Pagos de Tahola Gran Reserva Rioja 2009

Gran Reservas are Spain’s most special wines – made with painstaking care in only the best vintages and released years later, at their delicious peaks.

Naturally, we were thrilled when our good friend Ruth Chavarri offered us a small shipment of her Gran Reserva from the 2007 vintage – a cooler year, rated officially “very good” by the local Consejo Regulador. Our excitement grew even further when we tasted it!

Crafted with 100 percent Tempranillo (hand-selected, one cluster at a time!) from the Chavarris’ Las Cañas vineyard in premium Rioja Alavesa, the wine was aged for six months in new French oak barriques (which imparts intense baking spice characteristics), then transferred to older barriques where it spent a further 18 months. After the next several years mellowing in bottle, it was released and is drinking absolutely beautifully.

Dark, cherry-red in color, with faint hints of garnet. Fresh and harmonious nose, with notes of candied red fruit and spices, underscored by earthy minerality and classic tobacco leaf. Look for flavors of juicy black cherry, black plum and hints of mocha, plus a long, elegant finish … this cries out for a really special meal.