mint. A balanced, unpretentious gran reserva, with a certain juicy persistence after the broody earthy attack. Robust, drying tannins.

Very characterful, transparent nose. Pure and driven with finely etched black fruit outlined by juicy, zesty acid. Earthy, savoury notes (black olive, prune, wild oregano) play in the background. Lovely quality to the tannins, at once smooth and assertive, with a broody earthy depth. A blend of Tempranillo with some Maturana Tinta grown in the 10ha La Reñana vineyard at 600m, between Laguardia and Elvillar in Rioja Alavesa, the oldest vines dating back to 1920. Vinified in stainless steel tanks, the wine is transferred into French and American oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and subsequent 24-month maturation.

Beronia is based in Ollauri, Rioja Alta, and sources fruit from more than 900ha of vineyards, all within 10km of its winery on a range of soils including clay-limestone, ferrous clay and alluvial; vines are aged from 20 years to some on pre-phylloxera rootstock dating back more than 100 years. The 2020 Reserva is predominantly Tempranillo and was matured for 18 months in a mix of French and American oak barrels, followed by additional time in third-use French barrels, and then at least 18 months more in the bottle before release. Very pretty raspberry fruit defines this wine, which is very fresh with bright acidity and soft, ripe tannins. Oak is very well integrated and this is an elegant and fine reserva with a chalky lift.

Elegant and driven, pairing muscularity with drive and nuance. Fresh pink citrus, pomegranate and cranberry dominate the palate, with energy and detail. The tannins are at once savoury and zesty and the wine lingers forever with detailed notes of oregano, thyme, tarragon and curry leaf.

Seductive and enticing oak with attractive smokey bacon and woody spice aromas; this is a very fine and elegant reserva with plenty of red berry fruit and wonderful acidity. There is enough power here but the tannins are well managed and the oak is perfectly balanced. Will be interesting to see how this develops over time.

Beautiful nose with lifted herbal notes hovering over the lush black and blue fruit. Tannins are fresh and well presented lending fluidity to the fruit. The mineral backbone as further support to the framework. An alluring, long finish of zesty citrus married with herbal intensity (oregano and thyme).

This wine jumps from the glass with crunchy black fruit balanced by wet-stone freshness. The palate exchoes this vibrant freshness with mineral tannins, meaty yet focused. Fleshy and assertive with a great zesty pull. Great ageing potential here, such is the freshness and focus on show.

A super-classic and great interpretation of Rioja reserva, this offers all the appealing sweet red berry fruit and American oak with serious struture and balance. Soft and inviting, this is surely a reference for reserva wines in the region. A blend of 80%Tempranillo – from two vineyards in Fuenmayor and Cenicero, northern Rioja Alta – and 20% Garnacha from Tudelilla in Rioja Oriental, a 17-day fermentation was followed by ageing in American oak barrels from the producer's own cooperage: 36 months for the Tempranillo and 30 months (in 20% new) for the Garnacha. Bottled in December 2023.

Classic in style, this has wonderful balsamic, fine-grained oak with fresh red berry fruit and woody spice. It is well balanced and poised with appealing traditional Rioja Reserva character. The fruit for Marqués de Riscal wines is sourced from vineyards, all organic with chalky clay soils, over a wide area of 1,500ha across Rioja Alavesa, encompassing Elciego and neighbouring villages such as Leza, Laguardia and Villabuena. XR is a tirbute to the producer's previous master winemakers and is named for the chalk mark made on barrels selected for their special characteristics. It blends Tempranillo with 5% Graciano, and the 2021 was aged for 26 months in American oak barrels.

Sourced from numerous plots at 400m-650m in Rioja Alta and on terraces up to 740m in Rioja Alavesa, with old vines more than 70 years old and some pre-phylloxera more than 100 years old. All Tempranillo, fermentation with indigenous yeast occured in small stainless steel tanks and wooden vats, malolactic in French oak barrels, then a minimum of 18 months' ageing in medium-toast, new barrels of fine-grained French oak. Alluring smokiness on the nose. Intense savoury and spicy lining to the tannins. Plum, prune, pomegranate are sprinkled generously with nutmeg, cardamom and pink pepper. Great assertiveness and drive throughout with freshness at the core. Long, spicy finish with a grippy allure.

Very fragrant, overt nose with oregano, thyme, tarragon, sage and curry leaf at the fore. Top notes of sandalwood and violets. Beautifully presented tannins. Red fruit grip offset by a spicy edge, dark fruit depth and graphite-like minerality. Long finish with lingering prune, cherry and pencil shavings. Will benefit from some time in bottle to integrate wood and tannnins. From vines averaging 60 years of age in the foothills of the Sierra de Cantabria, 89% Tempranillo (the destemmed shoulders only), 9% Graciano and 2% Mazuelo are fermented in stainless steel and concrete tanks of different capacities and shapes, followed by 26 months in 225L oak barrels – 80% French and 20% American, 60% new and 40% second-use.

Very recognisable as Rioja reserva, this displays balance and poise with a lovely use of well-integrated, chocolatey and graphite oak. Blueberry fruit on the palate gives way to black pepper spice and present but well-managed tannins that frame the wine. It is approachable now but has a long life ahead. 93% Tempranillo, 4% Graciano and 3% Garnacha from low-yielding bush vines in Haro and its surrounding villages, undergoing spontaneous fermentation in French oak vats followed by 14 months' ageing in 40% new and 60% second-use French oak barrels, then 20 months cellaring in bottle.

Broody, earthy notes create an expressive foreground to the plum, red apple, cherry and fig fruit. Firm and assertive with a robust, savoury structure lined with cocoa powder and coffee beans. The finish is long and malty, with lingering thyme and cinnamon.

Expressive yet restrained nose with a distinct herbal character (fennel, asparagus and aniseed), lined with briny saltiness. Intense and focused on the palate with a citrus freshness underpinning the savoury lining of the plum, cherry and pomegranate fruit core. Lingering notes of liquorice root and black and white pepper.

Beautiful briny nose; fresh and lifted, with great definition. There's a balsamic, herbal lining to the cherry, plum and yellow orchard fruit. This is a characterful wine with unpretentious, approachable savoury depth – layers of petrichor, prune, plum and black olive tapenade play harmoniously.

An alluring and seductive wine, combining energy and creaminess. Mocha, milk chocolate, red apple, prune, pink grapefruit, pear peel and pomegranate, woven with soft, unctuous tannins. There's a herbal vibrancy throughout and a luscious tail of cherry pie and sorbet.