2018 Remelluri Reserva Rioja DOCa

The 2018 Remelluri Reserva Rioja DOCa blends fruit from 157 hand-farmed parcels across three valleys in Labastida, each fermented separately with indigenous yeasts before aging twenty months in foudres and barrels of mixed sizes. Vines range from twenty to over ninety years old, planted between 480 and 705 meters on limestone bedrock layered with calcareous clay, yielding a Reserva built on biodiversity and precision rather than a single-site expression. This is Rioja Alavesa at altitude, where cooler Atlantic influence favors tension and freshness over the riper profiles common farther south in the appellation. Remelluri has been organically farmed since the 1990s, and the estate's approach remains resolutely low-intervention. Every grape is hand-selected in the vineyard before fermentation in stainless steel, preserving the character of each plot. The wine then integrates slowly in large foudres and smaller barrels, allowing the fruit to speak without heavy oak overlay. The estate sits in the highest, coolest corner of Rioja, where limestone soils and elevation deliver structure and minerality alongside the red fruit that defines tempranillo. Each of the 157 parcels ferments independently, then the estate assembles the final blend to capture the full topographic and viticultural range of the property. The 2018 vintage shows red cherry, dried herbs, tobacco leaf, and a mineral edge that speaks directly to the calcareous soils beneath the vines. There is grip and energy here, enough tension to pair with grilled lamb chops, roasted duck, or aged Manchego. Decant it an hour before serving to let the wine open, or cellar it for another five to ten years if you prefer more tertiary development. This is Reserva with the structure to age and the freshness to drink now, depending on your preference and what you are cooking. In stock at Off Premise in Lincoln Park.