Montecillo Rioja Reserva DOCa

Bodegas Montecillo belongs to the elite group of wineries that established Rioja's reputation as one of the world's leading wine regions. The oldest winery in the Rioja Alta has focused on producing barrel-aged red wines since 1874. "It's both a responsibility and a challenge," says head winemaker María Martínez, describing her mission. "I want to preserve the values ​​of Rioja without making the same wine our parents and grandparents produced and drank." María is part of a generation of winemakers who are wholeheartedly dedicated to uniting fruit and elegance. Naturally, she swears by Tempranillo, the fruitiest of the grape varieties permitted for Rioja production, and by grapes from old vines, whose fruit boasts a particularly rich aromatic profile. She also insists on a very late hand-harvest of ripe grapes, which allows for a perfect balance of acidity, fruit, and aromatics. Countless awards confirm Spain's most influential winemaker. In 2005, the American wine publication Wine & Spirits named Montecillo "International Winery of the Year." The winery has been owned by the Osborne family, one of the most celebrated names in Spanish winemaking, since 1973. The Montecillo Reserva boasts an elegant and complex nose of blackberries and a hint of fennel; an intense and perfectly balanced palate of ripe dark fruits and delicate oak aromas; and a very long and lingering finish. The Montecillo Reserva matures for 18 months in French oak barrels, followed by another 18 months of bottle aging. It received a Silver Medal at Mundusvini 2009 and Platinum at the Critics Challenge Awards 2009.