This wine, 2017 vintage, 14% ABV, is produced exclusively in years deemed exceptional. It is aged for 24 months in a mix of American and French oak, followed by an additional 36 months in the bottle.
Its aroma is classically Rioja, evoking the hallmark ripe cherries, vanilla and slight smokey notes you’d expect. On the palate, it is smooth with low to medium tannins, offering a soft and inviting texture. This is actually in contrast to the sister wine Barón de Ley Finca Monasterio 2019 I previously tried, which is much more tannic.
The mid to end taste of this Gran Reserva offers a much richer depth of flavour, with notes of ripe red fruits, surpassing the typical supermarket Rioja. However, the actual finish is comparable, ranging from medium to long. Moreover, it does have a warm, satisfying aftertaste leaving you wanting another sip. This Rioja strikes a perfect balance between traditional (more rustic and tannic) and modern (soft) styles.
A useful tip is that it doesn’t require decanting and indeed I found it degrades a little in depth if left to breathe, meaning it’s ready to enjoy straight away. Priced at £19.99 from Waitrose, was reduced to £15.99 and with an extra 25% off was too good to be true, though sadly out of stock at the time of writing.
