Cruz del Castillo Rioja Reserva

This red Cruz del Castillo Rioja Reserva is the family's flagship wine, a wine with immense depth and richness. This isn't surprising, as the winery's history goes back a long way. In 1850, the family founded the Cruz del Castillo winery, dedicated to producing the finest wines from the Rioja region. It proved a resounding success, and over the years, they acquired several vineyards throughout Spain. Today, Cruz del Castillo wines are produced in six different wine regions. At the helm today is winemaker Franseco Jr., the fifth generation of the family. He learned his trade from his father and is pursuing a path combining ancient traditions with modern winemaking techniques. And he's succeeded, because this reserva is an unforgettable wine, so full-bodied and powerful.

The best wine from Cruz del Castillo

This top-quality wine is made from two grape varieties, Graciano and Tempranillo, sourced from the best and oldest vineyards in Rioja. The old vines, with their thick trunks, have deeply dug roots, allowing them to easily absorb nutrients and moisture. The climatic conditions are perfect, with abundant sunshine and a refreshing breeze and cool nighttime temperatures. All of this contributes to a unique harvest and gives the wine its own unique character. After being harvested by hand, this Reserva is aged for an impressive 24 months in oak barrels. American oak barrels are used for this purpose, as they better complement the wine. Some of the barrels are unused, as this enhances the flavor and aroma of this red wine. After this important period, the wine is bottle-aged for at least 12 months in the Cruz del Castillo cellars. This is going to be a treat!

Full and very powerful this Cruz del Castillo Rioja Reserva

Opening the bottle, we knew for sure: this was going to be a treat. As we poured, we saw a beautiful dark purple color with red highlights. It scented the glass, giving us hints of vanilla, oak, spices, and chocolate. A vigorous swirl of the glass unleashes all the aromas, bringing to mind nuances of leather, tobacco, and black pepper. On the palate, it's a picture-perfect wine, with deep and powerful flavors of black fruit and a variety of spices. Lovely notes of vanilla and oak, along with some tobacco, cocoa, and pepper.