Rioja Wine

Oscar Garcia Lead Wine Sommelier 67Wine.com  | One of Rioja's benchmark Crianzas. A well-rounded red that delivers a solid drinking experience. Late spring of 2017 I had the pleasure to be in Rioja and although a late frost damaged some of the buds, the quality in what survived is fairly consistent. 

Aromas of plum compote, cassis and notes of cinnamon and cloves. Medium-bodied with polished and pleasant tannins. Consistent and satisfying finish. Pair with beef-stews or any rice dishes such as Shrimp-fried rice.

Our Notes

One of the most classic and historic producers in all of Rioja. Medium-bodied with chew tannins with ripe red fruit flavors. Beautiful finish with a lively acidity.
- Oscar Garcia, Wine Buyer, 67wine

Critics Notes

Jancis Robinson writes:  Maturing blackish ruby with a pale rim. Classic, traditional rioja nose with notes of vanilla (American oak) and supremely ripe fruit – the sweetness and tobacco leaves of Tempranillo. The label looks a tad unserious but the wine belies this. It should be set for many years' further evolution because the tannins are still evident now. There's real lift and refreshment to this wine.  Drinking 2024 - 2034.  Jancis Robinson 17+

Our Professional Review

A text-book Crianza from Bodegas CVNE.  Aromas of red fruits and dried herbs. Medium-bodied with well integrated tannins and just enough grip to make a good impression. One of my personal go-to crianzas for every day enjoyment. 
Oscar Garcia, Wine Buyer, 67wine

Critics Notes

Zekun Shuai writes:  A fruity and plummy nose with lots of cherries, strawberries and some spices. Ripe, crunchy and fruit-expressive on the medium-bodied palate rounded by firm and nicely chewy tannins. Not complex, but has good length in the finish. Drink now.  - James Suckling 91

Alison Napjus writes:  A round, medium-bodied red, delivering ripe black cherry, eucalyptus, loamy earth and red licorice notes, with lively acidity and light tannins. Tempranillo, Garnacha and Mazuelo. Drink now.  - Wine Spectator

Tamlyn Currin writes:  Spicy nose. Dark-red plums and something a little tart, like hawthorn berries. Dried thyme, earthy dusty spices. Reliable and Great Value if not especially interesting.  - Jancis Robinson 15.5

Winemaker Description

90 Points James Suckling | Creamy oak spices and chocolate to the elegant berries and plums. Medium-bodied on the palate with a fluid core of red fruit followed by soft tannins and a juicy, medium-length finish with a hint of cream. (2020). 

Expert Review

100% Tempranillo. Red berries, plums and vanilla. Medium-bodied with good consistency on the palate. Very pleasant finish. 

- Oscar Garcia Moncada, 67 Wine Buyer

Winemaker Description

Our Professional Review

Oscar Garcia Lead Wine Sommelier 67Wine.com | Pale straw yellow, bright reflection on the glass. Light-bodied with flavors of orchard fruit and dried herbs. Very clean mouthfeel with balanced acidity. The perfect white Rioja to serve as aperitif, or to pair with your favorite snacks: deviled eggs, vegetable omelette and Seabass Sashimi.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023 

Winemaker Description 

Pale yellow color. Medium aromatic intensity on the nose with aromas of spring flowers intertwined with pome fruit, pineapple and banana.A smooth and lively entry on the palate. The mid-palate is marked by the typical acidity of the wine. A fruity and long aftertaste, perfectly balanced, making it an elegant, fine and at the same time cheerful wine.

Pairs perfectly with fish, shellfish and all kinds of appetizers including hamburgers. 

Winemaker Description

Clean, bright, red cherry color ruby rim. On the nose, intense aromas, integrate fresh fruits, and sweet hints due to the barrel ageing. Structured and elegant on the palate. Medium ? long finish, with sweet barrel ageing notes. It matches with any kind of meat and mushrooms rice. Some tasty or oily fish such as tuna or cod. Medium-aged cheese such as emmental or gruyere.

Expert Reviews

James Suckling writes:  A transparent, aromatic red with blackberries, lavender with some violets. Medium to full body, very fine tannins and a beautiful finish with lovely fruit and firmness. It’s racy and fine. Drink or hold.  - James Suckling 92

Josh Raynolds writes:  Limpid ruby. Bright, spice-accented aromas of black raspberry, cherry and black pepper. Light-bodied and energetic on the palate, offering zesty red and dark berry flavors and a hint of licorice. Finishes clean and brisk, with no obvious tannins and a hint of jamminess.  Drinking 2021 - 2024.  - Vinous 

Gillian Sciaretta writes:  This red shows lots of freshness, with red berry, orange peel and savory spice notes that are enhanced with leather and leafy underpinnings. The tannins show some grip. Drink now through 2025.  - Wine Spectator

Our Professional Review

Oscar Garcia Moncada 67Wine.com | The highly anticipated 2022 vintage of 67Wine "Somm Series" Rose has finally arrived. Pale Pink in color with aromas and  flavors of enticing red fruit: fresh-cut watermelon, strawberries, cranberries and wild raspberries. Medium-light-bodied with a crisp and well-integrated acidity. The finish is dry and very  refreshing.  

A delicious expression perfect for any occasion: picnics, beach outings, or a leisurely lunch in the park.

Expert Reviews 

Winemaker Description

Hinia takes its name from the fossilized shells found in the soil from a time when the whole region was under the sea. This is a typical, classic, Rioja blend — fresh and smooth with well-balanced acidity and tannins. It has an intense cherry red colour with notes of ripe black fruit, an elegant range of balsamic notes with tobacco leaves, caramel, vanilla and chocolate. Aged for 36 months in American oak, alcoholic and malolactic fermentation took place naturally. A homage to the refined classic wines from Haro.

Expert Reviews

96 Points Decanter | Classic and delicious showing tertiary notes of cigar box, incense, old leather, cigar box and tomato leaf. The palate is silky with well-handled oak, a vibrant rail of fresh acidity and mellow, integrated tannins. Complex wine and very representative of classic Rioja.  Gold, Olivia Mason, Decanter World Wine Awards. (2012). 

Tim Atkin 92 Points |  Hinia is a new Reserva brand from the under-rated Martínez Lacuesta operation that’s still impressively fresh and lively for a 2012 red. Partnering Tempranillo with 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo, it’s a nice cross over between a modern and traditional style, with balsamic American oak sweetness, bright acidity and good focus and minerality. 2023-29. Tim Atkin’s Rioja Report 2023. (2012). 

Winemaker Description

Vibrant red leading slightly towards amber. Light fresh texture with notes of vanilla and dried berry aromas. Rich, very dry, smooth, developed. Firm tannins and good balance. Blend: 75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacho, 10% Graciano and Manzuelo.

Expert Ratings - Vintage 2011 

The 2018  Montecillo Crianza is the perfect wine to drink as your weekly house wine.  Inviting nose of red fruited character. Medium-bodied with notes of baking spice and red berry jam. Finish is consistent with well-integrated tannins.  Food pairings: BBQ Pork Ribs.

- Oscar Garcia Moncada , 67 Wine Buyer

Expert Review 

92 Points James Suckling | A complex and fascinating young Rioja with aromas of wet earth, dried meaat, tea leaf and dark fruit that follow through to a medium-bodied palate with firm, silky tannins and a flavorful finish. A blend of tempranillo, graciano and mazuelo. 

Winemaker Description 

Brick red deep cov­ered. Clean, com­plex and with a good in­ten­si­ty on the nose. Red fruit aro­mas well con­joined with those of the ag­ing. Bal­sam, spices (pep­per), to­bac­co and leather. Well struc­tured, tasty, large, soft but with char­ac­ter and a good har­mo­ny in its fla­vors. Com­plex and retronasal clean.

Expert Review - Vintage 2015

Decanter 95 points | The Escudero family started making wine in 1852 and, four generations on, it is still very much a family business. They own a total of 150ha of vineyards, of which 120ha are located on the southern slopes of the Monte Yerga mountain range, where the grapes for this wine are produced. The vines are grown at between 450m-800m above sea level and are approximately 40 years old. Predominantly made from Tempranillo blended with Mazuelo and Garnacha, this reserva was aged for 14 months in five-year-old American oak barrels followed by a further 28 months in bottle. 

Sarah Jane Evans | Supple, juicy, well-balanced, fully rounded. A lovely vintage and a great wine. 

Simon Field | A broad and generous mouthfeel, the tannic grip still persuasive, but acidity is wrapped around the black fruit core with subtle conviction. Pierre Mansour: Liquorice and dark fruit, compact, quite complex, framed by muscular tannins, underlying depth that unfurls in the glass, and really good length. Drinking Window 2020 - 2023

Winemaker Description

Bodegas Olarra is located on the outskirts of Logroño, right in the heart of the DOC Rioja and within the prestigious Rioja Alta sub-district. Tempranillo dominates this complex and balanced red. With aromas of dusty dark cherry, blood orange, and cedar, it has great structure, a medium body, soft mouthfeel and a lingering, satisfying finish. 

Expert Rating 

Wine Enthusiast 92 Points | Deep ruby in the glass, this wine has a bouquet of black currant and blackberry with a touch of green bell pepper. Flavors of cassis, Chambord, bittersweet chocolate, clove and roasted fennel bulb are set into a web of velvet tannins that dissolve into a drawn out finish with note of orange zest. (2018). 

Producer Description 

Traditionally styled Rioja Reserva. Balsamic aromatics, complemented by undertones of red berries and earthiness. Notes of licorice and spice emerge on the palate.

Critic Notes

James Suckling 92 Points | Black fruit, nutmeg, charcuterie and roasted marshmallows on the nose. Some licorice and five spice, too. It’s firm and dense, with a medium to full body, tight tannins and a compact core of spicy black fruit. 

Wine Spectator 90 Points | Wafts of dried flowers and cigar box spices offer a subtle, fragrant thread that winds through plump cherry, plum sauce and vanilla flavors in this well-meshed red. Fresh and focused, with dense, fine-grained tannins emerging to trim the finish. Drink now through 2029. 3,000 cases made, 1,500 cases imported.

Expert Reviews

Oscar Garcia 67Wine.com | Beronia Gran Reserva is one of my favorite Gran Reservas. Every vintage seems to get better and better. The long-term aging Gran Reserva gives the wine time to develop a great arrange of flavors and nuances, not found in younger wines. Aromas of toasty oak, cassis, dark plum and cedar. Medium to full-bodied. Great length and integration. Serious but approachable.

93 Points James Suckling | Plenty of berries with sweet oak, walnuts with some dried flowers. Medium-to full-bodied, fruity and chocolatey. Coffee, too. Tempranillo, graciano and mazuelo.

92 Points Wine Enthusiast | Aromas of vanilla, licorice and ripe berry fruits introduce this warm-year gran reserva. The palate is full on first take, then popping acidity pushes the flavors towards currant, tomato and red plum. The acidity drives a dry finish with plenty of oak spice. Give this lots of air and time if drinking now but it’s good through 2032.

92 Points Wine Spectator | Velvety tannins give way to dark cherry, mocha and loamy earth notes, enhanced with black tea, anise and graphite accents. Broad, but keeps focused, with solid, integrated acidity.

Winemaker Description 

All the expressivity of a grape variety that seduces from its extraordinary origins. 100% white Tempranillo which clearly demonstrates it purity, refinement and personality. A unique wine.

The white Tempranillo grape is genetic mutation of the red Tempranillo which appeared for the first time in a Rioja in 1988. At that time, it was not expected to be at the forefront of new era for white Riojas. This is a well-balanced wine that is expressive and persistent which is called upon to be the flagship for a new identity. A surprising wine. 

Winemaker Description 

Fresh, fruity wine with a lovely attack, reminiscent of red fruit mingled with the coconut and vanilla aromas from the oak. Full and supple with a long finish. A wine with character which showcases the quality of the grapes used to make it.

Ideal match for grilled white and red meat, oily fish such as emperor fish, and cured cheese.

Blend: 96% Tempranillo, 4% Graciano

Winemaker Description 

Fruit aromas forest, raspberry, strawberries, liquorice witht silky tannins.

Winemaker Description

Traditional and family project from Rioja Alta that delivers a great book Rioja reserve. Made with a majority Tempranillo that is accompanied with a small percentage of Garnacha and Mazuelo from the Viña Olagosa estate located in San Asensio and the Zaco Estate in Haro.

A red wine with fine aromas of vanilla, tobacco and leather, typical of its long aging. 

Expert Review

Oscar Gacia Moncada 67Wine.com | Ruby color with copper rim; on the nose intense and complex: vanilla, cedar, and tobacco. Medium-bodied with polished aged tannins and espresso and more Tobacco notes. Very elegant finish. 

Keep in mind that this Gran Reserva has been aged from 28 to 30 months bordelaise barriques and further aging of 36 months in bottle before its release to the market. 
For sure one of my top Gran Reservas to drink now!

Producer Description 

Lemon yellow colour with steely reflections. Fine bubble forming a small, slowly evolving rosary. Fruity aromas where the apple predominates, pleasant in the mouth with a slight acidity and a well-integrated bubble.

Hot and cold starters, oisters, game, fresh foie gras and caviar. Goes very well with most dishes provided that there are no condiments as very strong paprika powder.
The grapes come from the property owned vineyards in the municipality of Grávalos, south of Monte Yerga at the foothills of the “Cordillera Ibérica” at an altitude between 700–800 meters above sea level. A remarkably high located area where you obtain fresh wines with little alcohol content and with very fine and elegant aromas.

The Viura grape is harvested during the two first weeks of October. The collection of the grapes is done manually, selecting the grapes, preventing any deteriorated grapes from reaching the press or not complying with the quality required to elaborate our cavas. 

Critic Notes

Zekun Shuai writes:  A bright and juicy Rioja Crianza with some refined oak that adds a discreet creaminess to the vibrant red fruit. Plums, cherries and a hint of tobacco. Medium-bodied, with a juicy palate and a long, creamy finish, featuring bright red berries, cherries and vanilla at the end. Drink now.  - James Suckling 91

Joaquin Hidalgo writes:  The 2019 Crianza Altos Ibéricos is a Tempranillo from Rioja Alta and Alavesa, aged for 12 months in French and American oak barrels. With a garnet hue, it features blackberry and herb aromas, with subtle cherry notes. Dry and plush on the palate, it leaves a balanced and lingering impression with an expressive final whiff.  Drinking 2024 to 2029.  - Vinous 90

Winemaker Notes

The wine has a dark cherry red color that is very opaque. It has intense and fragrant aromas, with exquisite fruit notes of raspberry jam and spicy hints of green peppercorn. There is also a pleasant note that reminds of toasted bread. On the palate, the wine is warm and has velvety, juicy tannins that are well balanced by the oak aging. 

Our Professional Review - Prior Vintage 2015

Oscar Garcia 67Wine.com | Marques de Vargas Rioja Gran Reserva 2015 is a blend of 80% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha, and 10% Mazuelo. Aged for a total of 24 months in oak, (16 months in French oak and then 8 months in American oak). The grapes were hand-harvest from their premium "Pradologar Estate vineyard" and then hand-selected at a sorting table for quality control. Only indigenous yeast from the vineyard is used for fermentation.  It is important to take note that Marques de Vargas is aiming to preserve the varietal correctness over the long extended ageing that is typical for the Gran Reservas of the region.

Expert Review - Vintage 2016

Expert Reviews

Wine Spectator 95 Points | Cedar and sandalwood aromas give way to flavors of tea, tobacco, dried cherry, forest floor and orange peel in this expressive red. Round on the palate, supported by muscular tannins and juicy acidity. Big but graceful, mature yet lively, in the traditional style. Drink now through 2030.

Wine Advocate 94 Points | The top of the range is only produced three or four times per decade, and the current vintage is the 2005 Gran Reserva 890, which refers to the year, 1890, when the winery was created. It all starts by selecting grapes from their oldest vineyards (over 40 years old), harvested into 350-kilogram cases that are transported in refrigerated trucks to the winery, an improvement implemented in 2005. 2005 was an excellent vintage, and this 890 might challenge the exceptional 904 released some four years ago. Here the Tempranillo is complemented by 3% Graciano and 2% Mazuelo, fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged in 199 oak barrels for six years with ten rackings. It's a very balanced and polished classical Rioja with moderate alcohol (13.5%) and good acidity (6.1 grams of tartaric); it also has a silky texture, resolved tannins and a very pleasant mouthfeel. It has complexity but is a little closed, and it feels a little evolved, at times even a little tired. The fruit feels quite ripe, with some liquor notes. The palate is polished, with fully resolved tannins and fine acidity. It was bottled unfiltered in March 2012. 57,036 bottles and 1,312 magnums were produced. 2001, 2004 and 2005 are the only 890s in the decade. The next one will be the 2010.

James Suckling 98 points | The aromas to this are stunning with dried strawberry, stone and fresh mushroom. Full body and very tight with incredible depth and structure. It goes on for minutes. One of the greatest ever? The new 1964? Available January 2018.Vinous 97 points Shimmering garnet. Aromas of dried cherry, potpourri, vanilla, cigar box and exotic spices; a smoky mineral quality builds in the glass. Sweet, concentrated and seamless on the palate, offering cherry compote, red currant and rose pastille flavors that put on weight and pick up a spicy nuance on the back half. Conveys a suave blend of power and delicacy and closes sweet and gently tannic, with superb persistence and an echo of candied flowers and red fruits. This bottling and the 2001 are the only Selección Especial versions of the 890 Gran Reserva that have been produced by La Rioja Alta. Drinking window: 2021 - 2036

Our Professional Review

Oscar Garcia Moncada 67Wine.com | 20-35 year old vines. Certified Organic and Vegan; 100 % Tempranillo entirely aged in concrete vats. Not filtered but lightly clarified. Notes of red berries on the nose with an enticing mouth-feel. Red currant, juicy blackberry. Medium-bodied with crisp and enticing finish.

Winemaker Description 

The Flying Bicycle" is Germán Blanco's new project in Rioja Baja. With the help of an old friend and fellow oenologist, Javier Collio, Germán sources fruit from certified organic vineyards in the Navarra part of the appellation. The vineyards are dry-farmed and have an average age of thirty-five years old, grown in a mix of clay and limestone. The wine is made in a cellar in San Adrian, following the Milú philosophy: "happy wines made from happy grapes" is how he defines it. The grapes are de-stemmed and fermented in cold temperature from native yeasts. A slight maceration before the end of fermentation helps to make a delicate and fresh wine; no oak is used, and the wine stays in concrete tanks from five to six months.

Winemaker Description

The complex and mature bouquet offers rich fruit aromas, along with hints of spice and notes of raisin fruit, layered with tobacco and leather. Elegant and velvety on the palate, this is classic Gran Reserva Rioja from an excellent vintage that provides outstanding value for money.

Expert Review - Vintage 2019

Wine Spectator 90 Points | A balanced, medium-bodied version, with light, taut tannins providing fine-grained texture and support for flavors of mulled cherry, tobacco, red licorice and cocoa powder, this is creamy and fragrant on the finish. Tempranillo, Mazuelo and Graciano. Drink now through 2029. 50,000 cases made, 3,500 cases imported.

Winemaker Description 

A contemporary wine, alluring and well structured, it has captured the character of an outstanding part of the world. Ripe and full of berry fruits and spice, Beronia Reserva's velvety texture is an iconic classic.

Winemaker Description

6Cepas6 is a great range that focusses on the fun and approachable side of Rioja. Rather than being over tannic, oaky or dry these wines are bold, fruity and exciting. Hand selecting in the vineyards and sorting in the cellar followed by 6 months aging in new oak barrels. 

Red fruits and spices and toasted brioche. Powerful yet fruity enough to remain balanced and subtle. Soft tannins and a lovely finish. Perfect with red meats, pasta or a good old stew! 

Winemaker Description

Appearance : Clean and with an intense color with cherry reflections. Aroma : Aromatic intensity and complexity, where red and black fruits appear with notes of underlying vanilla and balsamic. Taste : It transmit its strong and harmonious constitution, fruit and tannic softly shaped by the oak vessel, which are prolonged. Tasty and ashy, it’s a faithful, exponent of winery.

Winemaker Description

Dark opaque plummy colors jump from the glass. Aromas of dark fruit: blackcherry, Plum and blackberry; Layered with soft notes of cinnamon and cloves. Full and satisfying finish.

Expert Reviews

Oscar Garcia Moncada, 67Wine: Tempranillo from Rioja Alavesa that expresses the terroir and microclimate of this acclaimed region. The Saenz family, who owns the winery and vineyards,  date their winemaking tradition all the way back to the 16th century. 

Sarah Jane Evans MW, 91 Points | Pedro Ballestero Torres MW, and Pierre Mansour write:  Black fruits, wild herbs, savoury tannin, and balsamic notes with rich fruit feel in the mouth. Long and open on the finish. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2016

The Wine Advocate 93 Points | I love the textbook nose of the 2016 Señorío de P. Peciña Reserva, as it is earthy, spicy and developed, with notes of leather and vanilla and a touch of smoke and brick dust. It has ripe fruit without excess and a medium-bodied palate with great balance and freshnesjs. It has pungent flavors and is powerful and ripe without excess at 14.5% alcohol and with polished chalky tannins. This matured in American oak barrels for 36 months, during which time it was racked every six months. 42,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in September 2020.

Winemaker Description 

Winemaker Description

Rich and dark on the nose with aromas of hedgerow fruit and morello cherries. Bringing aromatics of dried thyme, rosemary and cloves, and a garnet tone to the appearance. Dense black fruit on the palate, evolving into blueberry, strawberry, cherry and black pepper in the glass. Structured with fine-grade tannins and refreshing acidity; the finish is clean and persistent.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019

James Suckling 95 Points | Wild herbs and tangy white-pepper notes on top of the fresh-toned red and black cherries, plums and hints of citrus zest, sweet red berries and minerals. Polished, dusty tannins spread evenly across the medium-bodied palate, with juicy, vivid plums and berries. Nothing showy here, but it’s beautifully balanced and understated, showing real fruit vibrancy and harmony. Drinkable now, but will hold well, too. 

Wine Advocate 94+ Points | When tasted next to the 2020, the 2019 Lanzaga comes through as a little more closed and austere, with a little less alcohol (14% vs 14.5%) and with rounder tannins. It comes from 15 to 20 hectares of their own organically farmed vineyards. It fermented in concrete with indigenous yeasts and matured in 225-liter barrels and 1,500- and 2,500-liter oak foudres for 14 months. 24,527 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2021. 

Tim Atkin 92 Points | The"basic" Lanzaga red - if such a thing can be said of a wine that retails at €25 - comes from bush vine plantings of mostly Tempranillo with some Graciano and Garnacha in Lanciego. Aged in large wooden foudres, it's all about fruit and focus rather than wood. Youthful, taut and tangy with lots of perfume, stony minerality and good ageing potential.