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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2020 and 2029 (based on 13 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 32 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by thesternowl on 2/5/2024 & rated 92 points: Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a deep ruby color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of dark cherry, brambles, fig, toasted coconut, dill, cedar, olives, leather, earth and baking spices. There seemed to be quite a bit of wood. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish was long, delicious. Initial conclusions: this could be Cabernet Sauvignon (or a blend with other Bordeaux varieties), Syrah (or a blend with other Rhone varieties), Zinfandel, or Tempranillo from France, Italy, the United States, Australia or Spain. However, the amount of coconut and dill suggested this was American oak which had me rule out France, Italy and Australia and while this had some very lovely fruit, I felt this leaned more towards its non-fruit characteristics. So, final conclusion: this is Tempranillo, from Spain, from Rioja, Reserva 2011 from a high-quality, traditional producer like Lopez de Heredia. Ohhhh so close! It’s been a minute since I have had Hermanos Peciña; this was a reminder how much I enjoy this producer. The wines have so much character. Drink now and through 2033 with ease. (357 views) | | | Tasted by BandW on 1/29/2024 & rated 93 points: Great example of Rioja Tempranillo. (305 views) | | | Tasted by IronChefCardio on 1/12/2024 & rated 94 points: Very nice, garnet color. A little rough when first opened, but beautiful fruits after about a half hour decant. (307 views) | | | Tasted by ey1294 on 7/5/2023 & rated 94 points: - Garnet color with slow forming legs and aromas of black currant, cherry, blackberry, cedar and smokey. It's balanced and has flavours of cherry and black pepper with a full body. Round texture with a long finish - Long spicy tannic finish. Young wine, keep cellared for a long time. (583 views) | | | Tasted by Dr. Wine MD PhD ;) on 4/6/2023 & rated 90 points: Complex wine. Dark Ruby, full bodied. Medium tannins.
High alcohol or so it feels or is it the acidity. No legs so maybe it s 14%. aroma of black fruit and oak. ON palette, Crisp and tart but complex flavors including black fruit, cherry, and a good length. I sipped it by itself and would try it with some meat or tomato dish next. (742 views) | | | Tasted by Pedroel on 11/8/2022 & rated 92 points: There’s a funky-earth element that brings enhancement to vibrant fruit flavors; there on the nose, too. Very long, juicy finish. (832 views) | | | Tasted by wmccone54 on 10/21/2022 & rated 92 points: I like this a lot; better than the “2009 Gran Reserva” from this producer. Decanted and enjoyed with “stacked” chicken enchiladas. Clear, full bodied, deep ruby color. Initial entry shows coconut oak, tart and juicy red fruits (cherries, raspberries, and plums), taut leather, chewy tobacco, ploughed red earth, and rocky iron infused dirt. In development. Love the verve and energy in the mouth: red fruits, tannin and acids starting to come together. Finishes long. Drinking well at nine years, can easily go another 5-7+ years. Drink through 2028+. (763 views) | | | Tasted by gkpaoli on 8/16/2022: Very rich and pruny, not my thing (849 views) | | | Tasted by K&J on 8/14/2022 & rated 93 points: Very enjoyable! Wine is peaking for drinking. (603 views) | | | Tasted by mkates2000 on 5/9/2022 & rated 91 points: Very much enjoyed. Chocolate and tobacco notes with liveliness (827 views) | | | Tasted by racerchris on 4/17/2022 & rated 90 points: Enjoyed with baked ham and asparagus risotto. (701 views) | | | Tasted by JM_MadTown on 1/25/2022 & rated 87 points: This Rioja shows more earthiness and savory notes than its faint red fruit. The mid palate finishes a little hollow. It’s enjoyable, but I think there are better bottles in this price range. (861 views) | | | Tasted by gregg g on 12/26/2021: Pours a nice crimson. Smells red fruited with a hint of VA. With Rioja, I always get chalk on the palate, no exception here. Pretty tight mid palate. Structuraly, this still has a tannic spine that weakens somewhat after an hour. Beautiful wine, though still on the young side. Plenty of upside. (910 views) | | | Tasted by TexasBob on 11/8/2021 & rated 92 points: Placid medium garnet color. Tobacco and strawberries in the nose. Mixed sweet red berries with nice gripping tannins and a red licorice finish. dry tasty. (1143 views) | | | Tasted by ocassiuso on 11/1/2021: Moderately intense aromas of tart red cherry and vanilla, also herbal and earthy notes. Dry, with moderate acidity, moderate grippy tannins, full-bodied, 14.2°. Some bitterness on finish. I expect more polish in a reserva at 8 years. (883 views) | | | Tasted by cweiss on 10/13/2021: My first of these. Decanted about an hour.
Oak evident. Very good acidity. It was quite enjoyable but I think it will benefit from another 2-3 years and has the fruit to last. In fact, I left the open-mouth decanter out in the air and the next day day the fruit was much more plush; the structure more in the background.
Served with cast-iron cooked thick pork chips with a shiitake/crimini/madeira sauce. (955 views) | | | Tasted by Dshatel on 8/29/2021 & rated 90 points: Wonderful strawberry and cherry notes, nicely dry without being overly tannic (846 views) | | | Tasted by jdporter3 on 3/9/2021: Accessed by Coravin so really didn’t give it a good breathing. Needed a nice wine before the colonoscopy but couldn’t handle the whole bottle! That said, baking spices and ripe cherries on the palate. I agree that this can go awhile - drinking younger. Alcohol still coming off a bit on the nose but not unpleasantly. Old style but not ragingly so; lack of strong dill notes one so often gets. I like this maker and have good bit of his wines so we’ll see how this goes before I rate it. (1299 views) | | | Tasted by JurgenVin on 1/4/2021 & rated 90 points: I am drinking it now. It is smooth, has good fruit, and is balanced. The only thing that keeps it from being rated higher is that it is a little bit thin, compared to the best wines. Only costs about $26. As a value pick, it deserves a 92+. However, on an absolute scale, I give it a 90, almost 91. (1344 views) | | | Tasted by vintage_whine on 11/18/2020: shorwing nice development, with ample american oak, sweet tart and savory (1389 views) | | | Tasted by BDvino on 11/13/2020: Typicity: Traditional/Old School
Viticulture: Biodynamic, Organic, natural yeast, hand harvest, 100% used American Oak, 36mos barrel racked every 6 mos, 2+ years in bottle.
N: MED+ intensity, developing, ripe cherries, tobacco, spice box, carmelization from toasted barrels, coconut, vanilla.
P: Dry, FULL Body, Ripe & Overripe red fruit & toasted coconut, MED tannin, MED Acidity, MED Alcohol, MED+ finish
Interestingly, the founder Pedro Pecina worked as head agronomist at La Rioja Alta for 20 years. San Vicente region, Sierra Cantabrigians Mtn foothills @ 500 meters. 40-60yo vines. Great value Rioja, CMS/WSET testable typicity. Drink 2020-2025 (1470 views) | | | Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 9/17/2020: Its probably not the alcohol listed on the label is the thought. Smells vanilla and old school. And tart on the palate and a toouch hard. (1707 views) | | | Tasted by TannicBeast on 8/2/2020 & rated 91 points: Tasted blind. Med (+) ruby with a garnet rim. Med (+) nose of blackberry, cranberry preserve, orange zest, earth, chocolate, and lots of sweet baking spices, vanilla and coconut, indicative of American oak. Dry, with med (+) acidity, med to med (+), polished oak tannins and med (+) alcohol (13.5%). Very well balanced, with med (+) body, flavor intensity and length. Surprisingly vibrant, it seems a couple of years younger than the stated age. Great taste with it without food and a great value.
Old World, but not obviously. Cool to moderate climate. 95% Tempranillo, 3% Graciano, 2% Garnacha, from higher altitude Rioja vineyards, aged 36 months in used American oak barrels. Initial guesses include Tempranillo, Nero d'Avola (probably would not have American oak), Barbera (probably would not have American oak and would be higher in alcohol), Merlot (probably would not have American oak unless New World and then it would have lower acidity). (1087 views) | | | Tasted by GTFreek on 12/6/2019: Medium plus nose shows dill, fresh floral tones, cedar, fresh earth, mothball, pretty style. Palate is wonderfully fresh, dancing fruit notes of red fruits, herbal notes, light spice, structure backs it up, medium plus tannins, acidity, medium alcohol. Very approachable with complexity, nicely made. (1175 views) | | | Tasted by srh on 10/12/2019: Spanish Reds [3-Riojas, 2- Grenaches, & 1-Mourvedre] (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): Supposedly 95% Tempranillo, 3% Graciano, & 2% Garnacha from the calcareous clay soils of their vyds in San Vicente de la Sonsierra; Typically, “Destemmed, crushed, & fermented naturally with wild yeasts in s/s tanks; The wines then rest for 36 mos in used AM oak barrels, being racked 1x / 6 mos via the traditional, ‘barrel to barrel’ method. Bottled unfined & unfiltered, receiving a min of 18 mos additional bottle aging.”
N: Slightly closed; Berries with notes of flowers, poss some spice? Intensity lurking?
P: LM, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays in touch with the init frt as it works its way into & through the LONG, BALANCED finish with an attractive tangy/swtness to the firming, dusty tannins. DESERVES through '20, then easily making its 10th. 13.6% ABV; My EXC-/EXC, an argument certainly poss for the higher based upon QPR. 92 pts WA; [This vendor's $23.95 is an IMPRESSIVE $9 < wine-searcher's only other currently listed posting!] (1222 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Bodegas Hermanos Peciña Producer website
U.S. Importer (Addt'l Info)Bodegas Hermanos Peciña Rioja Señorío de P. Peciña Reserva ReservaTempranillo 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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