BERONIA | Rioja | Reserva | 2017
tempranillo | graciano | carignan

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The wine we are going to review tonight requires no introduction, as it is a genuine Rioja blend from Spain – Rioja Reserva 2017 by Bodegas Beronia. Rioja is Spain’s most famous wine region, situated in north-central Spain and known for its savory-dusty wines that have the ability to age well. Rioja is one of very few European winemaking regions that enlists the use of american oak barrels. Climatically Rioja is moderated by the Sierra Cantabria – a small but jagged mountain range that stops clouds from coming into the valley. The wines of Rioja are traditionally based on the tempranillo grape variety, with some of them made as single-varietal tempranillo wines, yet the wine we are reviewing tonight is technically a blend of tempranillo (95%), graciano (4%) and mazuelo (1% – the local alias for the carignan grape variety). This wine has been aged for 36 months in mixed oak barrels (french and american oak) and another 3 years in the bottle before it was deemed ready for release. But enough theory, that said and without further ado, let’s take a look at the wine tasting results.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

//Visual
colour: medium-deep ruby color
clarity: hazy garnet shades on the rim

//Olfactory
intensity: pronounced & oaky
fruit profile: black fruits
__black fruits: black cherry | black plum | blackberry | black mulberry
fruit character: ripe

//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | earth
__spice: tonka seeds | peppercorn | nutmeg | cloves
__oak: coconut | vanilla | sweet tobacco | roasted oakwood | charcoal | charred wood
__earthy: slate | graphite | dust
primary layer: oak

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: high
tannin: high
__grip: ripe
balance: good
__dominant: acidity
body: supple | full body

//Taste
fruit profile: black fruits
fruit character: ripe
non fruit: spice & oak
finish: medium+
aftertaste: ripe & tart

//Scoring
BERONIA | Rioja | Reserva | 2017
variety: tempranillo | graciano | carignan
country: Spain
region: Rioja
rating: 93.5

//Conclusion
maturity: developing | age for 3 to 5 more years
verdict: great | a must try wine
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This is definitely a great wine of Spain and, with a total of 93.5 points scored, this wine is right there, among the best wines we’ve rated so far. Check our complete database on the wine rating page, where you can find all the wines that we have tasted and reviewed or go to the about us page and find out more about our exquisite rating system.

Verdict: this is an outstanding Rioja wine, it tastes crisp, supple and plump, with a pronounced oaky accent on the nose – a wine that is still developing, therefore one that will definitely benefit from 3 to 5 more years of bottle ageing. On the palate the wine feels rich, seedy and expressive, with elevated acidity, ripe tannins and a touch of alcoholic warmth that is showing through on the mouthfeel. On the nose the wine delivers a mixture of ripe black fruits and some very nuanced oaky notes in the foreground, supported by a spicy background and a layer of dusty earthiness in between. All in all, this is a quite well structured, vibrant and grippy wine, with a nuanced fruity-oaky mouthfeel and a crisp, slightly tart aftertaste. What this wine lacks today is a bit of finesse and elegance on the palate, traits that will come with time spent in the bottle, as the potential is clearly there. Cheers!

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