I've been holding onto this bottle for about four years and I was concerned that it wouldn't hold up in my cellar (read living room). It did! It was delicious. Even more delicious than I remembered it being when I represnted it as a newbie sales rep and took a bottle as a "sample".Bodegas Vinicola Real is a small winery in the Rioja Alta sub-region in Rioja. As the name suggests, it is the highest elevation. The winery was founded in 1989 and specialize in growing a few different types of grapes for their wines. We will concern ourselves with the red varietals; Tempranillo, Graciano,and Mazuelo.
Tempranillo - ripens early (hence the name - temprano means early in Spanish). Blends well with other grapes, ages well in oak and in barrel. Medium to low levels of alcohol. Typical flavors and aromas are wild strawberrys, tobacco, dried cherries and black olives.
Graciano - low yeilding grape, great quality, intese perfume, weight and pigmentation. Unfortuanely, very prone to rot.
Mazuelo - otherwise known as our friend Carignan or Carineno. This is a high acid and high tannic grape that ripens and buds late. It's color and tartness make a great blending grape
For this wine, the breakdown is 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, and 5% Mazuelo. It is fermented in French oak and then it is macerated (left on its skins) for over 3 weeks. The wine is then aged in a combination of French and American oak for 2 years and then aged in bottle for over a year. Rioja has strict regualtions with regards to what contsitutes a Reserva and a Gran Reserva. They are stricter than the general Spanish laws. In order for a wine to qualify as a Reserva in Rioja it must be aged for 24 months in oak, and at least 12 months in the bottle prior to leaving the winery.
The name 200 Monges (200 Monks) refers to the nearby monastary in the town where the winery is; Albelda de Iregua. As I was drinking the wine I had thought that these capable brothers were behind the actual winemaking - like so many of them have been historically. However, there has been no divine or monkish hand in this winemaking - just a reference to a nearby monastary where in it's heyday (900's) close to 200 monks flourished.
Let's get back to the wine! This beauty is unfiltered so watch out for the gritty sediment. Maybe you can read your future in the bottom of your wine glass if you're tipsy enough. As for me this is what I thought:
color: amazingly ruby for a 10 year old wine. I did not see any hints of brick or orange
nose: vanilla spiced raspberries, clove and cherry
palate: smooth and rich, gorgeous licorice (but not overpowering) black cherry, deep rasperries and cream. Very luscious.
Verdict: I'm sorry that it was my last bottle!!! This bottle was so fantastic that we can't even remember what we were eating at the time!
Retail price: $45 approx.
