Monte Real 1994 Reserva

Wine: Monte Real 1994 Reserva
Winery: Bodegas Riojanas (Logroño, La Rioja)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 80% Tempranillo, 15% Mazuelo, 5% Graciano.
ABV: 12.5% vol.

Winemaking
The wine spends between 6 and 8 months in vats to complete fermentation. It is then racked into semi-seasoned 225-liter American oak barrels for a 24-month aging period. A minimum of 12 months of bottle aging in the winery’s underground cellars is required prior to its commercial release.

 

Tasting Notes

 

Appearance: Medium-intensity cherry red; slightly more translucent than the 1995 vintage. Pristine with luminous reflections and brilliant clarity, showing no signs of sediment at the base of the bottle.

 

Nose: Extremely intense and remarkably precise on the nose. It displays a classic Rioja profile that is more recognizable than almost any other vintage. Notes of stewed red and black fruits, orange zest, and spices are layered over a subtly creamy toasted backdrop. Exceptionally broad, defined, and deeply complex; it has evolved significantly since 2014. These last six years have allowed the wine to enter its peak phase of expression.

 

Palate: A true "dagger" on the palate. It is built upon a razor-sharp acidity that provides the backbone for everything else: expansive, textured (graso), fresh, and vibrant. It is highly savory, with accents of spices and red fruit that feel even fresher than on the nose. The finish is eternal and remarkably wide. It has reached its summit and promises another 20 to 25 years of absolute plenitude.

 

Commentary
Without a doubt, this is the finest Monte Real produced in the last 25 years. It upholds the traditional rule of this brand: requiring between 20 and 30 years of bottle age to emerge from its initial "dormancy" and settle indefinitely into a state of grace. A monumental wine that justifies its legendary reputation.

 

Personal Score: 98
Tasting Group Average: 99

 

Tasting Notes

 

Appearance: Medium-high depth cherry red; slightly paler than the 1994 Reserva. It shows vivid and brilliant garnet and coppery reflections. The orange rim is wide and distinctly marked against the meniscus.

 

Nose: Commanding initial presence—open and highly expressive. It opens with pronounced notes of vanilla and creamy toast alongside spices, ground bay leaf, clove, and sage. Classic and perfumed, it reveals an increasingly evident core of macerated red fruits, morello cherries, orange marmalade, and quince paste that eventually dominate the aromatic profile. Generous and powerful, showing few signs of reduction. Hints of game (caza), old leather, forest floor, and walnut bark linger in the background, maintaining a notable elegance.

 

Palate: Vibrant and expansive with a creamy texture, supported by a brilliant acidity and a significant dose of creamy oak and sweet spices. It offers immense drinking pleasure—savory, spicy, and earthy. While already delightful, it still has room to gain depth with further cellaring. Excellent growth potential; it feels incredibly youthful!

 

Commentary
These Bodegas Riojanas Reservas benefit immensely from a few years of rest, returning to the glass in full splendor. Both the '94 and '95 are proving to be serious contenders for long-term aging, earning their stripes year after year. Despite the hype surrounding these two vintages, there were doubts about whether they would measure up to the legendary harvests of the past; this bottle confirms they do. These are "old-school" reds—solid, well-extracted, and true to the spirit of the classic yellow-labeled icons. Reliable Rioja at an unbeatable price.

 

Personal Score: 90
Tasting Group Average: 91