"...there's a compact feel to this firm red but also a sense of balance and integration." - Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator
As dominant as Rioja is in the Spanish collectible space, its penchant for delivering outstanding everyday values is also unmatched. The latest entry proving the point is Ramirez de la Piscina's charming 92-point 2020 Selección Reserva, a rock-solid performer for the cellar or the table at an easy case-buy price. The estate's style is purely reflective of the terroir in Ábalos and San Vicente de la Sonsierra, yielding wines of chalky finesse, refined tannins, and old-school complexity. For the Reserva, however, they take a decidedly New World approach in the oak regimen and fruit profile. James Suckling sums it up as "A dense and full-bodied Rioja ... Chewy and firm, with wood-soaked tannins, yet it doesn't overpower the rich dark berry and plum fruit." If you're a fan of Rioja, this is a razor-sharp buy to add to the cellar for future enjoyment, but it can also occupy a starring role in your regular rotation thanks to our must-see, sub-$20 price.
Up front there's a compact feel to this firm red but also a sense of balance and integration. Opens in the glass, revealing a fragrant overtone of dried flowers, eucalyptus, star anise and mocha, with flavors of plumped cherry and baked plum that linger on the finish. Best from 2026 through 2035. 1,000 cases made, 300 cases imported.
92 points, Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator (Mar 2025)
The 2020 Reserva Selección is Tempranillo sourced from San Vicente de la Sonsierra and Ábalos, Rioja Alta. Aged for 16 months in new oak barrels (50/50 American and French), this purple wine presents caramel and lactic notes, along with enveloping vanilla, cedar and coconut tones atop a black-fruited core. Dry, creamy and juicy on the palate, the fine-grained, fairly chalky mouthfeel lingers with an oaky flavor. This is a New World expression of Rioja red.
91 points, Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous (Apr 2024)
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