Monte Real 1995 Reserva

Wine: Monte Real 1995 Reserva

Winery: Bodegas Riojanas (Cenicero, La Rioja)
Appellation / Region: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 80% Tempranillo, 15% Mazuelo, 5% Graciano
ABV: 13%
Winemaking: The wine spent 6 to 8 months in vats for fermentation and settling. It was then racked into seasoned 225-liter American oak barrels, where it aged for 24 months. A minimum of 12 months of bottle aging in the winery’s underground cellars was completed prior to its commercial release.

 

Tasting Notes:
 

Appearance: Bright, medium-high depth (capa) reddish-cherry; noticeably darker than the 1994 Reserva. It displays pomegranate and copper highlights with a broad orange rim that contrasts sharply with the core.

 

Nose: Intense and expressive, featuring a prominent layer of creamy vanilla oak alongside notes of aromatic coffee, cocoa butter, bay leaf, and clove. It presents itself in peak condition—remarkably youthful—with almost no reductive notes, save for an elusive hint of gamey faisandage. Highly nuanced and elegant, it possesses an almost off-dry (abocado) quality that brings forth a generous amount of ripe red fruits, quince, candied fruit, and orange marmalade. A delightfully classic profile.

 

Palate: Full of life. The palate is sharp, earthy, and mineral, driven by excellent acidity that works in tandem with fine wood and fresh vanilla. Savory, toasted, and candied, it is immensely drinkable. While it may not be a wine of overwhelming complexity, it doesn't need to be. A friend recently remarked how well Bodegas Riojanas’ wines—even the entry-level ones—benefit from 15 years of bottle aging, and they were absolutely right. These Monte Real Reservas (to say nothing of the Crianzas) showed brilliantly until the late 90s. Subsequent changes led to an inexplicable dip in quality for the mid-range labels, but these '95s remain in excellent form. The next step is to compare it with the Viña Albina from the same vintage.

 

Personal Score: 90
Tasting Group Score: 90