Monte Real 1987 Gran Reserva

Wine: Monte Real 1987 Gran Reserva
Winery: Bodegas Riojanas (Cenicero, La Rioja)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 75% Tempranillo, 15% Mazuelo, 10% Graciano.
ABV: 12.5% vol.

Winemaking

Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks for 6 to 8 months, allowing the wine to stabilize before racking. It subsequently matured for 36 months in semi-used 225-liter American oak barrels, with regular rackings performed every 8 months. Final blending in tanks was followed by a stabilization period of 6 to 12 months. It underwent a minimum of 3 years of bottle aging in the winery’s cellars prior to its commercial release.

 

Tasting Notes

 

Appearance: Garnet-ruby color with medium-high depth; somewhat more extracted than subsequent vintages of the same label. It displays brilliant reddish and amber reflections with a tawny/brick-colored rim.

 

Nose: High intensity and very classical in character. Initially, old leather stands out alongside reduced red fruit, cherries, wilted flowers, and a medicinal, scrub-herb background reminiscent of an apothecary's ointment. Powerful and expressive, it opens up in great surges of air. A mature and settled red that exhales like a fireplace, slowly polishing and sculpting itself to reveal a lustrous wine gifted with as much strength as elegance.

 

Palate: It flows almost effortlessly on the palate. Fresh and light, it is filled with spicy, reduced red fruit and an acidity that pierces without mercy. This is Rioja at its most cherished—the stuff of great wines. It shows signs of entering a new phase of fullness.

 

Commentary

The 1987 Gran Reserva is an exceptional Monte Real that rewards the patient taster. Riojanas’ wines from the last 20 years may initially seem simple or lacking substance, but they are "long-distance runners" that require time to reveal their true stature. This vintage stands among the best of the 1980s, proving that with patience, these wines deliver magnificent surprises. A vibrant red with its best years still ahead.

 

Personal Score: 92
Tasting Group Average: 93