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The 2019 Prado Enea Gran Reserva is their more traditional Rioja, a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano, mostly from Rioja Alta (Sajazarra, Cellorigo and Fonzaleche) at 550 to 700 meters in altitude, but the Garnacha is from different plots in the zone of Tudelilla at a high altitude. They didn't produce Prado Enea in 2017 or 2018, so this is the follow-up of the superb 2016. The bunches were harvested into 200-kilogram boxes, destemmed, put through optical sorting and fermented in small oak casks with indigenous yeasts. The élevage in barrel was extended to 36 months. The nose is phenomenal, keeping the essence of Muga with a touch of Garnacha perfume; it's still young and undeveloped for its age, not yet tertiary. The wine is full-bodied but fine-boned and has 14.7% alcohol, a pH of 3.46 and 5.81 grams per liter acidity. Still young, the wine has power and elegance and very good aging potential. (LG)

It’s hard to find a bad 2021 Rioja, says Isaac Muga. This wonderful blend of Tempranillo, 18% Garnacha and 3.5% each of Graciano and Mazuelo definitely showcases the superb quality of the vintage. Stylishly aged in 40% new oak, it has lots of colour and intensity, a hint of stylish reduction, vibrant blackberry and dark plum flavours and a sheen of mocha spice.

A longstanding K&L customer favorite, the 2015 Bodegas Casa Juan Señor de Lesmos Reserva Rioja is back in stock and tasting better than ever! Composed of the same blend as the Crianza Rioja (85% Tempranillo; 15% Mazuelo), this Reserva Rioja is a barrel selection by owner/winemaker Angel Escudero. He identifies barrels of the Crianza that he feels show more complexity and concentration and are able to withstand extended aging. These wines then spend a total of 27 months in barrel, before being racked to concrete tanks where they spend another year aging before being bottled and aged even further. Now with 10 years of age, the 2015 Reserva Rioja is shows a panoply of ripe, slightly desiccated red fruit (plum, strawberry) notes, backed up by wonderfully savory, earthy aromatics of mushroom, cedar, tobacco and subtle black licorice. This wine is so classically Rioja, herbaceous and woodsy on the palate, with a long and lingering finish. Considering this wine is almost a full decade old and still singing, this is an incredible value at under $20. Add in that the estate is family owned, and the vines are averaging forty-five years old, you’d be hard pressed to find many other comparable wines at this price point in Rioja.

The 2013 Reserva Viña Tondonia is a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and 10% Graciano and Mazuelo, grown in the calcareous soils of the Tondonia meander in Rioja Alta. Aged extensively in American oak, it offers restrained black fruit, wild herbs, balsamic hints and sweet spices with gentle cedar and vanilla notes. Medium-bodied with chalky grip and a layered, tertiary finish, this is a benchmark classic—refined, enduring and unmistakably Tondonia. (JH)

This shows aromas of red cherries, earthy nuances and mushrooms. Medium- to full-bodied, with great length and a chiselled, evenly distributed palate, displaying a fine balance between fruit, acidity and tannin. The label bears the distinction Selección Especial, a designation last used for this wine in 2001 and reserved for exceptional vintages. Sourced from vineyards in Rodezno, Labastida and Cenicero, it is aged for its first year in new American oak. Approachable now but with the structure and balance to evolve over time. (JGA)

Beautiful 100% Tempranillo, oak-aged Rioja with great intensity, expression and harmony. Sourced from small, non-irrigated vineyard parcels at 500m-580m in San Vicente de la Sonsierra and Abalos (Rioja Alta), the destemmed fruit is fermented then transferred to a concrete tank for malolactic, then racked into used 225L French and American oak barrels to mature for 14 months. Full of appealing blueberry and gentle spice supported by smooth, velvety tannins, it's an elegant wine with real poise that still offers satisfying concentration. The finish is moreish and invites further drinking. (BW)

Now boasting more than five years of total aging, the 2020 Bodegas Casa Juan “Señor de Lesmos” Crianza Rioja remains impressively youthful, opening with notes of cranberry and tart cherry before revealing savory layers of mushroom, tea leaf, and dried oregano. A blend of 85% Tempranillo and 15% Mazuelo (Carignan), the grapes are sourced entirely from organically farmed, bush vines averaging 45 years of age. The palate is unmistakably Old World in style, with firm yet well-integrated tannins and a vibrant backbone of acidity that provides structure and balance. Unlike many Reserva and Gran Reserva Riojas, where oak can take center stage, this Crianza emphasizes pure red fruit framed by the earthy, nuanced character of Rioja terroir. Versatile and food-friendly, it pairs effortlessly with everything from pizza and tomato-based pasta dishes to cheese and charcuterie. The value here is truly exceptional. Handmade, family-owned, organically farmed—this is Rioja at its most authentic and approachable.

Bid on this 2-bottle tasting lot; including 1-bottle of 2009 La Rioja Alta "904" Gran Reserva Rioja (97DC, 97JS, 96VN, 95RP, 95W&S, 92WS) and 1-bottle of 2010 La Rioja Alta "904" Gran Reserva Rioja (98JS, 96RP, 95VN, 94DC, 94JG). Of the 2010 La Rioja Alta "904" Gran Reserva Rioja, James Suckling writes: "Fresh blueberries and brambleberries take center stage, which is striking for a wine of this age. There are also lots of roasted herbs, such as sage, not to mention floral elements, including lavender and dried violets. Then come cedar, sandalwood and tar. The tannins are incredibly round and soft, without the slightest hint of anything dry. This is among the most elegant of Riojas, where the acidity is wonderfully pronounced and cuts right through any touch of dried fruit. Long and powerful, yet subtle on the finish. Drink now, or hold for a very long time." (07/2019)

Bid on this 2-bottle lot of 1981 Lopez de Heredia "Vina Tondonia" Gran Reserva Rioja (96JG, 95RP, 94JS, 93VN). John Gilman: " The 1981 Viña Bosconia Gran Reserva is a stunningly beautiful example of this great Rioja vintage. The gorgeous aromatic constellation delivers scents of raspberries, cherries, very salty minerality, orange zest, cigar wrapper, a touch of celery seed and a pungent topnote of rose petals. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and very refined in profile, with a lovely core of red fruit, superb soil signature, melted tannins and a very long, vibrant and complex finish. This is cut in the same style as the 1991 Viña Bosconia, but with even better depth in the mid-palate and a longer, more complete finish. A stunning wine with decades of life still ahead of it!" (04/2022)

An excellent vintage in Rioja, and the promise of Yjar is delivering a totally knockout wine here. Impossible not to smile when tasting this, so much energy and precision, savoury, mouthwatering redcurrant, cranberry, blueberry fruits, with waves of dried herbs, lavender, and crushed rose petals. Juicy, moreish, building in power across the palate. Tasted at the estate and again in Bordeaux. Telmo Rodriguez winemaker of this 3.8ha plot set within his family Remelluri estate in the foothills of the Sierra de Toloño in Rioja Alavesa. Harvest October 14 to 24, fermentation with native yeasts, open top wooden vats.

Trademark Lopez Heredia Tondonia finesse in a refined, oxidative way. White mushrooms, macadamia, dried lemons, sweet spices and stones. Clear, precise and bright on the medium-bodied palate with lovely acidity and a long finish that will help it age. Elegant. Viura with around 20% malvasia. (ZS)

The 2019 Vina Ardanza is a highly impressive, full-bodied blend of 80% older-vine Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha from two different parts of Rioja grown at the same altitude. The producer’s own American oak was used to age the Tempranillo 36 months and the Garnacha 30 months, 20% new. The fruity nose of black cherry and plum complements beautifully against Garnacha’s seductively spicy texture and mouthfeel. It’s lively, complex, and lengthy, with melty tannins. Age 10-15 years. (VB)

Seductive depth and focus on the nose, at once fresh and complex, with mineral freshness underpinning the richness of the ripe red fruit. It leverages the juiciness of the Garnacha fruit, with a citric drive of blood orange,pink grapefruit and red apple crunch. Focus and energy throughout, with a lingering sweet spiciness on the long finish. (IS)

Fine and mineral with a floral scent to the lemons and sour cream. Fresh, gastronomic and bone-dry on the palate with a medium body and an elegant, lightly saline finish. Excellent length here. Drink now. (ZS)

94+ points. The red 2018 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza is pretty and attractive, fresh and aromatic, floral, the result of a challenging year with lots of rain and high humidity. This is usually the last vineyard to be harvested, and the grapes were picked late, the 26th of October. It's a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho and 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo that matured in a combination of oak vats and well-seasoned American oak barrels for six years. It's elegant and clean, young and undeveloped, with very fine tannins and a sleek, polished mouthfeel. It has 13.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.0 and 6.5 grams of acidity. This could be the finest Cubillo in recent times, and it's a bargain. (LG)

Yet another remarkable wine from Marcos Eguren, the 2014 El Puntido Gran Reserva is from a small portion of El Puntido planted to high-density trellised vines. There’s a pure expression of the site from the special selection of grapes that led to long aging before barrel fermentation and 28 months of aging in new French oak Bordeaux barrels. The wine was bottled in March 2017. The vintage was difficult because of rain falling 10 days before harvest, but the result here is a bright wine of considerable acidity that tastes fresh and alive in lovely strawberry, raspberry, and dried herb, with understated, full-bodied weight and breadth. Drinking beautifully now, it shows the ability to shine another 10-15 years. (VB)

The 2014 Viña Bosconia is 80% Tempranillo with 10% Garnacha, 5% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo from the El Bosque vineyard in Haro, Rioja. Garnet in hue, it opens with cassis, cola and oak-driven aromas. The palate is youthful and smooth, with well-integrated tannins, black fruit and anisette at the finish. Still growing, it’ll develop greater complexity with more time in bottle. (JH)

Bid on this 2-bottle lot of 2007 López de Heredia "Viña Tondonia" Reserva Rioja (97JS, 96RP, 94VN, 94W&S, 92JG). James Suckling: "Dried flowers, toast, dried strawberries and a touch of potpourri on the nose. The palate is cohesive and medium-bodied, with flesh and balance through the mid-palate. The tannins are polished, highly elegant, silky and soft, giving the wine subtle balance. Drink or hold." (06/2026)

Bid on this 2-bottle lot of 2010 López de Heredia “Viña Tondonia” Gran Reserva Rosado Rioja (96RP, 95JS, 94DC, 93VN), the legendary aged rosé from Haro’s most traditional bodega. It’s a blend of 60% Garnacho, 30% Tempranillo and 10% Viura from vines averaging 91 years old, fermented with indigenous yeasts in century-old oak vats and aged four years in old American oak. Wine Advocate writes: “There is tons of complexity and nuance here; it’s super elegant and layered, and as the wine sat in the glass, it developed more and more complex aromas, a subtle combination of balsam, red acid berries... fennel and wet chalk... It’s clean and crystalline, fresh and long, with terrific balance and depth. This has to be the finest rosado of recent times. (LG)” (10/2020)

Bid on this 2-bottle lot of 2011 Bodegas Muga "Prado Enea" Gran Reserva Rioja (99JS, 96DC, 96RP, 96WE, 95JD, 94WS). James Suckling: "The most structured Prado Enea ever. A reduced center palate that is so compact with dark fruit, dark mushrooms and cedary spice. Full body. Wonderfully polished tannins and a long, long finish. Electric acidity. Muscular and well toned. The is a new classic that reminds me of great Spanish wines from the 1940s and 1950s." (07/2019)

The 2020 Rioja “Reserva” bottling from Cuné is composed this year from a blend of eighty-five percent tempranillo, with the other fifteen percent being a mix of graciano, garnacha and mazuelo. The wine was aged for a year and a half in American oak barrels and comes in at an even fourteen percent alcohol in this vintage. The wine’s aromatic constellation is bright, deep and youthfully complex, offering up scents of cassis, dark berries, coffee bean, a lovely base of soil, incipient notes of Rioja spice, American oak and a topnote of cigar smoke. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and still youthful, with a lovely core of black fruit, fine soil signature and grip, ripe tannins and fine balance on the long, focused and still fairly young finish. This is just starting to get velvety on the palate, but it still has enough tannins that tucking it away in the cellar for a handful of years will pay dividends.

94+ points. The flagship white-label Reserva-style red 2022 Marqués de Murrieta wants to showcase the personality of the estate through blending places and grapes. In the 2022 vintage, it's 85% Tempranillo, 7% Mazuelo, 6% Graciano and 2% Garnacha. In the warmer and drier year, with two important heat waves that hurried things up, the grapes were hand-harvested between the 7th and 23rd of September, quite early, and they fermented separately in stainless steel. The wine matured in 225-liter American oak barrels for 25 months. Tasting with Vicente Cebrián, he told me he likes 2022 better than 2023 and 2024, which surprised me (let's see what he tells me next year...). It was a gourmand year, with rounder and glossier wines and with more volume, hedonistic and full. The wine is surprisingly balanced and elegant and doesn't show any excesses; the higher percentages of Mazuelo and Graciano provided the extra freshness needed but also had to age for longer in wood, but the oak is perfectly integrated, and the wine is clean and focused. It has contained ripeness and 14% alcohol, keeping a pH of 3.65 and 5.1 grams of acidity. It's a triumph over the adverse conditions of the year. (LG)

A Rioja blend with a combination of red and dark fruit, spices and violets. The palate is fluid, medium- to full-bodied, elegant and concentrated, with polished tannins and a subtle, nervy edge. Very approachable already. (JGA)

Vibrant cherries, spiced berries, hibiscus flowers and a touch of chalk. Fruity and fine-grained, with firm, chalky tannins and a fruit-expressive finish. No oak here, but excellent quality. (ZS)

Gonzalo Iturriaga only uses 1% Graciano in the blend with Tempranillo here, but he says it has a "huge" influence. Aged in foudres and 40% new oak, it's a very fine pan-Sonsierra blend that partners components from Ábalos, Elvillar, Labastida, Navaridas and San Vicente de la Sonsierra. Polished, refreshing and self-assured, it has layers of blackberry, liquorice and tangerine, textured tannins and a balanced, refreshing finish.

his is a stunning expression of Torre Muga, often described as the most 'modern' of the bodega’s reds. Partnering Tempranillo, 15% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo, it’s an intense, layered, self-assured assemblage that handles its new French oak with ease. Think of it as Rioja meets Cru Classé Bordeaux, with appealing cedarwood, mocha and wild herb aromas, mouth-coating tannins, plenty of cool climate acidity and a core of black cherry, liquorice and bramble. One of the great 2021s.

Complex and subtle, with savory grilled herbs, black cherries and a mineral and balsamic undertone. Very juicy, poised and effortless with fresh, velvety tannins that flow through the palate. Nothing flashy nor flattering here, rather it’s fresh, dry and delicate with an ethereal and lingering finish. Precise, fine and “vulnerable.” Super-delicious and drinkable now, but will hold, too.

91+ points. Their village red from younger vines he planted in different parts of Briones is the 2022 Viñas Jóvenes, a blend of 92% Tempranillo, 5% Graciano and 3% Garnacha. The fruit profile is darker, which I think is a constant in 2022. The wine has 14.5% alcohol and good freshness and acidity, keeping the balance and poise, with a serious palate and abundant chalky tannins. It matured in 225- and 500-liter barrels for 14 months. (LG)

The 2021 Vina Bujanda ‘Crianza’ Rioja comes from vines planted back in 1977. Orange peel and shades of white pepper combine with red cherry compote and loganberry notes on the nose. The palate is soft and juicy with a great sense of freshness and texture.

I had the chance to taste a bottle of the 2001 Viña Tondonia Reserva 10 years after it was released, and the wine has evolved beautifully and quite slowly—at least that is the case for these bottles that have been kept in the winery for all these years. It's austere and elegant, with balance and concentration, polished tannins and a chalky texture, long tasty and dry. This is lively and should continue developing in bottle for quite some time... (LG) 96+

Fresh blackberries, plums, smoked spices, graphite and cocoa powder. So juicy and firm, with fresh, abundant tannins coming from the fruit and spicy oak, but all woven in a fine-grained form, which clearly shows aging potential. Medium- to full-bodied with a very long finish. (ZS)

Seductive and enticing oak with attractive smokey bacon and woody spice aromas; this is a very fine and elegant reserva with plenty of red berry fruit and wonderful acidity. There is enough power here but the tannins are well managed and the oak is perfectly balanced. Will be interesting to see how this develops over time. (BW)

Aromas of dried lemons, herbs, citrus oil, roasted almonds and a waxy touch. Medium-bodied with a texture that’s subtle, delicate and nuanced, showing understated fruit. Savory, with linear, integrated acidity. Pure viura from a 70-year-old vineyard in Haro. (JGA)

This is a fabulous gran reserva from a very good but lightly heralded vintage. Aromas of spiced plum, black olive, fig, tobacco and cassis come together like a puzzle. A deep, pure palate shows near-perfect balance, while this tastes of plum, berry fruits and earthy spice. Smooth, elegant and chocolaty on the finish, this delivers all one can ask for from Rioja. *Editors’ Choice* (MS)

We made it back to Remelluri in 2025 for the first time in a few years, and once again I managed to buy a few bottles of the rare and sought after white wine from this beautiful property in Labastida de Alava. The field blend of grape varieties gives a complex and luscious unrolling of acacia blossom, sage, grilled spices, white pear, elderflower blossom, preserved lemons, everything vivid, taut and perfectly woven together. Telmo Rodríguez has been making Remelluri Blanco since the early 1990s (even if he spent a few years away before returning to the family property in 2010), and this is a wine with serious pedigree, that has more than proved its ageing ability. Always, always worth securing if you find a bottle.

Such a deep and complex gran reserva with richness and depth. Genuinely intense and harmonious, with cigar box, pine cones, black mushrooms and high-grade wood and vanilla. Juicy, flavorful and really long. Goes on for a minute, if not more. Such a hedonistic Rioja that delivers sheer pleasure. 90% tempranillo and 10% graciano. (ZS)

The 2004 Viña Bosconia Gran Reserva is very open, expressive and aromatic right away—as soon as it was poured into the glass—while the Tondonia took time to open up. This has a very elegant nose, and despite having less Garnacha than the Tondonia, it has a more Garnacha nose, a little heady with notes of cherries in liqueur and iodine (think Rayas). It has an elegant texture, very fine tannins and pungent flavors, and it's persistent and powerful while keeping balance and freshness. The Bosconia Vineyard is a cooler vineyard that delivers fresher wines; the grapes were picked quite late, from the 20th of October, later than the ones from the Tondonia vineyard. Only 6,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2019. Some of these vintages have had a much longer élevage, though not necessarily all in barrel, as the wines also spent time in the ancient oak vats.(LG)

Sourced from Alto Najerilla, the 2025 Rosado blends Garnacha and Viura. Its aromatics, recently bottled and still slightly closed, offer delicate cherry and pear notes. On the palate, it is fresh and energetic, with fine texture and a sleek, nervy flow. The character of this young Rosé is shaped by both the cool mountain origin and the vintage. (JH)

There are not many Gran Reserva wines produced by small growers, and the 2019 Gran Reserva from Miguel Merino is one of them. It has finesse, harmony and balance, which was his goal here. It was produced with Tempranillo and a pinch of Graciano from vines on sandy soils in the lieux-dits of Bigorta and Resaco from Briones. The grapes fermented in a 5,000-liter stainless steel tank with indigenous yeasts, and the wine matured in French oak barrels for three years. This is one for the long haul in this powerful and complete year, with elegance, ripeness without excess at 14.5% alcohol and fine, silky tannins. (LG)

A village wine sourced from estate sites in San Vicente de la Sonsierra and Labastida, the 2021 Crianza is all Tempranillo grown in an extreme diversity of soils. Freshness and finesse are the markers of the area, and both are well represented here. Medium-bodied power supports generous, velvety layers of ripe raspberry complemented by an undercurrent of chocolate and wood spice. Pretty, there’s a hint of saline and leather that lead to a lengthy finish. (VB)

Bid on this 3-bottle lot of 1987 Lopez de Heredia "Viña Tondonia" Gran Reserva Rioja (91ST, 91VN, 90RP). Vinous: "The 1987 Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva displays an expressive, perfumed nose with suggestions of cedar, leather, licorice, cocoa and minerals along with ethereal layers of sweet fruit that open in the glass. Although it offers excellent length and prominent acidity which will allow the wine to drink well for at least another decade its overall balance is not quite as outstanding as that of the best Gran Reservas in this tasting. (AG)" (10/2006)

The textbook traditional red 2019 Señorío de P. Peciña Crianza was produced with their classical blend of Tempranillo with small percentages of Garnacha and Graciano. It fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts and matured in used American oak barrels following the most orthodox tradition, for two years, a lot longer than required to obtain the category. It has spicy notes, a hint of cigar box and forest floor and is a powerful and ripe year, when the wine achieved 14.36% alcohol and good freshness and acidity. It has a medium to full-bodied palate with a chalky mouthfeel, fine tannins and a slightly dusty and rustic touch that would welcome food. It was bottled in May 2022. (LG)

Rioja became Spain’s first Denominación de Origen Calificada in 1991, and its winemaking heritage encompasses whites as well as reds. Olivier Riviere’s 2021 “La Bastid” Blanco belongs to that white-wine tradition, highlighting a less familiar side of this historic northern Spanish appellation.

The 2021 Finca San Martín is a varietal Tempranillo from the younger vines. It fermented in stainless steel and matured in 60% American oak barrels and 40% second-use French oak barrels for 16 months, during which time it was racked three times. It's a typical modern red from Rioja Alavesa with the depth and completeness of the year. It's fleshy and fruit driven, ripe without excess at 14.5% alcohol, with very good freshness and balancing acidity, glossy tannins and a gentle mouthfeel. The wine has less impact from the oak and shows more of the vineyard and the zone. It's very good value for money—and it's the finest vintage to date! (LG)

It fermented in large oak vats and 40% in barrel and was kept with lees for four months before being bottled. It has a very balsamic and raw nose, denoting its youth, with notes of bay leaf and a medicinal touch. It comes in at 13.5% alcohol, with a pH of 3.33 and 5.7 grams of acidity. Despite its youth, it feels super balanced, clean and focused, serious and chalky. This wine has grown in the last few years. (LG)

There’s a spicy overlay to the tangy white pepper, savory spices, dried plums, dried grapefruit and licorice notes. Pretty complex and well balanced, with linear savory fruit and a lengthy finish. Very firm and fine-boned tannins. (ZS)

This deep ruby-colored wine has a bouquet of black cherry, milk chocolate and clove. Flavors of blackberry, baking spices, mocha and violet are supported by opulent tannins and a sophisticated whiff of smoke that endure on the palate. Editor's Choice*

Touches of balsamic and iodine to the rich blackberries, mocha and dark cherries. Rich yet chalky and savory, with a full body and structured, very fine-grained tannins.