Perhaps, this is one of the most approachable vintages (2016) for this wine. A very clean, an uplifting red, it also has an enticing ruby color transitioning to maroon. Amps up on the nose with a solid complexity and elegancy. Since this is Grand Reserva, it spends a minimum of 24 months on American and French oak. I can be fruity and with some spicy notes. On the palate, it’s elegant, hints of vanilla and sweet toasted. Elongated and silky finish. Already cruising its peak time. Drink now! — 2 months ago
Dinner at Jim and Lisa's — 2 months ago
Wegmans “peppery” wine - carmenere grape — 3 months ago
Great wine in a great vintage. Dark fruit, well handled oak, plums and cherries, great acidity and fine tannins and length — 4 months ago
Love this wine. Perfect balance of fruit, spice, and oak. — 5 months ago
2015 Vintage drinking beautifully in late 2024. Very smooth with expressive red and dark fruit for only $25. — 7 months ago
Oily, cherry, herby. Beautifull!!!! — 6 years ago
Excellent wine. — 7 years ago
Fantastic!! — 11 years ago
A unique wine. Vibrant golden hue, reductive aroma combined with a variety of ripe orchard fruits, saline breeze, pineapple, wet stone. Palate with high acidity, a lingering tannic grip, stony minerality, apple, pear, fresh almonds. I drink the current vintage (which happens to be 2012 this year) with my wife once per year, and have for the last 5 years. Nostalgic. — a month ago
It is like a tango — 2 months ago
Really good Reserva — 3 months ago
Costco rioja. Good. Would get again. Maybe not as good as some of the others but still good. Dry. A little fruity. — 5 months ago
Waitrose. Excellent, well rounded Rioja. — 7 months ago
Delicious but very dry. — 10 months ago
Jason brought for boys golf week. Spainish. 10 yr great. — 6 years ago
Husband had this tonight at a dinner party with world travelers and everyone agreed this was an amazing wine . Was expecting the price to be much higher. Very smooth. Will buy again . — 7 years ago
So smooth. Dark fruit. Bold, low tannins. Delicious. — 2 months ago
Blueberry and blackberry taste, leather aroma, very smooth — 3 months ago
A foolproof supermarket wine. Really delicious, especially seeing as so many bottles of this are made! Very nice. — 4 months ago
Made from Macabeu, Xarel·lo and Parellada grapes, bright pale gold color with a frothy creamy mousse, small rapid bubble flow with a steady stream. Aromas and flavors of apple and citrus with toasty notes, integrated, nice mouthfeel, elegant long finish. Great value as an exceptional alternative to French Champagne. — 5 months ago
2014 vintage. Wowzer nose. Medium body. Full concentration during the performance. The rusticity/authenticity came through immediately. Wasn’t looking for (Spanish) love early on a Wednesday afternoon but it found me. Nice now but better after a 10-spot. 11.6.24. — 6 months ago
what an outstanding experience and without question one of the best wines of the year for me. This is a world class business card of what American oak can do at its best. It starts with a powerful yet elegant knows of dusty cherry, old licorice but mostly gives way to inebriating feeling of grandma‘s old spice cabinet. Something in the nose already tells you that fine fine tans are waiting for you, but the palate is overwhelmingly silky smoothness, possibly the highest combination of intense-yet-silky tannins you can find anywhere, with bright acidity and medium to light body that makes the whole thing dance. I decided to check the producer website and they recommend pairing it with cod with sauce. Luck would have it that I randomly was eating pasta filled with salt cod and tomato sauce. The pairing works well as it further rejuvenates the wine, but I would say it shines at its brightest just by itself, letting those tannins tell the story without any need to curb them down. I’m drinking from Coravin meaning I cannot decant the wine, but even the sediment tastes good. Just like those people who brag about buying burgundy in the 70s, I feel like once the ebbs and flows of trends will shift I will be bragging about buying a 26-year-old monte real gran reserva, kept 24 years at the winery, for 60 bucks, which in San Francisco wouldn’t even pay for the cost of storage  — 9 months ago
Full bodied, dry, a bit acidic, and rich in tannins. There's cherry and berry flavors after a swirl on the palate, maybe even a little chocolate. So tannins upfront and the fruitfullness to finish. — 6 years ago
John Bratincevic
Good stuff, embodies the style. — a month ago