Bodegas Riojanas wishes to conclude the celebrations of its 125th anniversary with a unique wine of the excellent 2010 vintage. It is a limited, numbered edition of its historic brand, Monte Real, a pioneer among Rioja terroir wines which earned great renown in the early 20th century. Created by the French winemaker who then ran the winery, Monte Real bears the true personality of Rioja Tempranillo and the uniqueness of a vineyard owned by the Frías and Artacho families for more than two centuries, located in Cenicero, in the heart of the Rioja Alta.
There are several traits which define Monte Real, one of the best-known historic brands in the Reserva and Gran Reserva categories of Rioja. The Tempranillo vines are over forty years old and they are planted in clay-lime soils with abundant boulders. These conditions naturally regulate production, which is quite moderate (about 3.000 kilos per hectare in the 2010 harvest). Weather that year was also particularly suitable for achieving perfect polyphenolic ripening. The exceptional skin-to-pulp ratio of the harvested grapes gives rise to the high concentration of primary colours and aromas which has traditionally set Monte Real apart.
The grapes were meticulously picked and taken to the winery in refrigerated 10 kg cases. They were destemmed manually and fermented in 29 new oak barrels. This was followed by 30 days’ maceration before the wine was racked to vats, where malolactic fermentation took place. Ageing took place in new French and American oak barrels for 24 months, followed by an identical period in the bottle.
The Monte Real 125 Aniversario Reserva 2010 is a deep cherry-red with subtle purplish-brick hues and great depth. Complex aromas of ripe fruit, blueberries, blackberries, stewed fruit, liquorice and chocolate, wrapped in notes of vanilla and other spices, with delicate toasty hints provided by the excellent oak used in ageing. Outstanding structure and concentration in the mouth, with a perfect balance. Round and flavoursome, with pleasantly oily tannins, it offers a magnificent finish and great persistence. Ideal to accompany roasts, game, cheeses and even chocolate desserts. It is a classic that continues to make history while renewing itself to captivate new generations of wine lovers. The retail price is approximately 72 euro per bottle.
BOTTLE PICTURE:
The elegant presentation of the bottle does honour to its extraordinary content, which will undoubtedly achieve the characteristic longevity of the historic vintages of this century-old Rioja firm. Its 5.800 bottles are sure to become collector’s items for lovers of classic wines.
