2016 Valserrano Rioja Gran Reserva

Even though wine has been produced in Rioja for the last 700 years, it wasn’t until the mid-19th century that this region went through a “Renaissance period” and started focusing on quality rather than quantity.

It all happened in 1858 when Jean Pinaud, winemaker from Château Lanessan in Bordeaux was hired by Marques de Riscal winery to revitalize their wines. Once in Rioja, Pinaud taught other houses the importance of blending and aging in small oak barrels. While many of these estates refused to adopt these practices due to the increased production costs; the ones that did certainly saw their efforts pay off.

It’s not a coincidence than 150 years later these houses are what we now consider “Rioja’s First-Growths”. Houses like Valserrano, R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia, Muga and CVNE.

Valserrano is still owned and operated by the founding family. Today the great grandson of the founder Jaun Pablo De Simon runs the property with the help of his two sons Pablo and Jaime. Pablo visits us every year and hosts tastings for us. Valserrano is in Villabuena de Álava – in Rioja Alavesa, where the best terroirs are found. The 2016 vintage for Rioja got a huge 95pts by Parker’s WA making one of the three best vintages in the last 30 years. Their 2016 Gran Reserva has received 97pts by Decanter but also won the highest Platinum award at this year’s Decanter World Wine Awards (like Wine Spectators Top 100). This is a huge honor beating out all its piers, many much more expensive. This is a wine with glorious concentration matched with old world grace and finesse that is showing now but will age superbly in your cellar. I have had bottles that are twenty years plus age that are absolutely spectacular.

97pts Decanter; Platinum Decanter World Wine Awards; 2016 95pt Vintage Parker’s WA. Free Case Shipping ‘case12’

This is refined in the most classical style with sunbaked red earth, cinnamon and black fruit aromas. The tannins are silky with supple elegance. Deliciously glossy, fresh and medal worthy. The finish is persistent and brings in some black olives and prune to aftertaste. 97pts Decanter