Montecillo Reserva 2020 is produced by one of the pioneering wineries in Spain and the third oldest winery in Rioja. The wines from Bodegas Montecillo enjoy a magnificent reputation, and a great example of this is the Montecillo Reserva. A classic that, without losing its essence, has been updated to align with the tastes of today's consumers, featuring a more fruit-forward profile and well-integrated oak. Elegant, expressive, and finely crafted after a long aging period in the winery.
Montecillo Reserva 2020 is a classic Rioja made from Tempranillo grapes with a small percentage of Mazuelo, sourced from the Rioja Alta sub-region.
The Tempranillo vineyards, with an average age of 30 years, are bush-trained and grow on soils of varying composition, mostly clay-limestone and low in organic matter, in the municipalities of Fuenmayor, Cuzcurrita, Huércanos, and Hormilla. On the other hand, the Mazuelo grapes mature in vineyards over 50 years old, in Medrano, on sandy soils with a higher concentration of organic matter and good drainage.
To craft Montecillo Reserva, each variety was harvested and vinified separately. After alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the wine underwent malolactic fermentation in underground cement tanks. Its winemaking process concluded with 24 months of aging in barrels of French and American oak.
Founded in 1874 by Celestino Navajas, the wines of Bodegas Montecillo enjoy a strong market presence, maintaining a consistent line that offers credibility. The winery is located in the heart of Rioja Alta, in Fuenmayor, and works with a selection of the best vineyards in the sub-region. Mastery in long aging processes is one of its hallmark traits. The wines age in an underground cellar, where they mature under perfect conditions.
Montecillo Reserva 2020 is a red wine from the D.O.Ca. Rioja that pairs perfectly with meat dishes such as Iberian pork medallions in mustard sauce or beef carpaccio. It also harmonizes well with stews, cured cheeses, and cold cuts.
French oak barrels (80%) and American oak barrels (20%) for the tempranillo, French oak for the mazuelo
Type of bottle
Bordeaux Bottle
Capacity (cl)
75
General Information
Montecillo Reserva 2020 is a classic Rioja made from Tempranillo grapes with a small percentage of Mazuelo, sourced from the Rioja Alta sub-region.
The Tempranillo vineyards, with an average age of 30 years, are bush-trained and grow on soils of varying composition, mostly clay-limestone and low in organic matter, in the municipalities of Fuenmayor, Cuzcurrita, Huércanos, and Hormilla. On the other hand, the Mazuelo grapes mature in vineyards over 50 years old, in Medrano, on sandy soils with a higher concentration of organic matter and good drainage.
To craft Montecillo Reserva, each variety was harvested and vinified separately. After alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the wine underwent malolactic fermentation in underground cement tanks. Its winemaking process concluded with 24 months of aging in barrels of French and American oak.
Founded in 1874 by Celestino Navajas, the wines of Bodegas Montecillo enjoy a strong market presence, maintaining a consistent line that offers credibility. The winery is located in the heart of Rioja Alta, in Fuenmayor, and works with a selection of the best vineyards in the sub-region. Mastery in long aging processes is one of its hallmark traits. The wines age in an underground cellar, where they mature under perfect conditions.
Montecillo Reserva 2020 is a red wine from the D.O.Ca. Rioja that pairs perfectly with meat dishes such as Iberian pork medallions in mustard sauce or beef carpaccio. It also harmonizes well with stews, cured cheeses, and cold cuts.
Creators' opinion
Montecillo Reserva displays a cherry red color with still very lively hues on the rim, a sign of the strength of its raw material. A lot of glycerin is noticeable when swirling the glass. On the nose, it is a wine with great personality where notes of cinnamon and licorice stand out against a background of vanilla. After aeration, stewed fruit and tobacco also emerge. Harmonious, lively, and elegant on the palate. A mature and proud tannin stands out from the rest, together with the acidity, giving the wine an ideal structure and a long, balanced finish. Great presence of those noble wood notes and stewed strawberries in the very long aftertaste.
Planting vineyards in the heart of Ribera del Duero and, with their fruits, crafting wines of great quality in a winery equipped with the latest technology. That was the idea that, in the year 2000, inspired a group of friends, including Alfonso de Salas, Marqués de Montecastro y Llanahermosa (from whom the winery takes its name) and co-founder of the newspaper *El Mundo*, Pedro J. Ramírez, then its director, and the singer Julio Iglesias, to join forces and establish Bodegas Montecastro.
The project truly took off with the addition of the French winemaker Bertrand Erhard and the planting, in 2002, of 27 hectares of vineyards of Tinto Fino, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, distributed across eight plots and five distinct parcels in the Valladolid municipality of Castrillo de Duero, at altitudes ranging from 860 to 923 meters, one of the highest elevations in the D.O.
At the same time as the vines were being planted, the construction of the winery began—a modern building, harmoniously integrated into its surroundings, designed by the prestigious architect Roberto Valle, who also designed the wine museum at the Castillo de Peñafiel. In 2012, Bodegas Hacienda Monasterio joined Montecastro’s shareholder structure, taking over its technical, viticultural, and commercial management. From that moment on, Carlos de la Fuente, the right-hand man of the renowned Peter Sisseck, took charge of the winery’s oenology, and in 2015, the first vintage crafted by his team, Montecastro Cosecha 2012, was released.
Bodegas Montecastro’s commitment to embracing the diverse terroirs that make up the soils of the Ribera del Duero ensures that their wines faithfully express all these elements—a synthesis of complexity, minerality, and freshness.
