2011 Remelluri Rioja Gran Reserva

97 Points James Suckling
Out of stock
This is a stunning Rioja from an ancient and unique estate. The owner Telmo Rodriguez is famous for his innovative approaches to deep tradition, yet models this as a classical and old-school Rioja. Somewhat contra to Rioja blending traditions, however, he can't avoid letting his top quality, home-grown fruit express the specific mountainous landscape in which it ripened so long. Having already rested more than two years in quality oak barrels, this superb Gran Reserva will drink tonight or shine for well over a decade in cellar. A label with supreme history as well as unparalleled modern pedigree, Remelluri is both a must-try and a great investment at this price.
$130.00 in mixed 6+ or $145.00 per bottle

Grape

Usually 75% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and 5% Graciano

Its Origins

Remelluri was founded by monks in the 14th Century, although there is evidence dating even farther back of wine being made on these premises. The vines changed hands a number of times over the years before being purchased by Jaime Rodriguez in 1967. In 2010, Jaime’s son and daughter, Telmo and Amaia Rodríguez, took the reins of the estate and set about making a series of changes to showcase the potential and diversity of Remellur’s different terroirs, and ultimately reclaim Rioja’s viticultural history. The first major change was to cut down the production of Remelluri wines by one third, restricting it to wines produced from the estate’s own grapes. The two wines made from grapes grown in the surrounding villages are now sold under the label ‘Las Lindes de Remelluri’, and are identified each by their village of origin: Labastida and San Vicente de la Sonsierra. As a nod to Rioja’s historic viticultural traditions, they have begun moving the Garnacha from trellis to bush-grown vines and will be working increasingly with mixed field plantings. Although Remelluri has always eschewed chemical treatments in the vineyard, 2010 marked the year of the estate’s full organic certification. Work in the winery plays a secondary role in Telmo’s philosophy, but great care is taken to make sure that each bottle reflects the terruño of the region: wines are fermented with native yeasts, each plot is vinified separately, new oak is used very scarcely and the wines are very lightly filtered and fined.

Telmo Rodrigues

What The Critics Say

97/100 James Suckling

"The white truffle and dark berry character comes through here. Rosemary too. Full body, chewy and extremely long. It shows fantastic length and structure. Noble tannins. Needs at least five to six years to soften."

18/20 JanscisRobinson.com, Julia Harding MW

"Dark cherry colour. As well as having the fresher fruit like the 2010, here there is more sign of the origin – more rocky and mineral with a slight dusty note over the fruit. Less sweet-fruited on the nose. Incredibly fine tannins, beautifully dry and succulent. Needs more time to show its complexity but it’s all in harmony for a long future. (JH)." Drink 2020 - 2031

94/100 Parker's wine Advocate, Luis Guttierez

"Very consistent with the style of the very dry, warm and ripe year, the 2011 Granja Remelluri Gran Reserva had a powerful personality, with darker fruit and some earthy sensations, very Mediterranean, with plenty of rosemary aromas. It has the rugged tannin nicely polished and fine-grained, more elegant than what was produced in the 1990s. They now use the fruit from the older Garnacha vines in Remelluri, selecting the plots that have the soils with the most potential. They are still in search of their best plots, not necessarily those with older vines but the ones with the most potential of the soil. This was bottled in May 2014. 20,000 bottles produced." Drink 2018 - 2030

Variety Tempranillo
Region Rioja
Closure Cork
Volume 750ml
Alcohol 14.00%
Maturity 2018 - 2035

This Wine Goes Well With

with GAME
with LAMB
with VENISON

Taste

4

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