Bodegas Roda 2016 Rioja Reserva, Rioja, Spain

Bodegas Roda was founded in 1987 and is considered “the most modern of the traditionalists and the most traditional of the modernists.” Roda works with a total of 120 hectares - 70 owned by Roda and 50 by contracted growers - all bush vines; no irrigation; minimum intervention (no chemically synthesized products and use of cover crops). Their uncompromising commitment to quality is evident in the extensive research and development department and the state of the art gravity flow winery which includes the seventeen Seguin Moreau foudre for fermentation, radiant heat malolactic room, and extensive aging cellar.

BLEND | 85% Tempranillo, 9% Graciano and 6% Garnachao
VINEYARDS | Tempranillo vineyards are located in Haro – bush vines of over 30 years on limestone soils. The Graciano is from further southeast the border between Alta and Baja with more alluvial soils. Average yield is 1.5kg per vine.
WINEMAKING | Fermentation and malolactic fermentation in French oak followed by 14 months aging in French oak barrique (40% new) and 30 months in bottle.
TASTING NOTES | Medium bodied with fine, silky tannin which bring structure to the fresh cherry fruit flavors with a delicate spice. Mineral notes appear like a reflection of the earth and leaves the feeling of the fresh aromatic herbs. Long and fresh wine. Voluminous and full, Roda Reserva is always marked by elegance and freshness, Impeccable balance of juicy, red fruit and fine tannin structure.

Wine Club Notes: Oct 2020-

t’s true that Rioja is like Disneyland for adults. Much like Napa, there are billboards and posters everywhere along the roads, with tasting rooms every five yards to beckon tourists. This means there can be a lot of bad wine. But, just like Napa, there are also some really, really amazing wines, ones that can make you rethink what you believed about a place and what it can produce.

When Simi visited Rioja in 2016, Bodegas Roda gave her that ah-ha moment. In an area where bulk wine production has become the standard, the attention to the health of the soils, and the juice at every stage as it matures in barrel, is what makes these wines so special. Founded in 1987, RODA is often considered “the most modern of the traditionalists and the most traditional of the modernists.” Their 300 acres of bush vines are farmed organically without irrigation, and their state of the art cellars are equipped to make wines of varying styles—there is no shortage of barrel options, ranging from modern French barrique (225 liters) to old school large foudres. RODA produces each bottling to the terroir that the grapes come from, and with so many varied vineyards, that means they produce a good range of wines. The RODA Riserva is their most versatile bottling. It has bravado with structured, juicy red fruits (like many modern style wines do), but still harkens to the old school Rioja, expressing soft, floral and tobacco notes that pair perfectly against the nutty and earthy mushrooms and red meat that are found all over dishes in Rioja.

Harvested from the 2016 vintage, this blend of Tempranillo (85%), Graciano (9%) and Garnacha (6%) saw fermentation and aging in French oak, and an additional 30 months bottle aging. This wine can certainly lay down for up to 15 years, and it will become softer, more red-fruited and earthy (as only the best Rioja’s do); but if you drink it now, it will remind you of a full-bodied, young Napa Cabernet, with perhaps a touch more earth and more rounded silkiness (Tempranillo lacks the robust natural tannin of Cabernet). If you haven’t yet experienced the specialness of Rioja, hold onto this bottle (7-10 years), and have your ah-ha moment alongside a special meal on a cool fall night.

If you don’t have that patience, decant it for up to 24 hours before enjoying!