2010 Anares Rioja Gran Reserva

2010 Anares Rioja Gran Reserva

2010 Anares Rioja Gran Reserva, Red Blend from Spain

Intense cherry with ruby highlights, Añares Reserve is a wine to keep. Its aromatic complexity includes red fruits, licorice and smoky tones, evolving towards spicy aromas, after being uncorked, In mouth is long and structured, reappearing the fruity aftertaste.

Wine Spectator: 90 Points; Cherry, tea, tobacco and spice flavors mingle in this maturing red. The tannins are softening but still have some grip, while orange peel acidity keeps this focused through the pretty floral finish. Drink now through 2022.

Rioja Red Blend is a term used to describe the combination of red-wine varieties used in the red wines of Rioja. Spain’s Tempranillo forms the base of the blend for the majority of the wines in this category, with Garnacha (Grenache), Mazuelo (Carignan) and Graciano making up the balance. At least one producer (Marques de Riscal) has special dispensation to include Cabernet Sauvignon in its wines, although this practice is uncommon.

Rioja in Northern Spain is best known for berry-scented, barrel-aged red wines made from Tempranillo and Garnacha. It is arguably Spain’s top wine region. It is certainly the most famous, rivaled only by Jerez. The vineyards trace the course of the Ebro River for roughly 100 kilometers (60 miles) between the towns of Haro and Alfaro.

Other than Tempranillo and Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo (Carignan) are also used in red Rioja wines. A few wineries, notably Marqués de Riscal, use small quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon. White grapes are much less widely planted.

Grupo Bodegas Olarra is a Spanish business with three wineries. Bodegas Olarra and Bodegas Ondarre are both located in Rioja. Bodegas y Viñedos Casa del Valle is situated in Castilla La Mancha.

Bodegas Olarra was the first winery to be established, in 1973. It is located in the far east of the Rioja Alta zone, in the outskirts of Logroño. Apart from its wines, Olarra is known for the architecture of its winery, particularly the barrel room. This features 111 hexagonal domes designed to avoid sudden temperature changes.