Roda is one of the wineries that best represents the modern Rioja elevated to the highest level on the international scene. This winery, located in the Barrio de la Estación, always delivers. Roda Reserva 2021 is a blend of several selected vineyards in the Rioja Alta region, from old vines with very low yields. A Roda with character that will evolve beautifully over time.
Consumption features
Serving temperature
General features
Type of wine
Region
Grape variety
5% Graciano, 6% Garnacha tinta, 89% Tempranillo
Type of barrel
French oak barrel (40% new and 60% second use)
Type of bottle
Bordeaux Bottle
Barrel aging time
14 months
Capacity (cl)
75
Alcohol content (% vol.)
14
General Information
Roda Reserva 2021 is a meticulously crafted wine born from an excellent harvest at Bodegas RODA. Its varietal composition is predominantly tempranillo (89%), complemented by a touch of garnacha and graciano. The grapes come from vines over 30 years old, mostly planted in Haro and surrounding villages. These are low-yield vines: 1.5 kg/vine, producing high-quality fruit.
Manual harvest with a selection table. Alcoholic fermentation took place in French oak vats, followed by malolactic fermentation in barrels (with temperature control). The aging process lasted 14 months in French oak barrels (40% new and 60% second use) and an additional 20 months in the bottle before being released to the market. Clarification was done with egg albumin.
Roda is the youngest winery in the famous Barrio de la Estación in Haro. Founded in the late 1980s by Mario Rotllant and Carmen Daurella, it is led by the winemaker Agustín Santolaya. It is one of the wineries that spearheaded the Rioja wine revolution in the 1990s, focusing on producing wines from very specific vineyards. It is a model winery that combines cutting-edge technology with a wise reinterpretation of traditions. Vineyard selection and excellent fieldwork are its hallmarks.
For Bodegas Roda, finding the right vineyards required extensive soil studies. Ultimately, they chose about twenty plots, from which they only use the best 17 each vintage; all are cultivated with old vines on poor soils, applying sustainable viticulture. Their range of wines consists of four labels: Cirsion (in the elite of Spanish wine), Roda I, Roda, and the more accessible Sela. Since 2021, the winery has held the Wineries for Climate Protection Certification for its commitment to sustainability and the environment.
Roda Reserva 2021 (D.O.Ca. Rioja) pairs wonderfully with lacquered duck or foie.
Creators' opinion
Color: Capa de intensidad media alta, muy bien cubierto. El fondo es del color de la cereza picota y el ribete rojo.
Nariz: Tiene buena intensidad aromática y resulta muy confortable, con la madera impecablemente ensamblada. El perfil es de fruta roja y se aprecian algunos destellos negros. Destaca la cereza madura mezclada con el recuerdo de las especias dulces y ligeras notas de cacao. Hay una cierta nota floral de violetas, unida a la sensación de un ramo de plantas aromáticas que recuerda a un paseo por el campo.
Boca: Tiene buen volumen, es amplio, con tanino de muy buena calidad, todavía algo presente. Se nota que procede de una gran añada, como fue la 2021. Es muy largo y con mucha presencia, destacando la frescura. Un vino sabroso, lleno de matices.
The winery
Under the direction of Agustín Santolaya (manager of the firm), Roda has been one of the leading wineries in the Rioja renewal of the 1990s. In the late 1980s, during a period of transformation in Spain's winemaking model, Mario Rotllant and Carmen Daurella arrived in La Rioja with the passionate intention of creating a project that would bring something new to the world of wine. Although it seemed that everything had already been done in the centuries-old Rioja, they decided to embark on their adventure. The name of the winery, Roda, comes from the initials of the surnames of both founders (Ro-Da).
In 1991, the philosophy was forged, and Roda quickly positioned itself at the forefront of the best Rioja wineries, thanks to the involvement of an oversized technical team. They decided to work exclusively with native red varieties, such as Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Graciano, fully respecting the vintage, without using wines from other years to standardize or refresh a harvest. Roda wines are wines that draw the essence of the vineyard, soil, climate, and landscape, crafted for enjoyment. The secret of their success lies not only in the magnificent raw materials sourced from the best ecosystems in the area, from which the 17 best are vinified each year, but also in the application of the best winemaking technologies.