Monte Real Gran Reserva by Bodegas Riojanas

Structure

Bodymedium

Tanninmedium

Acidityhigh

Sweetnessdry

Finishlong

Oakoak aged

Drinking window

Latest scored vintage 2014: best 2020 to 2036.

vintage6 yrs22 yrs24 yrs

Critic scores

Critic	Vintage	Score
Tim Atkin reviewed 2021	2014	90/100

Scores as published by each critic for the vintage shown.

In the glass

Medium-bodiedMedium tanninHigh acidityDryLong finish

Aroma: dried cherry, tobacco, cedar, balsamic, spice

Palate: red fruit, leather, fine tannin, savoury

The Cenicero house's classical Gran Reserva: long-aged in oak, savoury and traditional, a benchmark old-school Rioja.

What it pairs with

Cordero asado al sarmiento Vine-shoot-roasted suckling lamb is the canonical Rioja match; the wine's resolved tannins frame the sweet fat.More wines for lamb →
Chuleton de buey a la brasa A thick aged-beef chop over embers meets the wine's savoury oak and grip.More wines for steak →Find chuleton de buey a la brasa on TableJourney →
Jamon iberico Cured Iberian ham echoes the wine's dried-cherry and leather register.More wines for ham →

With cheese

Queso Camerano Our pick Two years or more in oak and long bottle ageing make Gran Reserva Rioja mature and complex, medium in tannin and high in acidity; curado Camerano, hard, salty and faintly bitter with wild-herb notes, meets that depth, and the acidity cuts its fat.

How to serve Monte Real Gran Reserva

Allow 65 minutes from open to pour.

Open and decant. Open 60 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
Serve at 14-16°C. Cellar temperature (14-16°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
Glassware. Use a Burgundy bowl with a wide opening: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
Pair with. Cordero asado al sarmiento, Chuleton de buey a la brasa, Jamon iberico. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.

History

Monte Real is the house's flagship long-aged red, made in a traditional style.

1890Bodegas Riojanas founded at Cenicero
1920Monte Real brand established

Facts

Producer: Bodegas Riojanas · visiting guide
Grapes: Tempranillo (95%), Mazuelo (3%), Graciano (2%)
Classification: DOCa Rioja
Oak: Around 30 months in oak, then long bottle ageing
ABV: 13.5%
Price: EUR 16 to 28 at retail
Drinking window: 6 to 22 from vintage
First vintage: 1920

Frequently asked about Monte Real Gran Reserva

What does Monte Real Gran Reserva taste like?

On the nose, dried cherry, tobacco, cedar, balsamic, spice. On the palate, red fruit, leather, fine tannin, savoury. Structurally medium-bodied, medium tannins, high acidity with a long finish. The Cenicero house's classical Gran Reserva: long-aged in oak, savoury and traditional, a benchmark old-school Rioja.

When should I drink Monte Real Gran Reserva?

Drink 6 to 22 from vintage. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.

What food pairs with Monte Real Gran Reserva?

Cordero asado al sarmiento is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Chuleton de buey a la brasa and Jamon iberico. Vine-shoot-roasted suckling lamb is the canonical Rioja match; the wine's resolved tannins frame the sweet fat.

Is Monte Real Gran Reserva vegan?

No: the producer uses traditional animal-derived fining agents (typically egg whites or isinglass) during clarification, so the wine is not vegan.

What grapes are in Monte Real Gran Reserva?

The blend is Tempranillo (95%), Mazuelo (3%), Graciano (2%). The wine is classified as DOCa Rioja.

Taste it where it is made: tastings near Bodegas Riojanas

Rioja: Bodegas Altanza

Starts 7 km awayGuided tour1.5 hours4.5 from 12 reviewsfrom €25

Visit a unique Rioja winery and discover Altanza, a place where wine tourism goes far beyond a tour with a tasting.

Check dates and book

Rioja: Wine tour with a winery owner

Starts 16 km awayGuided tour7 hours5.0 from 22 reviewsfrom €300

Taste selected wines at 3 different wineries in Rioja. Visit our own winery from 1881, La Bodega del Tesoro. Enjoy a traditional lunch in a wooden wine press.

Check dates and book