Monte Real Gran Reserva 2018
A gold-winning Rioja that showcases the virtues of the Tempranillo grown in Cenicero
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There are wineries that are essential to understanding the history of certain regions. One of them is Bodegas Riojanas, a member of one of the most exclusive clubs: that of the Rioja wineries that have been around for more than a century. The Monte Real label was created back in 1930 and has become a classic and one of the best-known brands. Now’s your chance to enjoy Monte Real Gran Reserva 2018, a long-lived Rioja made from the best Tempranillo grapes grown in Cenicero (Rioja Alta). It won a gold medal at Rioja Masters (The Drinks Business).
Consumption features
Serving temperature
Consumption time
General features
Type of wine
Region
Grape variety
100% Tempranillo
Type of barrel
French and American oak barrels (50% each)
Type of bottle
Burgundy
Barrel aging time
36 months
Capacity (cl)
75
General Information
Monte Real Gran Reserva 2018 comes from ‘El Monte’ (hence its name), an estate located in Cenicero where gobelet-trained vines more than 45 years old are cultivated using sustainable farming practices that respect the environment and biodiversity at an altitude of between 430 and 530 metres: a grape-growing ‘oasis’ whose proximity to the river Ebro ensures a wide range of temperatures, even rainfall throughout the year and lots of light.
The various plots belonging to the El Monte estate are inspected and only the grapes at optimal ripeness are harvested: the best Tempranillo berries, which go into making this red. It was aged for 36 months in French and American oak (50% each), new during the first year, and matured to perfection for a further 24 months in the bottle before being released for sale.
Spain’s few century-old wineries are an essential part of world wine heritage. Among them is Bodegas Riojanas, one of the firms that helped write the area’s impressive history. Founded in 1890 in the municipality of Cenicero by the Artacho family and Rafael Carreras, it’s now run by their descendants.
Bodegas Riojanas has undergone several modernisations over the course of its history and continues to be one of the most highly acclaimed wineries in D.O.Ca. Rioja thanks to its brands Monte Real and Viña Albina. All the wines belonging to the Monte Real range are certified as suitable for vegans with the international V-Label.
Monte Real Gran Reserva 2018 (D.O.Ca. Rioja) is ideal with dishes made from pulses and meat or char-grilled pork.
Creators' opinion
Intense cherry-red, good depth of colour, with subtle brick-red hues in the rim. Straightforward nose infused with aromas of macerated blackberries, blueberries and plums followed by an explosion of black pepper and cloves that gives way, as it airs, to fine toasty notes and hints of vanilla, pure dark chocolate and a balsamic touch.
Supple, fine and smooth attack and slightly creamy mid-palate combined with rich notes of blueberries, sweet spice and liquorice. Firm tannins and notable acidity, with very pleasant spicy and aniseedy touches along with suppleness and character. Elegant, delicate finish marked by the acidity that gives it body and keeps it lithe and lively right up to the end.
The winery
Bodegas Riojanas is one of the great centenary wineries of Rioja, founded in 1890 in Cenicero by two families with a winemaking tradition: the Frías and the Artacho families. Today, Bodegas Riojanas continues to be led by the descendants of the founding families, with Santiago Frías at the helm. The five generations that have steered this illustrious winery have consolidated and perpetuated its prestige, based on two historic brands: Viña Albina, a label born at the dawn of the 20th century; and Monte Real, created in the 1930s with grapes from a vineyard in Cenicero by the French winemaker Gabriel Larrendat.
Bodegas Riojanas was one of the wineries that participated in the creation of the Rioja Denomination of Origin in 1925, and from the 1930s onwards, it forged its reputation as a master in the art of aging wines. It has more than 600 hectares of vineyards—both owned and controlled—in the heart of Rioja Alta, between the areas of Cenicero and San Vicente de la Sonsierra, divided into more than 1,600 plots of clay-limestone soils. The tempranillo grape is the main protagonist, although there is also a significant extension of mazuelo and graciano, varieties that are ideal for complementing blends.
Over time, Bodegas Riojanas has diversified its activities, launching new projects in other denominations of origin: Toro (Bodegas Torreduero), Bierzo, Rueda and Ribera del Duero (Bodegas Viore), Rías Baixas (Veiga Naum), Cava (Cum Laude), and Monterrei (Bodegas Gargalo). It also markets the Alacer brand. Bodegas Riojanas is one of the few Spanish wineries listed on the stock exchange.