Rioja Gran Reserva Pronunciation: ree-oh-ha grahn reh-serve-ah
Rioja Gran Reserva wines spend at least 5 years aging. Red wines age 2 years in oak barrel and 2 in bottle. White and rose age 6 months in barrel, 4 years total.
What Is Rioja Gran Reserva?
If you see “Rioja Gran Reserva” on a wine bottle it means the wine was produced in the Rioja region of Spain. The winery aged the wine for you. This is an official designation and wine term.
Rioja Gran Reserva Aging Requirements
| Wine Type | Oak Aging | Bottle Aging |
|---|---|---|
| Red Rioja Gran Reserva | 24 months | 24 months (5 years total) |
| White Gran Reserva | 6 months | (4 years total, not necessarily in bottle) |
| Rosé Gran Reserva | 6 months | (4 years total, not necessarily in bottle) |
- Red Rioja Gran Reserva wines age 24 months in oak barrel (American) and 24 months years in bottle, with a total of 5 years before release.
- White Rioja Gran Reserva wines age 6 months in barrel and 4 years total before release.
- Rose Rioja Gran Reserva wines age 6 months in barrel and 4 years total before release.
Helpful Tip: The youngest Rioja Gran Reserva red wine you will see in a wine shop is at least 5 years old.
White and rose Rioja Gran Reserva wines are uncommon. If you’re lucky enough to be in a place to try them, please do (for me!).
Helpful Tip: All Rioja Gran Reserva wines spend some time in oak barrels. Here’s what oak barrels add to wine.
What Does Red Rioja Gran Reserva Taste Like?
Red Rioja Gran Reserva wines are blends of different grapes, so red Rioja Gran Reserva wines will have a range of fruit, floral, mineral, and herbal notes. They will also have spice notes thanks to barrel aging. Red Rioja Gran Reserva wines will have distinctive aged notes. These wines have matured for years waiting for you to enjoy them. Fresh fruits fade to dried fruits, potpourri, leather, and maybe even nuts. Think savory and earthy.
Helpful Tip: Older wines have more dried fruit and floral qualities, called tertiary notes.
Here are a few red Rioja Gran Reserve flavors to get you started:
- Sour cherry
- Wild strawberry
- Raspberry
- Lilac
- Tobacco
- Cigar
- Orange peel
- Coconut
- Balsamic
- Toast
- Dried sage
- Dark chocolate
- Black olive
- Licorice
Expect mature, plush tannins, a streak of acidity, and a fine, long finish. These wines demand the highest-quality grapes and winemaking to enable them to age 5 years in bottle.
Helpful Tip: Red Rioja wines are blends of grapes. The main grape that goes into Rioja wine is Tempranillo. Here’s a quick guide to Tempranillo vs Rioja. Your wine’s flavor profile will depend on the grapes that go into the blend.
Is Rioja Gran Reserva Dry or Sweet?
Rioja Gran Reserva wine is distinctly dry. You’ll want to pair this wine with foods like charcuterie, pasta, and pork chops.
How Much Is Rioja Gran Reserva Wine?
Rioja Gran Reserva Wine Prices
| Category | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Entry-level | $20-$25 |
| Mid-tier | $30-$50 |
| Premium | $50-$90+ |
Entry level Rioja Gran Reserva wines are $20-$25, but you can find Rioja Gran Reserva that’s on sale for around $15 USD. Mid-tier Rioja Gran Reserva wines are $30-$50 USD. Expect to pay more for famous producers and premium bottlings, up to $90+ USD.
Helpful Wine Buying Tip: Rioja Gran Reserva wines are more expensive than other Rioja wines because they’re aging for such a long time. The producer needs to be able to hold onto that inventory over many years before recouping their production costs. Here’s a great post that goes into how wine bottles get priced if you’re curious.
What’s the Difference Between Rioja and Gran Reserva?
Rioja is the winegrowing region in Spain famed for making some of the highest quality wines in the country. Gran Reserva is a classification or designation for oak-aged wines that’s used throughout the Rioja region. So Rioja is the region; Gran Reserva is a classification.
Helpful Tip: Here’s a full breakdown of Rioja wine aging requirements.
Other Red Rioja Aging Requirements
Rioja has several different classifications for its wines. This is a storied and historic winemaking powerhouse of a region worthy of our time. Check out the curious backstory of Rioja wine and how it came to dominate Spain’s winemaking culture.
Thirsty for More?
Check out the different Rioja wine label colors here to help you pick great Rioja wines.
Love Spanish wines as much as I do? Here’s a list of other Spanish red wines you should be drinking.
Here’s everything you need to know about Rioja Crianza wines, the youngest official oak-aged classification in Rioja.
