Royal 1989 Reserva

Wine: Royal 1989 Reserva
Winery: Bodegas Franco-Españolas (Logroño, La Rioja)
Appellation / Region: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, 10% Mazuelo and Graciano
ABV: 12.5%
Winemaking

 Malolactic fermentation is carried out in stainless steel tanks, where the wine stabilizes before racking. It undergoes an aging period of 24 to 30 months, depending on the vintage, in seasoned 225-liter medium-toast American oak barrels. A minimum of 24 months of bottle aging in the winery’s underground cellars is completed prior to release.

 

Tasting Notes
 

Appearance: Bright, very clear reddish-ruby with medium depth (capa). It shows pomegranate and amber highlights. The rim is broad and fully tawny (tile-red), contrasting clearly with the meniscus.

 

Nose: Low aromatic intensity, appearing somewhat muted upon opening. Initially, it reveals fine vanilla notes with a sweetish edge (pastry cream, smoke, lactic hints) and a growing presence of stewed red and black fruits. Liqueur-like, toasted, and mature, it gradually brings out classic Rioja aging traits—barnyard, shaded forest floor, ground spices—though they fail to fully unfurl. While structurally sound and free of defects, the overall impression is somewhat lackluster. We allowed it to breathe in the bottle for a couple of hours hoping for more development, but without success.

 

Palate: It has arrived at the glass with slightly diminished vitality, though it still retains sufficient acidity and a compelling amount of fruit in liqueur. Warm, spicy, and very mature, with bitter and toasted nuances. It doesn't quite flow seamlessly and eventually becomes somewhat monotonous (cansino) after a few glasses. This Royal bears no resemblance to the legendary wines Franco-Españolas marketed under this label 40 or 50 years ago. It is simply another Rioja that has survived 20 years in the bottle. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

Personal Score: 86
Tasting Group Score (els12golafres): 87