Monte Real 1980 Reserva

Wine: Monte Real 1980 Reserva

Winery: Bodegas Riojanas (Cenicero, La Rioja)
Appellation / Region: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 75% Tempranillo, 15% Mazuelo, 5% Garnacha, 2% Graciano, 3% others (Viura, Malvasía Riojana).
ABV: [Not specified]

Winemaking
The wine rested for 12 months in old 20,000-liter oak vats to complete malolactic fermentation and stabilize before racking. It was subsequently matured for 24 to 30 months in semi-seasoned 225-liter American oak barriques. Partially filtered. It underwent a minimum of 24 months of bottle aging in the winery’s cellars prior to its commercial release.

 

Tasting Notes

 

Appearance: Brownish-ruby of medium depth. It features a very broad, tawny (tile-red) rim with almost no distinction between the meniscus and the edge. Slightly turbid with a higher presence of sediment than is typical for Bodegas Riojanas reds.

 

Nose: Intense and well-structured. It opens with reductive notes of peat, chestnut, black truffle, and forest floor, alongside saddle leather, English tobacco, and cocoa butter. Highly complex and classic, displaying the unmistakable house signature. It demands aeration after more than 25 years in the bottle. It continues to evolve without losing tension, revealing cocoa powder, vinous oak staves, and spices.

 

Palate: Initially silky and bone-dry, driven by a pronounced acidity that provides remarkable vitality. The tannins are polished and somewhat "fatty," with a delicate touch of sweetness that adds elegance. It maintains a very high level over several hours, gaining concentration and a structural integrity unexpected for the 1980 vintage. Mature, powerful, and robust. A magnificent example of the virtues of Monte Real in a "lesser" year; while a step behind the Gran Reserva, it remains a faithful representative of the traditional style with significant cellaring potential.

 

Personal Score: 92
Tasting Group Score: 92