Top 10 Gran Reserva Riojas
Following the UK’s largest Rioja-only blind-tasting competition at the end of last year, we reveal our top 10 red Gran Reservas from this famous Spanish wine region – and one fantastic white wine too.
All the Gran Reservas featured below have been selected from this year’s Rioja Masters – which was held on 17 September at COMO Halkin in London using Masters of Wine. Among the judges were Siobhan Turner MW, Patricia Stefanowicz MW, and myself, and hence the descriptions below come from these tasters, who were also panel chairs.
The top scoring Gran Reservas range from just under £20 to as much as £200, and include one newcomer to the category: a fine and unique Gran Reserva white wine from Faustino to complement its best-selling red.
Scroll down to see our top 10 selection, as well as to find out more about the competition, while you can read about our best Reservas by clicking here, and to see all the medallists from the Rioja Masters 2025, please click here.
SEÑORÍO DE LA ERALTA GRAN RESERVA 2018
- Producer: Bodegas La Eralta
- Grape variety: 100% Tempranillo
- ABV: 13.5%
- Approx. retail price: £18
- Medal: Gold
Bodegas La Eralta is based in Agoncillo on the site of the ancient village Égon, near the confluence of the Leza and Ebro rivers east of Logroño. Produced from specific parcels of organically-grown grapes, this wine has a deep ruby core with a garnet edge. Dried pomegranate, red cherry and strawberry fruit, with accents of tobacco, leather and forest floor are framed by racy acidity and linen-textured tannins. With lemon zest and tangerine notes on the palate, the wine is an excellent pairing for roast pork tenderloin with Granny Smith apples, sweet onions and sage. (Patricia Stefanowicz MW)
MURIEL VIÑAS VIEJAS GRAN RESERVA 2016
- Producer: Muriel Wines
- Grape variety: 100% Tempranillo
- ABV: 14%
- Approx. retail price: £22
- Medal: Gold
A truly classic gran reserva, nine years old and still with fresh raspberry and dried cherry fruit with some sour plum and sousbois touches creeping in. The texture is velvety, seamless, silky, with an elegant grip to it. Well-integrated and smooth, good length and utterly delicious. Perfect with roast lamb stuffed with garlic and rosemary (skip the mint sauce). (Siobhan Turner MW)
ARNEGUI GRAN RESERVA 2018
- Producer: Pagos del Rey
- Grape variety: 100% Tempranillo
- ABV: 13.5%
- Approx. retail price: £25
- Medal: Gold
Produced by winemaker Jairo Fernández, one of db’s 100 Master Winemakers in 2024, at the Pagos del Rey Fuenmayor winery, this wine is a delicious drop. Deep ruby-hued, the wine shows morello cherry and bramble fruit overlaid with toasty oak, orange zest and crushed rose petals. Mid-weight, the palate flavours are balanced by lively acidity and grainy tannins, with an orange zest lift on the finish. Linear and savoury, this is wine to pair with veal. (Patricia Stefanowicz MW)
VIÑA POMAL GRAN RESERVA 2016
- Producer: Bodegas Bilbaínas
- Grape varieties: 90% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano
- ABV: 14%
- Approximate retail price: £31
- Medal: Gold
An autumnal version of summer pudding, with red berry fruit enhanced by cloves, hints of red apples, vanilla and a touch of liquorice. Its palate is elegant, long and very well-integrated, with a velvety texture, bright acidity and great complexity. A truly classic Rioja gran reserva in the best sort of traditional mould, ripe, rich and elegant. Nine years old and with years ahead of this – it’s one to stock up on. Pair with roast pork, a classic turkey Christmas dinner. (Siobhan Turner MW)
VIÑA ALBINA GRAN RESERVA 2019
- Producer: Bodegas Riojanas
- Grape varieties: 85% Tempranillo, 10% Mazuelo, 5% Graciano
- ABV: 14%
- Approx. retail price: £36
- Medal: Gold
A fantastic example of the resurgent gran reserva style of Rioja, with plenty of stewed sweet red berry fruit, complemented by an array of flavours, from dried cherry to cedar wood and balsamic, along with a touch of chocolate. Texturally it’s quite full for a wine that’s spent several years in barrel, but it comes with Rioja’s typical mix of fresh, orange-like acidity and ripe, fine tannins too. (Patrick Schmitt MW)
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MONTE REAL GRAN RESERVA 2019
- Producer: Bodegas Riojanas
- Grape variety: 100% Tempranillo
- ABV: 14%
- Approx. retail price: £37.50
- Medal: Master
Bodegas Riojanas produces this very special wine from its old Tempranillo vines in the heart of Rioja Alta. Very deep purple-black in colour, the wine exudes blackberry, dark cherry and blueberry fruit with complex notes of tobacco, chocolate and crushed roses. Full-bodied and rich, the palate is concentrated, layered and textured, with brisk acidity and dense velvet tannins beautifully integrated. An intriguing, lingering wine to match roast pork loin stuffed with sweet onions and chestnut mushrooms. (Patricia Stefanowicz MW)
MARQUÉS DE VARGAS GRAN RESERVA 2017
- Producer: Bodega Marqués de Vargas
- Grape varieties: 80% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha, 10% Mazuelo
- ABV: 14.3%
- Approx. retail price: £38
- Medal: Master
This single-vineyard wine comes from gravel-limestone soils with 40year-old vines. Deep ruby-coloured, the wine displays intense summer pudding fruit with cedar wood, leather and violet accents. The palate is full-bodied and concentrated, with brisk acidity and abundant silky-textured tannins, with notes of allspice, nutmeg and black pepper coming through. Beautifully integrated and lingering, the wine will be a good match for wild duck with orange segments and Grand Marnier on a bed of wild rice. (Patricia Stefanowicz MW)
MARTÍNEZ LACUESTA COLECCIÓN FAMILIA 2012
- Producer: Bodegas Martínez Lacuesta
- Grape varieties: 75% Tempranillo, 20% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo
- ABV: 13.5%
- Approx. retail price: £50
- Medal: Gold
A seriously fine and fully mature Rioja with a brick-red appearance and appealing characters of dried cherry, prunes, sweet balsamic and leather, cedar and pepper, followed by blood orange and a dusting of fine, dry tannins too. Refreshing, but full in mouthfeel and flavour too. (Patrick Schmitt MW)
MONTECILLO 22 BARRICAS 2017
- Producer: Bodegas Montecillo
- Grape varieties: 45% Tempranillo, 35% Graciano, 10% Garnacha, 10% Mazuelo
- ABV: 13.5%
- Approx. retail price: £55
- Medal: Gold
A serious, powerful and complex red with intense flavours of dried ripe cherry and a pruney richness complemented by notes of aged balsamic, bitter chocolate and cedar, along with plenty of fine, dry tannins and a touch of orange zest on the mouthwatering finish. (Patrick Schmitt MW)
REMÍREZ DE GANUZA GRAN RESERVA 2012
- Producer: Bodegas Remírez de Ganuza
- Grape varieties: 90% Tempranillo, 8% Graciano, 1% Viura, 1% Malvasía
- ABV: 14.5%
- Approx. retail price: £200
- Medal: Master
Rioja, or indeed mature red wines, don’t get much better than this. While it’s an aged wine, it clearly still has a long life ahead of it. For now, it delivers so much interest and pleasure, with its ripe and spicy mid-palate and chewy-fresh finish. In terms of flavours, there’s black cherry coulis, sweet balsamic, prune, then tangerine, cedar and cigar box, along with lingering, fine, dry, mouth-coating tannins too. Just delicious. And surprisingly easy to sip on its own. (Patrick Schmitt MW)
And one white wine…
FAUSTINO I BLANCO GRAN RESERVA 2021
- Producer: Bodegas Faustino
- Grape varieties: 66% Viura, 34% Chardonnay
- ABV: 13%
- Approx. retail price: £25
- Medal: Gold
A delicious and brilliant-value expression of a rare and uniquely Riojan wine: blanco gran reserva. Bursting with flavours of caramel and coconut, the extending ageing in barrels is clearly apparent, but so too is the lively, lemony fruit, along with grapefruit pith, complemented by smoky notes, such as the lingering and lovely character of grilled nuts on the zesty finish. (Patrick Schmitt MW)
About the competition
With high-quality judges and a unique sampling process, The Rioja Masters provides a chance for your wines to shine. The 2025 competition was judged on 17 September at COMO Halkin in London, employing experienced judges. The top wines were awarded Gold, Silver or Bronze medals according to their result, and those expressions that stood out as being outstanding received the ultimate accolades – the titles of Rioja Master or Grand Master.
Please visit the Global Masters website for more information or, to enter future competitions, with a chance to appear in print and online, call: +44 (0) 20 7803 2420 or email Sophie Aston at: sophie@thedrinksbusiness.com
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