Bodegas Franco-Españolas
Royal Gran Reserva Rioja Tempranillo
La Rioja, Spain
I am not a fan of the “new school” relatively-extracted, French-oak aged Rioja. This is not that. This is old fashioned, old-school. And perfectly resolved. Nose has sweet spices, lovely vanilla-tinged American oak, ripe berry. Balanced and soft and enveloping in the mouth. I’m surprised how much I like this (because of my predilection to be skeptical of Rioja, nothing else).
I am not a fan of the “new school” relatively-extracted, French-oak aged Rioja. This is not that. This is old fashioned, old-school. And perfectly resolved. Nose has sweet spices, lovely vanilla-tinged American oak, ripe berry. Balanced and soft and enveloping in the mouth. I’m surprised how much I like this (because of my predilection to be skeptical of Rioja, nothing else).
Dec 30th, 2023