Montecillo Gran Reserva »Selección Especial« 0.75L

A Gran Reserva from Rioja that shows what Tempranillo can become with sufficient time in the cellar: structured, warm, and aromatically complex.

Bodegas Montecillo is one of the classic houses of Rioja Alta and has stood for traditional aging with patience for decades. The »Selección Especial« is the top of the range — a wine that only comes onto the market when the aging period has completely combined the character of the fruit with the wood.

In the glass, a bouquet of ripe wild berries, dark cherry, and a distinct licorice tone opens up, giving the wine depth. On the palate, it is warm and concentrated, with round, already integrated tannins and a long finish. Not an edgy young wine, but a Rioja with a clear line and weight.

It pairs well with a hearty rack of lamb with rosemary jus, Ibérico ham, or a mature Manchego. Drinking temperature: 16–18 °C. Those who want to decant it should give it 30 minutes in the carafe — this noticeably opens up the aromas.