Vinícola Real 200 Monges Rioja Gran Reserva 2007

Bodegas Vinicola Real was founded in 1989 by Miguel Ángel Rodríguez in Albelda de Iregua, a town with a remarkable history, whose roots go back beyond the medieval era.

Vinícola Real was built near the chapel of Santa Catalina, the only part that remains of the Monastery of San Martín de Albelda founded in the year 924 AD, the Monastery was destroyed due to the detachment of the Salagona rock in 1683.

Vinícola Real was born with the vocation of being a small production winery specializing in high quality wines and "vinos de pago". The idea is to produce "great wines" from a single terroir, with a differentiated method of production and aging, and with a strong personality (the new style of La Rioja).

The name "200 Monges" is a tribute to the disappeared monastery of San Martín de Albeda located in La Rioja and to all those monks who dedicated themselves to safeguarding culture.

This wine is a blend of varieties; Tempranillo (85%), Graciano (10%) and Garnacha (5%) which are grown from 45-year-old vines.

The harvest is done by hand and the grapes are transported to the winery in small 15kg boxes which prevents any possibility of the grapes being squashed.

200 Monges Gran Reserva is fermented for 13 days in conical French Allier wooden vats at a temperature between 25 to 30 degrees.

After that there is a 28 day fermentation with the skins, which provides noble tannins that secure a great persistent colour that will remain with the wine forever.

Performed 2 or 3 times per day and periodic racking.

200 Monges Gran Reserva undergoes an aging for 30 months in French and American oak barrels which are situated in an excavated rock cave where the temperature is maintained with a constant humidity throughout the year.

Once the aging process has finished, the wine is bottled and then left to rest for another 40 months before it is released onto the market.

This great wine from La Rioja has many years of evolution in the bottle. We recommend that you decant it at least 30-45 minutes before drinking.

Vinícola Real's all-Tempranillo Gran Reserva hails from a single site in Albelda and is built to age, relying on acidity and structure rather than fruit power for its effect. Fine, nuanced and elegant, this is still youthful, with some pepper spice, subtle oak and a backbone of freshness. Drink date: 2019-2025. Score - 94.

Tim Atkin Rioja Special Report 2019