Roda I Reserva Rioja 2019

Roda I Reserva Rioja, Spain, 2019

Grapes: 95% Tempranillo & 5% Graciano. Hand harvested fruit from 30 year old bush vines. Egg white clarification. 16 months' ageing in French oak (50% each in new and second use barrels) and a minimum 20 months in bottle before release.

Producer Tasting Note:

Roda I is blended from the grapes that ripened that year, producing a rich aroma of dark fruit. The deep, dark fruit, almost always dominated by plum, is accompanied by mineral notes, chocolate, and balsamic hints, creating a whole that slowly unfolds from the depths of the glass, becoming immense as it reaches the waiting nose. On the palate, the volume is evident, the fruity complexity gently enveloping the mouth, with abundant, well-integrated tannins. The wine lingers, leaving a lasting impression with each breath. A sensation of fruit and freshness persists, inviting another sip

Critics' Tasting Notes:

"Immense depth and exuberance here. Fine spices, dark plums, fresh blackberries, blueberries, graphite and crushed stones. Naturally concentrated, broad, vertical and full-bodied, but still fluid and linear. Crumbled, dusty tannins grow on the palate, leading it to a juicy, tightly wound finish that goes on and on. One of the best Roda I? Drinkable now upon decanting, but much better from 2025."

97/100 points, James Suckling, August 2023

"in the 2019 Roda I, I found notes that I had found in many 2019s—ripe black fruit, an earthy touch and a touch of dark spices. It's medium to full-bodied, combining power, concentration, ripeness and elegance in a clean and modern style. It matured in French oak barrels, 50% of them new, but it’s not really noticeable, for 16 months. 128,034 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2022."  Drink 2024-2032

94/100 points, Luis Gutiérrez, WINE ADVOCATE, February 2024

Founded in 1987 in Haro, La Rioja, Roda use traditional viticulture: dry farming, head pruning, cover crops, sustainability, indigenous yeast.

Food Match: Serve at room temperature with venison medallions and puréed winter root vegetables