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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2011 and 2017 (based on 23 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 89.5 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 215 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Good Stuff on 11/12/2023 & rated 88 points: still enjoyable even at this age, classic Rioja with leather, black fruit, medium body, easy alcohol. (302 views) | | | Tasted by Good Stuff on 9/3/2023 & rated 90 points: medium body, juicy, dark berries (404 views) | | | Tasted by z_willus_d on 2/12/2022 & rated 87 points: Drunk over three days, this wine is in it's final 3rd of life. I found it a serviceable pairing to food. The fruit is a touch dried and flavors edging tertiary. Plenty of tannic backbone remains, semi-high acid. I missed some depth to the palate of this Rioja, and the freshness flagged some; but for a wine of nearly 2 decades age, it has held up well enough. It probably was best 6-8 years past. (1491 views) | | | Tasted by bg3034 on 8/15/2018 & rated 87 points: PnP. Tobacco, faint dark fruit on the nose. Spicy, a little flabby on the flavor profile. IMO, a little past its prime. 87pts. Aloha! (2686 views) | | | Tasted by NoWineWiz on 4/27/2018 & rated 91 points: Agree with KentW's notes along with silky tannins and long finish. Improved with time in the glass. (2710 views) | | | Tasted by Winiac on 1/24/2018 & rated 89 points: Fairly balanced but does not have the umpf in the fruit. Doubt that it gets any complexity with further aging. (2731 views) | | | Tasted by Kentw on 10/9/2017 & rated 90 points: My last bottle. The wine has come together and what a difference from my other bottle in 2010. The extreme sour notes are gone. More balanced with dark fruits, grilled meat, coffee grounds and some dark chocolate. Can last few more years but would suggest drinking now. Lots of different flavor profiles coming through. (2915 views) | | | Tasted by diane.forgy@dianeforgy.com on 8/9/2017: This wine is beautiful and drinking perfectly. I still have a few bottles hiding in my cellar and will drink them soon and post tasting notes. I was most impressed with how vibrant this wine still is. (2572 views) | | | Tasted by wineaficionado on 5/22/2017 & rated 87 points: Old tasting note. (2166 views) | | | Tasted by degrandcru on 1/8/2017 & rated 91 points: Nose of black cherry, cedar, wet wood and some herbal noted. On the palate also some dark chocolate, high acidity and still pretty tanic. Drinks great, my last bottle, would have liked to know how this one keeps developing. (2441 views) | | | Tasted by studleytrey on 1/7/2017 & rated 92 points: Looks like I'm on a similar track as David with this one, as I too felt "drink up" was the call back in 2015, but this bottle tonight (also my last one), is quite a treat in that it's the best yet! What a beaut' tonight! Looks like it's still holding a ruby color with some transparency. Beautiful aromatics of cedar, red and dried red fruits, dill, anise, dried spices, wet tobacco, and a touch of floral. Knockout nose. Medium body and acid, medium (+) finish, and flavors of red and dried red fruits, black tea, licorice, and orange peel. Drank before, with, and after vegetarian chili, and it showed best without food in this case, where the complexity better showed itself. I'm pretty big on this tonight and gotta give it 91-92. Boom! (2500 views) | | | Tasted by David_T on 10/7/2016 & rated 91 points: My last bottle, it's been a fun ride. Showing everything you could want in an aged Rioja. Dark berries, grilled meat, a bit smoky & earthy on both the nose and palate. Integrated medium acidity/tannins, completely balanced and a nice finish. I had previously said drink now but based on this one I'd say it could make it through its 15th birthday. (2610 views) | | | Tasted by BaylinBoy on 9/2/2016 & rated 90 points: Soft tannins, warm cherries, tobacco, forest, wonderful wine, with body and finish still there. Loved it, best to finish on first night. (2567 views) | | | Tasted by pavel_p on 6/25/2016 & rated 90 points: Splash decant. Followed a 95 Haut Bailly and a 01 Siro Pacenti. My last bottle but alive and kicking. Sweeter fruit than the other two wines, still a fair bit of oak. Lacking about aromatic complexity, concentration and length in direct comparison. (3226 views) | | | Tasted by ctjared on 6/24/2016: drinking very well. hope it lasts overnight (2259 views) | | | Tasted by vinodolphin on 1/16/2016 & rated 91 points: Surprisingly better than the last bottle. Sadly the last one though. It has served us well. (2945 views) | | | Tasted by bin905 on 12/1/2015 & rated 90 points: Rose, baking spice and fresh cut oak scent. Black currant, licorice and mineral flavor with energy and pleasing tension from grippy tannins. Paired wonderfully with panko crusted pork chops. (2739 views) | | | Tasted by pinoteer on 11/21/2015 & rated 90 points: Decanted for about 1-½ hours at this point. Way too much oak, which masks much of the fruit. It tones down a little after more time in the decanter, but still over the top. Too bad...this could have been a very good wine. 82 now, and a big disappointment.
Tried again two days later, and finished it three days later. It was very good both times. The oak was gone, so the fruit and other flavors were well displayed. 90 (2554 views) | | | Tasted by logos on 9/24/2015 & rated 69 points: still fairly closed: rather bright nose of ripe dark cherry, soft oaky vanilla, reticent hint of floral note; strong acidity, bit stalky core of dark fruits; rather harsh tannic remains overlay fairly long fruity finish. in a transitional phase, needs at least 3 years (2766 views) | | | Tasted by pavel_p on 7/9/2015 & rated 88 points: Have had several bottles over the years. Never been a bad wine but not great either. The usual vanilla and oak, earth, cherries, rather unexciting. No rush to finish but doubt this will become more interesting. (2992 views) | | | Tasted by ctjared on 6/29/2015: followed the salanque and was solid (1954 views) | | | Tasted by studleytrey on 5/26/2015: Wow, has it really been since October of 2012 since I've had this?!? Well, with 1 left after this, I think it's definitely time to drink up, and for those who don't like 'em a little dusty, it might be a little past your comfort zone. This wine has been a pleasure over the years, and has been interesting to follow, and at this stage, at least for my bottle, has transitioned to an almost entirely umami experience, with notes of soy sauce and meat leading the charge, complimented with some earth and dark fruit, on both nose and palate. Worked well with black bean tostadas. Drink up. (2012 views) | | | Tasted by David_T on 3/3/2015 & rated 90 points: Naturally I didn't follow my own advice and waited over a year before opening my next bottle. This is still drinking well though I re-recommend opening remaining bottles soon. Fully integrated tannins though still fairly strong acidity, pleasant notes of earth and dark fruit. Down to one left of nearly a case and what a pleasure each has been to drink. (2253 views) | | | Tasted by TheBosWineGuy on 2/7/2015 & rated 91 points: Sensational through the end of 2014. I'm all out. Great stuff. (2044 views) | | | Tasted by vinodolphin on 1/7/2015 & rated 91 points: Only one bottle left. Worked will with Spaghetti. (2061 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Bodegas Ondarre Producer website2004 Bodegas Ondarre Rioja Mayor de Ondarre ReservaWinemaker notes:
GRAPE VARIETIES
Tempranillo and Mazuelo from selected vineyards in Viana picked when slightly overripe.
VINIFICATION
Four weeks in the vat with fermentation controlled at 28-30°C. with pumping over daily and "delestages".
AGEING
Malolactic breakdown in the cask and subsequent ageing on the lees until the first racking. Afterwards the wine was aged in oak casks.
BOTTLING
Fined with egg white and bottled in spring 2002.
TASTING NOTES
Deep cherry red with inky hues, a complex "bouquet" of fruit aromas, spices and smoky aromas on the nose. In the mouth it has backbone and lots of concentration, which bodes well for a long life.
NOTE
This wine was bottled without prior tartaric stabilisation, so it may contain precipitated solids which in no way affect its organoleptic characteristics. In this case it is recommended that the wine is decanted before drinking.
Tempranillo BlendTempranillo is the backbone of wines made ihvhhcn the best well-known Spanish regions Rioja and Ribera del Duero, but is also grown as far afield as Mexico and Australia.
As a flavor profile, red fruits like strawberries and cherries can predominate - but with a rustic edge. The Many wines made from Tempranillo will spend a few years in barrel and bottle before reaching the consumers . Many Tempranillo-based wines see a few years of oak - add that to a few years of bottle and the wine can give a subtle - and occasionaly not-so-subtle - leathery mouthfeel. The combination of the tart fruit and tannins make this wine very food friendly.Spain Vinos de España - Wines of Spain (Instituto Español de Comercio Exterior) | Wikipedia
Wine Map on weinlagen-info
Spain is the third largest wine producing nation in the world, occupying the majority of the Iberian Peninsula with vast diversity in climate, culture, and of course, wine. From inky, dark reds of the [Priorat] to dry, white Finos from Andalusia, Spain can easily boast of elaborating a wide variety of notable styles. Within Spain there are currently 62 demarcated wine regions, of which a handful have gained international recognition: [Rioja], Priorat and [Ribera del Duero]. Yet these regions are only a small sample of the high quality wines Spain produces. Regions such as Cava, Penedes, Somontano, Galicia, Rueda and Jerez are only a few of the numerous regions worthy of exploration throughout Spain. Spain can also lay claim to having the most land under vine in the world, growing up to, by some accounts, 600 indigenous varietals of which Tempranillo is their most well known. Other popular varietals include [Garnacha], Bobal and Monastrell for reds and for whites; the infamous [sic] Palomino Fino grape which is used in the production of sherry wine, Pedro Ximenez in Montilla Morilles, Albarino used in the creation of the bright, effervescent wines of Galicia, and Verdejo in Rueda. - Source: - Catavino.net
Spain is not in the forefront of winemaking for its dessert wines, other than for its sweet wines from Sherry country including the highly revered Olorosos (when sweetened). But apart from Sherry Spain has a range of styles of dessert wines, ranging from the those made from the Pedro Ximenez grape primarily in Jerez and Montilla-Moriles) to luscious, red dessert wines made in the Mediterranean from the Garnacha (Grenache) grape. Some good Moscatels are made in Mallorca, Alicante and Navarre. The northwest corner of Spain, Galicia, with its bitter Atlantic climate, is even making dessert wines, called “Tostadillos” in the village of Ribadivia (similar to France’s “Vin de Paille”). The Canary Islands have made interesting dessert wines for centuries (they are mentioned by Shakespeare, for example) and in recent years the quality of winemaking has been improved and the Canary Islands wines are being better marketed now. The winemaking styles for “Vinos Dulces” are also diverse, from “Late Harvest” (Vendimia Tardía) to “Fortified Wines” (Fermentación Parcial). Based on in-spain.info.La Rioja Consejo Regulador DOC Rioja - Control Board of the D.O.Ca. Rioja
Map on weinlagen-infoRioja Consejo Regulador DOC Rioja - Control Board of the D.O.Ca. Rioja
HISTORY
The wine region of La Rioja in Spain was first demarcated by the area's governing body, the Consejo Regulador, in 1926. The region extends for approximately 120 kilometres along both sides of the Ebro River and is, at its widest point, bounded by mountains on either side. In fact, the word 'Rioja' is a derivation of the two words 'Rio' (River) and 'Oja (the name of a tributary of the Ebro that runs right through La Rioja creating a series of microclimates and providing much needed water for the vines).
La Rioja has always been a vital part of Spain's history. Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Moors, and finally, medieval Crusaders have all played a part in the area's history. The Romans, however, made wine a part of their culture wherever they travelled, and La Rioja was no exception. Ancient sites of Roman wineries still exist in and around the area today.
After the Romans came the Moors, and winemaking all but ceased. It wasn't until after the famous 'El Cid' liberated Spain, and medieval Christianity brought trade via the Crusaders through the region, that it flourished again. The Benedictine monks of Cluny in Burgundy, known for their viticulture, helped to establish three monasteries in the area. The vines they planted were mostly white grapes. In the fourteenth century, English traders acquired a taste for a local Rioja wine, which was a blend of white and red wines called Blancos Pardillos. Over time, development of lighter reds came about satisfying eighteenth century English and French courts.
The real improvements to Rioja's viticulture began around 1780 when the need to prolong wine during transport brought about experimentation with different woods and preservatives. Studies were made of the techniques used by great chateaux in Bordeaux. With the outbreak of the Peninsular War, progress was halted until 1852, when the Bordelais came south to Rioja seeking vines because their vineyards had been blighted with oidium. French winemaking methods were eagerly taken up by great rivals the Marques de Murrieta and Marques de Riscal (who both claim to have been the first in Rioja to make wine in the Bordeaux fashion).
When phylloxera devastated Bordeaux in the 1870s and the French influence really took hold in Rioja, many of the region's finest bodegas started production on what we now consider as the great wines of Rioja. It’s important to remember that Bordeaux winemaking methods then were very different to those employed today in France, and involved long ageing in barrel, a factor that the Riojans took up enthusiastically. So enthusiastically in fact that to this day there are a number of Bodegas that still make their wine in a surprisingly similar fashion to that of the Bordelais in the later part of the 1800s and this also explains why oak ageing is such an important part of Riojan winemaking.
USE OF OAK
Pronounced vanilla flavours in the wines are a trademark of the region though some modern winemakers are experimenting with making wines less influenced by oak. Originally French oak was used but as the cost of the barrels increased many bodegas began to buy American oak planks and fashion them into barrels at Spanish cooperages in a style more closely resembling the French method. This included hand splitting the wood, rather than sawing, and allowing the planks time to dry and 'season' in the outdoors versus drying in the kiln. In recent times, more bodegas have begun using French oak and many will age wines in both American and French oak for blending purposes.
In the past, it was not uncommon for some bodegas to age their red wines for 15-20 years or even more before their release. One notable example of this is Marqués de Murrieta which released its 1942 vintage Gran Reserva in 1983 after 41 years of ageing. Today most bodegas have shifted their winemaking focus to wines that are ready to drink sooner with the top wines typically ageing for 4-8 years prior to release though some traditionalists still age longer. The typical bodega owns anywhere from 10,000 to 40,000 oak barrels.
The use of oak in white wine has declined significantly in recent times when before the norm was traditionally 2-5 years in oak. This created slightly oxidised wines with flavours of caramel, coffee, and roasted nuts that did not appeal to a large market of consumers. Today the focus of white winemakers has been to enhance the vibrancy and fruit flavours of the wine.
WINE CLASSIFICATION
Most Riojan Bodegas believe that the ageing of a wine should be the responsibility of the producer rather than that of the consumer, and this is why much Rioja is more mature than wines from other countries. Rioja red wines are classified into four categories. The first, simply labelled 'Rioja', or 'Sin Crianza' (meaning 'without ageing') is the youngest, spending less than a year in oak. A "Crianza" is wine aged for at least two years, at least one of which is in oak. 'Reserva' is aged for at least three years, of which at least one year is in oak. Finally, 'Gran Reserva' wines have been aged at least two years in oak and three years in bottle. Reserva and Gran Reserva wines are not necessarily produced each year. Also produced are wines in a semi-crianza style, those that have had a couple of months of oak influence but not enough to be called a full crianza. The designation of Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva might not always appear on the front label but may appear on a neck or back label in the form of a stamp designation known as Consejo.
SUB REGIONS
Rioja Alta
Located on the western edge of the region, and at higher elevations than the other areas, the Rioja Alta is known for more fruity and concentrated wines which can have very smooth texture and mouth feel.
Rioja Alavesa
Despite sharing a similar climate as the Alta region, the Rioja Alavesa produces wines with a fuller body and higher acidity. Vineyards in the area have a low vine density with large spacing between rows. This is due to the relatively poor conditions of the soil with the vines needing more distance from each other and less competition for the nutrients in the surrounding soil.
Rioja Baja
Unlike the more continental climate of the Alta and Alavesa, the Rioja Baja is strongly influenced by a Mediterranean climate which makes this area the warmest and driest of the Rioja. In the summer months, drought can be a significant viticultural hazard, though since the late 1990s irrigation has been permitted. Temperatures in the summer typically reach 95°F. Twenty percent of the vineyards actually fall within the Navarra appellation but the wine produced from the grapes is still allowed to claim the Rioja designation. The predominant grape here is the Garnacha which prefers the hot conditions, unlike the more aromatic Tempranillo. Consequently Baja wines are very deeply coloured and can be highly alcoholic with some wines at 18% alcohol by volume. The wines typically do not have much acidity or aroma and are generally used as blending components with wines from other parts of
the Rioja.
The Riojans are master blenders (as they have to be because there are relatively few single estates in the area, the norm being to blend from a wide variety of vineyards and wine areas). Consequently they are able to reduce vintage variation by careful blending and many of the best wines vary relatively little between vintages.
VITICULTURE & GRAPES
Rioja wines are normally a blend of various grape varieties, and can be either red (tinto), white (blanco) or rosé (rosado). Rioja has a total of 57,000 hectares cultivated, yielding 250 million litres of wine annually, of which 85% is red. The harvest time for most Rioja vineyards is September-October with the northern Rioja Alta having the latest harvest in late October. The soil here is clay-based with a high concentration of chalk and iron (which provides the redness in the soil that may be responsible for the region's name, Rioja, meaning red). There is also significant concentration of limestone, sandstone and alluvial silt.
Among the Tintos, the best-known and most widely-used variety is Tempranillo. Other grapes used include Garnacha Tinta, Graciano, and Mazuelo. A typical blend will consist of approximately 60% Tempranillo and up to 20% Garnacha, with much smaller proportions of Mazuelo and Graciano. Each grape adds a unique component to the wine with Tempranillo contributing the main flavours and ageing potential to the wine; Garnacha adding body and alcohol; Mazuelo adding seasoning flavours and Graciano adding additional aromas.
With Rioja Blanco, Viura is the prominent grape (also known as Macabeo) and is sometimes blended with some Malvesia and Garnacha Blanca. In the white wines the Viura contributes mild fruitness, acidity and some aroma to the blend with Garnacha Blanca adding body and Malvasia adding aroma. Rosados are mostly derived from Garnacha grapes. The 'international varieties' of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have gained some attention and use through experimental plantings by some bodegas but their use has created wines distinctly different from the typical Rioja.
Some of the most sought after grapes come from the limestone/sandstone based 'old vine' vineyards in the Alavesa and Alta regions. These 40 year old plus vines are prized due to their low yields and more concentrated flavours. A unique DO regulation stipulates that the cost of the grapes used to make Rioja must exceed by at least 200% the national average of wine grapes used in all Spanish wines.
VINTAGE CHART
Rioja (Red) Year %
2004 Superb vintage, classic wines Drink or Hold 94
2003 Hot, dry year, long-ageing wines Drink or Hold 91
2002 Smallest vintage in 10 years. Variable quality.
Keep to top names Drink or Hold 87
2001 Excellent year for long ageing Reservas
and Gran Reservas Drink or Hold 94
2000 A generally good vintage with fine Reservas Drink or Hold 89
1999 Smaller vintage of good quality Drink or Hold 88
1998 Good vintage Drink or Hold 97
1997 Unexciting so far, but quaffable Drink or Hold 84
1996 Good year, plenty of ageing potential Drink or Hold 89
1995 Very good vintage, Reservas now showing excellent fruit Drink or Hold 92
1994 Outstanding, some great long-ageing wines Drink or Hold 94
1993 Lesser wines, apart from best-known names Drink 77
1992 Rather light vintage Drink 80
1991 Still improving, average quality Drink or Hold 85
1990 Fairly ordinary but quaffable Drink 84
1989 Good, firm structure Drink 88
Rioja Reserva & Gran Reserva – Vintages of the Eighties Year %
1989 Goodish vintage, well balanced Drink 88
1988 Fairly good vintage, well balanced wines Drink 88
1987 Very attractive vintage, now at peak Drink 90
1986 Average year, now drinking well Drink 87
1985 Average year, now drinking well Drink 87
1984 Disappointing, with problem weather Avoid 80
1983 Don't keep it any longer Drink 86
1982 Now past its best Drink 83
1981 Superb wines, finest will keep longer Drink 90
1980 Average vintage, don't keep any longer Drink 86
More vintage charts
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