Last week we were excited to participate in a Silent Disco event at Fort Tryon Park with friends and neighbors. Yet, at the last minute, the event was postponed due to inclement weather. Yuck! (And good call on the organizers’ part as dancing in the rain with expensive headphones isn’t a great idea). But, we were disappointed not to get together and enjoy each other’s company.
Accordingly, we moved the celebration indoors, sans dancing, and invited the group to gather at our apartment. I offered up wine; our neighbors said they’d bring snacks. True to their word, H and T arrived at our door with a tray, bearing cheeses, salami, fruit and crackers. Meanwhile, I had set the table with a few snacks of our own and had chilled several wines from El Coto. Situated in Spain’s Rioja region, this winery was established in 1970 and is still going strong.
Despite the wet weather, it was still a hot and muggy summer night, so we were all eager to enjoy some chilled wines. The El Coto Blanco and El Coto Rose were the perfect options to pair with our impromptu party!
I opened up the rose first and the bottle was soon empty (a clear crowd favorite!), necessitating that we turn our attention to the white, which was also greatly appreciated by our guests. As it grew late, we wrapped up our conversations, and cleaned up as everyone soon cleared out. All in all, it was a lovely evening!
A few days later, I opened up the El Coto Crianza, which had been touted as being a red wine capable of being chilled. My previous experience with chilled reds has been primarily limited to Beaujolais and other fresh and fruity reds; I wondered how the Rioja would fare with time in the fridge. I needn’t have worried; it was really nice and paired well with my leftover paella.
Looking for refreshing wines to enjoy on a hot summer day? Look no further than this trio from El Coto!
TASTING NOTES
El Coto Blanco 2022, Rioja, Spain, SRP $11.99
This wine is a blend of 93% Viura, 4% Sauvignon Blanc and 3% Verdejo. It displays notes of citrus and pear on the nose. The dry palate provides medium acidity, medium body and flavors of citrus, pear and apple, culminating in long length.
El Coto Rose 2021, Rioja, Spain, SRP $11.99
Bringing together Rioja’s traditional Tempranillo (90% ) and Garnacha (10%), this beautifully-hued salmon pink wine offered up aromas and flavors of raspberry and strawberry. It is fresh and lively, with medium acidity, medium body, and medium plus length. Easy drinking and very food friendly.
El Coto Crianza 2019, Rioja, Spain, SRP $16.99
Sporting 100% Tempranillo, this wine was aged in oak for at least 12 months with an additional six months in bottle, prior to release, as befits its Crianza designation. Aromas of wood, blackberry and raspberry greet the nose. The palate is dry, with bright acidity, flavors of berries, oak and spice, with medium plus body and medium length.
While the clouds kept the sun at bay, the view from the Ritz Carlton’s 50th floor was no less stunning. Lower Manhattan as well as Lady Liberty herself were visible just beyond the array of wine glasses as we waited for the tasting event to start.
Here, at Chef José Andrés’ latest NYC outpost, Nubeluz, a unique opportunity to taste the history of Rioja was proffered by Mercedes García Rupérez, Chief Winemaker for Bodegas Montecillo and Paco Fernandez, Area Manager for Bodegas Osborne.
Established in 1870 by the Navajas family and located in the heart of the Rioja region, Bodegas Montecillo is the third oldest winery in Rioja. It was the first winery in Fuenmayor and was named for the small mountain nearby (montecillo literally translates as small mountain). In 1973, Bodegas Montecillo’s third generation winemaker, Jose Luis Navajas, had no descendants and looked to collaborate with Bodegas Osborne as a way of carrying on the winery’s legacy. Hence, Paco Fernandez’s presence at the event. Yet, despite the change in ownership, the winery continues to maintain its strong and proud heritage as it also seeks to maintain its relevance into the far future.
Now at Montecillo for almost 15 years, Mercedes previously spent 16 years at Osborne’s Malpica Estate and vineyards in Chile prior to her arrival in Rioja. When she was first brought on as winemaker, Bodegas Montecillo only specialized in classically styled Rioja. After ensuring the high quality of the existing wines, she turned her attention to expanding the winery’s repertoire to include more modern styles as well. Regardless of the style, like many premium producers, she generally exceeds the minimums in making her wines.
Of note was the beautiful pairing of food and wine, displaying the food friendly, versatile nature of the wines. Although Nubeluz doesn’t typically serve much in the way of food, we were treated to some of the highest quality Serrano ham and other delicious fare. .
In particular, the first Course featured Croquetas de Jamón, Pan Con Tomate, Tomato Goat Cheese Cone and Josés Taco (nori, caviar, jamon and gold leaf). The second Course was a choice between Grilled Seasonal Vegetables with Romesco and China’s Sweetest Tomato Salad. For the third course, I chose the Solomillo Jamon Confit Piquillos. Dessert was a selection of Chef Victor’s Sweet Cones: Smores, mont blanc (caramel milk cream), dulce de leche, and thai basil.
As the tasting underscored, there is a real and distinct history to the company and its wines. They can clearly withstand the test of time, given their excellent quality and aging potential. As a further example of their ageability, Mercedes and Rocio graciously shared one of the few remaining bottles of the Gran Reserva Seleccion Especial 1973 with us. It was also enlightening to be able to compare and contrast the classic and modern wines, finding something to enjoy about each of them. Moreover, it showed that the winery remains au current as it moves into its next chapter.
TASTING NOTES
Singladuras Albariño 2021, Rias Baixas, Spain, $20/bottle Produced from 100% Albarino, this wine undergoes batonage to add depth and complexity to the wine and spends time in the bottle before release to soften the acidity. With aromas of citrus, pith, slight yeast, and minerality, it has bright acidity, medium body, and long length. It is extremely fresh, with a lovely salinity on the palate due to the influence of, and proximity to, the Atlantic Ocean.
Bodegas Montecillo Reserva 2014, Rioja, Spain, $20/bottle A classic style Rioja, with an eye toward producing a complete and balanced wine, this brings together 92% Tempranillo and 8% Mazuelo, which are aged for 24 months in mixed oak barrels (65% French and 35% American). Notes of smoke, oak, strawberry/berries greet the nose. It is dry, with medium+ body, medium acidity, medium, grainy tannins, are joined by spice, vanilla, and marmalade fruit, culminating in long length.
Bodegas Montecillo Gran Reserva 2010, Rioja, Spain, $40/bottle Another classically-styled wine, Mercedes notes her aim in crafting the Gran Reserva is elegance. Hailing from a great vintage, this blend of 95% Tempranillo and 5% Graciano, is sourced from vines with an average age of 40 years. The wine is aged for 28 months in oak barrels (a combination of French and American) and then rests in bottle for at least 4 years before release. It offers a shy nose, with dark red fruit, dried spice and vanilla, which persist on the palate. Its ripe tannins are firmer than the Reserva 2014, with good acidity and very long length. It can definitely age further.
Bodegas Montecillo Edición Limitada 2016, Rioja, Spain, $25-27/bottle Stepping out of the traditional mold, Mercedes’ intention with the Edicion Limitada is to produce a different and more modern wine with more fruit and less oak. Comprised of 70% Tempranillo and 30% Graciano, this grapes for this wine come from 40-year-old vines from two special, high altitude plots. After fermentation, it is aged for 25 months in oak and then aged in bottle for another two years. An intense nose of strawberry and blackberry with firm, ripe tannins, fresh acidity, medium+ body, a slight herbal note and long length. It was fruitier than the previous two wines with a softer palate.
Bodegas Montecillo 22 Barricas Gran Reserva 2015, Rioja, Spain, $50/bottle Another modern style wine, the 22 Barricas is only made in great vintages such as 2010 and 2015. Mercedes first made this wine by hiding 22 barrels (thus, its name) from the winery owner to take a new approach. All of the grapes (a blend of 50% Tempranillo, 25% Graciano, 15% Garnacha and 10% Mazuelo) are hand harvested and the wine is aged in barrel for 32 months before resting in bottle for at least 38 months. A pronounced nose of vanilla and dark, lush fruit. This wine displays firm tannins – needs time to develop, intense fruit on the palate as well, and, overall, is beautiful and elegant, with long length.
Bodegas Montecillo Gran Reserva Selección Especial 2005 Rioja, Spain, $200/bottle With only a very small quantity produced, this wine was made in honor of the winery’s 150th anniversary. The 70% Tempranillo, 20% Graciano and 10% Maturana Tinta were barrel aged for 62 months and rested in bottle for more than 9 years. It offers up aromas of dried flowers, dried herbs and dried red fruit, joined by flavors of coffee and spice on the beautifully complex palate. It is dry with a sweet attack, still firm, yet ripe, tannins, and long length.
Bodegas Montecillo Gran Reserva Seleccion Especial 1973, Rioja, Spain, N/A Made from 100% Tempranillo sourced from vines with an average age of 50 years, this is the last vintage made by the founding Navajas family. Sweet nose of faded flowers, particularly dried rose, slight spice, faded fruit of dried raspberries, this is a beautifully elegant wine, with long length.
We all know the three most important rules of real estate: Location, Location, Location! And, while it’s true of real estate, it is also true in the wine world – the best wines are made in the best locations. Of course, what makes a great real estate location isn’t always the same as what makes a great vineyard location, but they also share a key trait: access to transportation. Case in point, the brandies of Cognac are far more well-known than those of Armagnac, thanks to the relative ease of getting Cognac to market via waterways as opposed to the arduous, overland journey required for Armagnac. So, you can imagine the profound influence that the Haro Railway Station had on the wines of Rioja.
Haro itself dates back to the 10th century and has long been associated with viticulture. Considered to be the heart of the Rioja region, Tempranillo-based wines have been produced here for centuries. But, it was the twin impact of the regional railway and the influence of the Bordelais, who had traveled to Spain in the wake of the phylloxera crisis, made it possible for Rioja to receive recognition on the world stage.
Prior to train travel, the wines would be transported more than 100 km via mules and carts. But, once the Haro Station was built, Haro was one of the first cities in Spain to have a modern railway connecting it, not only elsewhere in Spain, but with France. Several wineries set up near the station to make it easier to get their wines into the market, creating the Haro Station District. Additionally, as French investors and Bordeaux producers came to the region, they realized that the Rioja wines needed time to age to become great, thereby further shaping the way these wines were made.
A recent Masterclass, Rioja Railway Wine Experience, led by Pedro Ballesteros, MW, traced this defining history and underscored the importance of innovation, technology and tradition in the production of these wines. Now, five decades later, the wineries situated in the Haro district are still focused on tradition, innovation and technology as they seek to maintain their reputations and overcome the challenges that lie ahead.
Specifically, they are seeking to improve quality and combat issues associated with climate change, particularly in identifying grapes that ripen later to maintain the requisite acidity. In response to these issues, they are investing time, talent and money into research and development and have also spent considerable resources on high tech tools such as optical sorters.
Participants at the Masterclass had the opportunity to taste some older wines from the assembled wineries, providing a benchmark of what classic, older Rioja wines taste like. They also were given the chance to taste wines that reflect the innovations currently being made.
Bodegas Bilbainas With more than a century of history behind it, Bodegas Bilbainas was founded in 1901 by Santiago de Ugarte. It boasts large underground cellars and 250 hectares of vineyards. Its Vina Pomal brand first appeared in 1904.
Vina Pomal Gran Reserva 1978 They produce their wines in a Burgundian style and it was an absolute treat to taste this classic, aged Rioja. Pale garnet in color, the nose offered up dried rose and dried plum, while the dry palate displayed medium acidity, tart, dried strawberry, a hint of dried floral, dried herbs and long length.
Bodgeas Bilbainas Vina Pomal Vinos Singulares Graciano 2015 Their innovative entry reflects their emphasis on Graciano and its ability to provide bright acidity to its Riojas as the climate continues to heat up. The 2015 vintage was a great one. Notes of spice, white pepper, smoke, vanilla, hint of herbs/dried herbs, black cherry, very fresh, good acidity, firm tannins and long length.
La Rioja Alta SA Founded in 1890 by five families, their descendants are all still involved in the winery to this day. La Rioja Alta’s 460 hectares of vineyards are situated within La Rioja with an emphasis on the Tempranillo grape. The winery maintains its own cooperage, using American oak. They have also made significant investment in research and development, including the purchase of an optical grape sorter.
La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 890 1981 A blend of 95% Tempranillo, 5% Graciano and Mazuelo, this wine was medium garnet in color with more concentration and a more intense nose than the 1978. Aromas of dried cherry, faint floral greeted the nose. The palate was dry with a slightly sweet fruit note of dried plum, slight tannic grip and long length. This was my favorite of the aged wines of the flight.
La Rioja Alta Garnacha de la Finca La Pedriza 2017 While not a commercial release, this wine offered a look at La Rioja Alta’s quality commitment to viticulture and its focus on Garnarcha as a way to maintain good acidity levels in its wines. The nose showed lots of bright, red cherry fruit, with some floral notes, both of which persistent on the dry, light+-bodied palate. It had zippy, bright acidity and culminated in long length.
Bodegas Roda The new kid on the block, Roda was established in 1987 by Mario Rotllant and his wife, Carmen Daurella, whose vision was to create a modern-style wine that would serve as a hallmark for the region. Taking the first two letters of each of their last names Ro (Rotllant) and da (Daurella), Roda was born. Today, the winery works with a total of 120 hectares, 70 of which are estate owned and an additional 50 that are managed by contract growers. All of the vines are bush trained and dry farmed, with minimal intervention.
Bodegas Roda Roda I 2004 From the excellent 2004 vintage, this wine displayed notes of smoke, black fruit, vanilla, ripe fruit, with a dry palate with firm tannins, flavors of strawberry, black cherry and other dark red fruit.
Bodegas Roda Roda 107 2010 As part of their innovative efforts, Roda has identified 552 individual clones of Tempranillo, choosing 20 of them for propagation in search of the best Tempranillo. They have planted these various biotypes in pursuit of determining which ones will be the best for the future. This wine was a beautiful expression of a Tempranillo-focused Rioja, showing lots of rich, ripe strawberry and black cherry, with slight oak and vanilla, culminating in long length.
Muga Founded in 1932 by Isaac Muga and Aurora Cano, the wines of Muga were initially made in an underground cellar until they set up their own winery in 1968. It is currently a family-run winery. Muga also has an on-site cooperage and is the only winery in Spain making all its vats and barrels. They practice traditional winemaking, including fining with egg whites.
Bodegas Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva 1994 Offering up a faint nose of red fruit and floral notes, the dry palate displayed flavors of strawberry, plum, slight dried fruit, a slightly grainy texture due to the tannins, finishing with long length.
Bodegas Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva 2010 Hailing from one of the best Rioja vintages, this wine is the result of Muga’s quality control using an optical sorter in selecting which fruit does (or doesn’t) go into the finished wine. An intense nose of herbs, floral and black cherry fruit, the palate offered up firm tannins, lovely dark fruit, oak and slight vanilla with long length. It is a beautiful wine with lots of potential; they suggested holding it until 2035.
Gomez Cruzado Founded in 1886, Gomez Cruzado is presently a boutique winery with 250,000 bottles produced annually and is the smallest of the Haro Station District wineries. It is run by David Gonzales and Juan Antonio Leza. Its vineyards are comprised of old bush trained vines and the wines undergo long aging periods before release.
Bodegas Gomez Cruzado Honorable 2014 Showing herbal aromas coupled with dark fruit, this wine was fresh, with nice lingering cherries, herbs and cocoa, and long length.
Bodegas Gomez Cruzado Montes Obarenes 2015 A white Rioja, this wine is a blend of Viura and white Tempranillo grapes. The majority of the wine (80%) was fermented and aged on its fine lees in new French oak barrel, with the remainder in concrete tank. It was full-bodied, with good acidity, citrus, oak and vanilla, along with long length.
Among Spain’s most vaunted wines, Rioja wines offer up “something for everyone.” And, while that phrase comes straight from the “Rioja 101” brochure I received at a recent Rioja tasting, I believe it to be much more than marketing hype. The wines are produced as white, red, or rosé, covering the full (wine) color spectrum, as well as in a range of styles.
White wines primarily feature local grape varieties such as Viura, Garnacha Blanca and Verdejo, while rosés are generally made from Garnacha or Tempranillo. The red wines may be produced from one or more of the following varieties: Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo. Aside from the differing blends, the wines vary based on length of aging and use (or lack thereof) of wood vessels.
In particular, wines that spend long aging in wood — typically American oak — qualify for specific labeling terms based on the Rioja regulations. Specifically, non-oaked/unaged wines carry no additional terminology on the label. Those wines bearing the designation “Crianza” have been aged for at least three years with one in cask. Reserva wines spend three years aging with one in wood and then an additional six months in bottle. Grand Reserva wines, usually only produced in top vintages, spend a minimum of five years aging with two of those in oak and an additional two in bottle before release. As minimums, winemakers are permitted to exceed these regulations and often do. Whites and rosés follow similar, but shorter, aging regimens within each aging category.
What this means for you, as a consumer, is that you will find a variety of Rioja options depending upon your palate and other preferences. In general, the unoaked wines will be fresher, more fruit forward and potentially more simple, but equally delicious. Conversely, the longer aged wines typically offer oaky/woody notes, often accompanied by notes of vanilla and spice, along with more robust flavor characteristics with firmer tannins and less fruit, but still remain fresh.
More recently, several new zone classifications have been created and now don labels as well. Vino de Zona permits wines that are produced exclusively in one of the three zones (Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental) to designate this on the label. Similarly, wines from a particular village or town (Vino de Municipio) may bear that name if nearly all of the grapes come from that particular area. And finally, Vinedo Singular is a new term used for wines produced from single vineyard that is at least 35 years old and must meet other quality requirements.
At the tasting mentioned above, I had the opportunity to taste among whites, rosés and reds from a variety of different producers and, not surprisingly, found numerous wines to enjoy. In addition to their food friendly versatility, Riojas are also well priced, particularly among older wines and offer good value. So, the next time you are looking for great wine, look no further than Rioja. You’re sure to find something for everyone!
[For additional information on Rioja, please see my previous stories on CVNE, Bodegas Beronia and Vintae.]
Among my favorites of the tasting were: CVNE Monopole Rioja Blanco 2017, Rioja, Spain, $15 – rich, full-bodied and complex with long length.
Muriel Fincas de la Villa Blanco 2017, Rioja, Spain, $15 – fresh, with citrus and pear notes.
Faustino VII Rioja Rosado 2018, Rioja, Spain, $11 – slight floral nose with notes of under-ripe strawberries.
Palacios Remondo La Vendimia Rioja 2016, Rioja, Spain, $16 – beautiful nose, with balanced, ripe fruit and long length.
Bodegas Taron Taron Reserva 2006, Rioja, Spain, $18 – well integrated tannins, herbal and floral notes, with rich concentrated fruit and a slight balsamic character.
Bodegas Olarra, Cerro Anon Gran Reserva 2009, Rioja, Spain, $17 – tart, berries, spice and wood, concentrated, long length.
Bodegas Campillo Gran Reserva 2009, Rioja, Spain, $35 – Produced by the daughter of Faustino, fresh with lots of herbaceous notes, long length.
Faustino Barrel Select Gran Reserva 2001, Rioja, Spain, $50 – beautifully complex nose, spice, fruit, herbs, stunning, long length.
