For me the best Rioja is a wonderfully subtle marriage between fruit and oak. Gran Reservas are the ultimate expression of traditional Riojan winemaking when done well, but many bodegas don't seem to know how to do it properly. Although this is by no means a traditional Gran Reserva (it's too modern in style, with some French oak used as well as the traditional American oak) it is truly magnificent. Wonderfully complex, intense with enough acidity but not too sharp, lovely soft tannins, great length and a touch of minerality. Not much in the way of tertiary flavours yet, but it will age gracefully. This wine is one of the very best Riojas.
