2016 Bodegas Olarra Otonal Gran Reserva Rioja 750 ml

The 2016 Bodegas Olarra Otoñal Gran Reserva is a classic bottling that harkens back to the Bordelais influence that made Rioja famous. It’s crafted by traditionalists based in Logroño, in the very center of Rioja. They make the kind of Gran Reservas that have thrilled collectors for centuries, and the excellent 2016 vintage—which Wine Advocate rated 95 points—gave them extraordinary raw materials.

Opening with redcurrants, black plum, clove, star anise, allspice, dried orange peel, and rose petals, the wine’s backdrop offers resinous herbs of thyme, rosemary, and a little black olive. Voluminous, full, and complex on the palate, it’s got a dusty, cedar plank and tan tobacco-like note that lingers on the finish.  

Wine Access members have gone nuts for Bodegas Olarra wines, with one 5-star commenter calling a 2015 Reserva “One of my favorite Wine Access finds. Loved this so much that I bought 5 cases!” Another called a 2014 Reserva “An excellent wine… classic Rioja at its finest.”

Age-worthiness is a trademark of Bodegas Olarra, who takes an old-school approach to winemaking. They ferment their grapes with a long maceration to develop the structure and color that will support extended aging, before letting the wine rest for a full two years in large American oak casks.

Unlike Bordeaux, where the responsibility for aging wines to maturity falls on the consumer, producers like Olarra stick to tradition by not releasing their bottlings until they’re ready to drink. The 2016 Otoñal fits into that proud heritage, as the winery has not only carefully handled the storage, but they’ve removed the burden and temptation that come with having to cellar a bottle for decades. Now, it’s time to drink up!