The Marques De Valido Gran Reserva Rioja 2014 comes from a family winery operated by a father, son and cousin team. This is a Gran Reserva, which is typically only made in the finest vintages and spends two years maturing in oak barrels followed by another three years in the bottle.
This wine has an impressive 4.1 score on Vivino. The 2014 vintage features a new bottle label and a slightly higher alcohol content of 13.5% ABV, than previous vintages.
The wine has a lighter colour than I expected, also displaying more red than brown hues, which wasn’t expected given its age. The aromatic profile is dominated by red cherry and light oak, retaining its lively character even after a decade. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, revealing flavours of red fruit and vanilla, slight earthiness alongside gently matured tannins. It offers a very well-rounded experience with a medium body and finish and is less heavy than many other Gran Reserva Riojas, potentially making it more of a crowd-pleaser and more accessible.
It represents excellent value for a Gran Reserva, currently priced at £11.00 on special offer from Coop, down from £13.50.
