Carlos Serres Gran Reserva

The Carlos Serres Gran Reserva is a classic Rioja that shows what long aging can bring out of Tempranillo – without noise, without exaggeration.

Bodegas Carlos Serres is one of the oldest wineries in the Rioja Alta: founded in 1896 by the French merchant Charles Serres, when Bordeaux influence and Spanish craftsmanship combined in the region. Today, the estate cultivates its own vineyards in Haro, the heart of the Rioja Alta, on calcareous-clay soils known for their elegance rather than power.

In Rioja, the Gran Reserva designation legally requires a minimum of 60 months of aging – part of it in oak barrels, the rest in the bottle. At Serres, the wine is traditionally aged in American oak, which gives the Tempranillo its characteristic profile: dried cherry and plum , along with vanilla, leather, and a hint of tobacco. On the palate, it is medium-bodied, with silky tannins thanks to the extended bottle aging, balanced acidity, and a warm, lingering finish with clove and cedar.

• Dishes: Leg of lamb with rosemary, Ibérico ham, aged Manchego cheese or braised beef cheeks
• Temperature: 16–18 °C, preferably open an hour beforehand
• Drinking window: ready to drink now, will keep for another 5–8 years