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| Community Tasting Notes (average 88.7 pts. and median of 89 pts. in 764 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by edckim on 9/24/2023 & rated 91 points: Still fresh, splashes clean cherry fruit, bright, balanced with a pleasant finish (392 views) | | | Tasted by S.Wayne on 5/17/2023 & rated 90 points: Medium garnet with bricking
Aromatics medium. Some dill/American oak. Earth. Dry red plum.
Palate has a medium body. Acid medium +. Tannins medium +, medium grained. Alcohol medium. Red cherry and chalk. Dry wood
Finish has medium length. Balanced
Nice, almost 20 year old Rioja. Still has nice fruit and structure, but not too complex and American oak is integrated/fading.
Can drink or hold (520 views) | | | Tasted by S.Wayne on 1/29/2023 & rated 91 points: Medium garnet with some bricking. Rim clearing, unfiltered.
Aromatics medium +. American oak of coconut, dill, and subtle vanilla. Earth and barn leather. Old dusty cherry.
Palate has a medium body. Acid medium +. Tannins medium +, medium grained on upper teeth and gums. Alcohol medium. Red and dark cherry.
Finish has a medium length. Balanced.
Nice almost 2 decade old Rioja. Tannins are well integrated at this stage. Don't think aging potential is fully past, but I'd drink now. Still with nice fruit on the palate but little left on the nose. (529 views) | | | Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 9/11/2020: With some wood and savory on the nose. (1765 views) | | | Tasted by gcarl on 7/15/2019 & rated 91 points: Same impressions as my last bottles on 7/8/17 and 8/27/18. Very pleasing and good QPR at $14 in 2009. (1934 views) | | | Tasted by gcarl on 8/27/2018 & rated 91 points: Decanted 90 minutes before blind tasting, re-bottled for event. Was quickly consumed by participants. Impressions matched mine from 7/8/17. (1891 views) | | | Tasted by OldwineinVT on 6/10/2018 & rated 90 points: 13.5% ABV
Color: very dark purple to black
Nose: intense deep complex aromas. Lots of dried dark fruit and berries. Some woody characteristics
Body/flavor: full body; complex lush flavors; very fruit forward, but well-balanced. Touch of smoke. Some tannins
Aftertaste: lingering finish.
In my opinion, the wine still has time to age further. But you can enjoy now! (2243 views) | | | Tasted by Reblin on 9/5/2017 & rated 88 points: Muted fruit, leather, tannin. Less sediment than the last bottle. (3274 views) | | | Tasted by Reblin on 8/1/2017 & rated 89 points: Aging well. A fair amount of sediment. (2662 views) | | | Tasted by gcarl on 7/8/2017 & rated 91 points: Similar impressions as those from my last bottle on 9/20/15 (2459 views) | | | Tasted by tomoem on 3/14/2017 & rated 93 points: An outstanding aged wine. Better than the last bottle. Totally great right out of the bottle ..... zero decant and this was just a terrific fruit forward expression with such balance that it reminded me of a great young VS Unico. Black cherry notes followed by a forest floor of flavor. I found truffle and some found blackberries which were just perfect in my tasting. (2707 views) | | | Tasted by Janstan on 12/9/2016 & rated 86 points: Light to medium body. Dark fruits, anise, leather (2667 views) | | | Tasted by grumi62 on 10/6/2016 & rated 91 points: I totally agree with the last 2 notes, such a surprise. I had 6 bottles and this last one was by far the best I drank over the last 5 years. I should have kept them all but didnt realize this $10 2004 bottle of wine could get better. Keep or drink, you will be very pleasantly surprised. (2161 views) | | | Tasted by Louisiana George on 9/6/2016 & rated 91 points: Wonderful surprise from a wine i have been holding onto for over 5 years. Complex nose with red and dark fruits; very muted oak. Tasted great on pop and pour and did not change much over time in the glass. Rich red fruits, plum, moderate finish. Very happy and look forward to the remaining bottles. A steal at $11 a bottle. (2146 views) | | | Tasted by wino121 on 9/5/2016 & rated 91 points: I assume almost everyone drank this way to young...including me! I drank one in 2012, not even close to prime time. This one was clearly in a better place.
The cork was perfect which helped this btl hold up.
It has btl age with fruit and tannins in a good place.
It was exactly as expected, a dry dusty Rioja, cheap, to boot.
Drink or hold another 4yrs. (1889 views) | | | Tasted by THF49 on 5/24/2016 & rated 86 points: this wine appears clearly beyond its peak; bland; will open my last bottle soonest (2125 views) | | | Tasted by GaryHOhio on 2/25/2016 & rated 93 points: Sadly my last bottle, superb Rioja. Nose of sour cherries and coffee, just enough fruit left to make it delicious, at peak or slightly beyond, drink them up. No decant needed. Enjoy !! (2449 views) | | | Tasted by amflinn on 1/31/2016 & rated 88 points: Decanted for an hour. Sour cherry and quite astringent. Not as enjoyable as I had remembered. (2068 views) | | | Tasted by comlaw on 11/22/2015 & rated 87 points: Definitely past its prime. Some nice cherry flavor, but has lost much of its weight. Drink now or forever hold your peace. (2306 views) | | | Tasted by Adventr.us on 10/15/2015 & rated 86 points: 'Twas a nice bottle; afraid I waited too long on this one. Hints of cherry upfront, but then watery thin thru the middle, with some astringency at the end. For about 5 minutes I had some hope it would put on a little weight in the glass, and it did just a little - but it's still dilute and thin. Bummer. Drinkable, but nowhere near the beauty it once was ...
UPDATE: Hmm, much to my surprise, the rest of the bottle, sitting on the counter (under vacu-vin) for the last 3 days, seems to have put on just a touch of weight and some more of the fruit has emerged. It's still a bit light, but no longer tastes dilute and thin. Upping the score a few points. (2538 views) | | | Tasted by comlaw on 10/4/2015 & rated 87 points: really gone downhill in the last 9 month. Decanted for 30 minutes which was a mistake. Nice cherry flavor, but almost no complexity. Tannins have almost disappeared, leaving it somewhat flat. Pleasant, but nothing special. Drink now. (2018 views) | | | Tasted by gcarl on 9/20/2015 & rated 91 points: 2+ years of cellar storage improved this immensely. Opened at blind tasting of Spanish wines and at P&P the nose of red fruit, spice,leather, and a hint of cigar box were present. Within 30 minutes, it was the favorite among 15+ wines. Very well balanced, with soft, well integrated tannins on the palate. Glad to have 5 more cellared. (1724 views) | | | Tasted by zakaib on 4/22/2015 & rated 91 points: Beautifully balanced, with fruit, acid and tannins all progressing together and certainly meeting expectations for a more classic style. Darker, savory secondary flavors and aromas are already adding attractive complexity. Very good at this point, potentially excellent in coming years but I would suggest its just coming into its prime drinking window and will drink well for another decade if stored properly. (2747 views) | | | Tasted by hebill on 4/12/2015 & rated 89 points: Evolving and developing complexity. Fruit has faded quite a lot...predominant cherry notes with smoke and oak. Still has tannins to go for another 3-4 years. (2133 views) | | | Tasted by mcsac67 on 3/8/2015 & rated 90 points: Dark hued. Cherry and cedar on the nose. Flavors of red fruit, tobacco and smoke. Fruit is fading fast and the secondary flavors are ascending. Paired well with a chicken, olive and preserved lemon tagine. (2523 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, September/October 2012, IWC Issue #164
(Bodegas Ondarre Rioja Reserva) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, August 2009
(Bodegas Ondarre Rioja Reserva) Subscribe to see review text. | i-WineReview.com, Report 13: The Wines of Rioja (7/1/2008)
(Bodegas Olarra Ondarre Reserva Rioja) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (11/8/2012)
(Bodegas Ondarre Rioja Reserva) Group's #8 (my #7) – 50 pts.; 0, 2, 0, 3 - dark ruby color; appealing, maturing, tart currant, red berry, olive nose; mature, tart currant, tart berry, light spice palate; medium-plus finish 87+ points (13.5% alcohol) 87 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and Winedoctor and i-WineReview.com and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Bodegas Ondarre Producer websiteTempranillo 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.ReservaStill Portuguese table wines of designated origin may also be labelled "reserva", indicating an alcohol content of at least 0.5% higher than the legal minimum established by the respective DOC or VR; however, stricter requirements in individual DOCs may supersede this standard.
(Court of Master Sommeliers)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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