In This Newsletter:
Rioja Sale
Rioja Sale
Rioja Sale
Rioja Sale
Rioja, Spain’s most renowned wine region, offers bold and nuanced wines based on Tempranillo and Garnacha. Wineries are well-known for their long love-affair with French and American oak barriques, which impart signature accents to these deeply impressive reds.
There’s plenty of options to choose from amongst our in-stock selections, from budget-friendly to stars of your cellar. Browse our offerings below or jump to our webstore to save!
There’s plenty of options to choose from amongst our in-stock selections, from budget-friendly to stars of your cellar. Browse our offerings below or jump to our webstore to save!
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles of Rioja
10% off any 6+ or more in-stock bottles of Rioja
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Tuesday, November 18th at 9 am Pacific.
10% off any 6+ or more in-stock bottles of Rioja
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Tuesday, November 18th at 9 am Pacific.
We offer 41 in-stock Rioja options on sale now, including highlights from Remelluri & more:
Telmo Rodríguez is one of the most talented and well-respected winemakers in all of Spain. Nothing compares to the wines of his family’s estate: Remelluri. Originally founded in the 14th century, Telmo and Amaia Rodríguez Hernandorena, his sister, took over the estate in 2010, the same year the estate became fully organic. It’s located in Rioja Alavesa, the smallest part of the region. Wines here are known for their intensity and power, which Rodríguez couples with his preference for mostly-neutral French oak over American oak (which he finds too aggressive).
Under Rodríguez Hernandorena’s expert care, the vines grown along the slopes of the Sierra de Toloño Mountains are organically farmed using regenerative and agroforestry practices, which emphasizes diversity from roots to canopy. She re-converted the garnacha vines to their traditional bush-growth and increased co-plantings of alternative varieties. Together, Telmo and Amaia’s iconic wines show unrivaled finesse and terroir, and offer some of the most profound expressions in all of Rioja.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Lindes de Remelluri Vinedos de Labastida, Rioja DOCa 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $39, that’s $37.05 at 5% off and $35.10 at 10% off, 24 bottles in stock now
Joaquín Hidalgo-Vinous 93 points “The 2021 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Labastida combines 89% Tempranillo, 5% Garnacha and 6% Graciano, sourced from a patchwork of soils and altitudes in Labastida, Rioja Alavesa. Complex and layered, it opens with red and black fruit, gentle herbal notes and a touch of jam. A slightly floral tone reflects the site’s character. In the mouth, reactive tannins lend drive and structure, while the fine, chalky texture reigns in the juicy, expansive palate. The year’s clarity has enhanced the overall definition.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Granja Nuestra Senora de Remelluri ‘Remelluri’ Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $44.50, that’s $42.28 at 5% off and $40.05 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The estate red 2016 Reserva comes from a late growing season and was produced with local varieties like Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano and others from their 86 hectares of vineyards at 590 to 805 meters in altitude on limestone, sandstone and marl soils. The grapes were picked late with good ripeness and health and fermented with natural yeasts in stainless steel and open-top oak vats and then matured in oak containers of different sizes for 20 to 21 months. These are more classical wines, with a more evolved nose, with high ripeness and some balsamic and medicinal notes. It has a dusty palate with Nebbiolo-like tannins. 300,000 bottles and 8,200 magnums produced. It was bottled in May 2019.”
Granja Remelluri Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2015 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 6 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 95 points “A blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Graciano, the 2012 Granja Remelluri Gran Reserva represents what they are aiming for with this wine, a classical expression of the place, the quintessence of the vineyards. The select their oldest vineyards and age the wine for a long time, coming back to those early years of a modern Rioja that has now turned into a classic. It has some dusty tannins, with good grip and length. It was bottled in 24,238 bottles after an élevage of 26 months. It has been in bottle since May 2015.”
Founded in the heart of eastern Rioja, Ilurce crafts impactful reds at an incredible value. Dedicated to their terroir, this is one of our best values in the shop.
Bodegas Llurce Rio Madre Graciano, Rioja DOCa 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $14, that’s $13.30 at 5% off and $12.60 at 10% off, 21 bottles in stock now
Joaquín Hidalgo-Vinous 91 points “The 2022 Graciano Rio Madre, sourced from Alfaro in Rioja Oriental, aged for six months in used French oak barrels. This intense purple wine reveals aromas of ripe cherry and plums, accompanied by balsamic, candied fruit and hard candy notes. Dry with a medium body, the polished, supple tannins and mild acidity lead to a clingy, lasting texture. A flavorful red, the 2022 lingers with high extract.”
One of the world’s elite wine estates, this is an historical estate that is held in the highest esteem among insiders. The most shocking secret about the winery? For all the extraordinary grace, complexity and age-worthiness of the wines these are simply the best value in wine money can buy.
R. Lopez de Heredia Viña Bosconia Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2011 750ml Displayed Price: $49, that’s $46.55 at 5% off and $44.10 at 10% off, 10 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 92+ points “2011 was a warmer and riper year, but there’s not a huge difference between the 2011 Viña Bosconia Reserva and the 2010; this is perhaps mellower, with more integrated acidity. It’s 13.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.3 and 6.7 grams of acidity measured in tartaric acid per liter, and it fermented in the 144-year-old oak vats and matured in used American oak barrels for five years. 88,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2018.”
Rioja rides the balancing act between young and old very carefully. There are the old-guard traditionalists, who eschew any sort of stainless steel and strive for firm wines that can reach into nearly oxidative states upon release. And there are the young guns who look to showcase the incredible fruit first and foremost, bringing modern materials and techniques into their gleaming wineries. Marques de Caceres falls somewhere in between the two poles, and this could well explain why their wines are found on thousands of wine lists around the world. Not to mention the incredible value of these award-winning wines.
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Marques de Caceres Crianza, Rioja DOCa 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $15.50, that’s $14.73 at 5% off and $13.95 at 10% off, 32 bottles in stock now
Decanter 90 points “Spicy on the nose, with aromas of redcurrant, leather and chocolate. Lively and fruit-driven on the palate, very approachable.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Marques de Caceres Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $19.90, that’s $18.91 at 5% off and $17.91 at 10% off, 35 bottles in stock now
Guia Penin 91 points “Color: dark-red cherry, garnet rim. Aroma: fruit preserve, aged wood nuances, tobacco, sweet spices. Flavour: spicy, round tannins, long.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Marques de Caceres Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $29.50, that’s $28.03 at 5% off and $26.55 at 10% off, 29 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 92 points “Warm spice and licorice notes lace the chopped cherry, green olive, sweet tobacco and vanilla flavors in this well-balanced red. Lightly chewy, with refined tannins and a minerally, tar-tinged finish. Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta and Graciano. Drink now through 2036. 16,666 cases made, 5,000 cases imported.”
In the town of Haro in Rioja, sit the some of the best and most essential wineries of the region within a few steps of each other: Lopez de Heredia, CVNE, and Bodegas Muga. Muga combines a traditionalist approach with modern cellar techniques. Muga is a core winery at the shop. The wines offer some of the best values in the region without skimping on complexity and ageability. These are wines to enjoy now or for years or decades to come.
Bodegas Muga ‘Prado Enea’ Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 17 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 97+ points “The expressive, complex and nuanced 2016 Prado Enea Gran Reserva is a textbook traditional Rioja in the making. 2016 was a very elegant year, with aging potential, volume and very good acidity and freshness. It’s full-bodied but fine-boned, has 14.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.6 and 5.25 grams per liter acidity. It has terrific balance, with all the components in the right proportion to age superbly in bottle. They have also been working on the selection of wood used. This wine matured in French and American oak barrels for three years, and the oak is super integrated. 127,808 bottles produced. It was bottled in January 2020. It was an exceptional year with volume and quality.”
Bodegas Muga Torre Muga, Rioja DOCa 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $116, that’s $110.20 at 5% off and $104.40 at 10% off, 6 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “Lastly, the 2020 Torre Muga just about jumps out of the glass with its complex red and black fruits, savory flowers, tobacco, lead pencil shavings, and graphite-like aromatics. Plush, full-bodied, concentrated, and beautifully balanced, it shows the softer, more rounded style of the vintage and has ripe tannins and a great finish.”
Marqués de Murrieta is one of the great pillars of classical Rioja—a titan of the region that’s responsible for some of the greatest wines ever produced in Spain. They resemble more polished, powerful versions of López de Heredia while sharing their age-worthiness. However, they also offer a more fruit-driven profile in their youth. Murrieta’s wines have always been favorites amongst critics and consumers alike.
Marques de Murrieta Finca Ygay Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $29, that’s $27.55 at 5% off and $26.10 at 10% off, 24 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 94+ points “The 2020 Rioja Reserva, their flagship wine, comes from the 300 hectares of estate vineyards. Here, Tempranillo is the backbone, making up 82% of the blend in the low-yielding vintage of 2019, complemented with 8% Graciano, 7% Mazuelo and 3% Garnacha. It has controlled ripeness at 14% alcohol, with a pH of 3.65 and 5.1 grams of acidity. I loved the aromatics here—floral and elegant, more in the style of the 2018 than the 2019. it’s lighter, more elegant, fine-boned and has a silky texture and very fine tannins. Both 2019 and 2020 are very good, but 2020 is more my style. 980,000 bottles produced. It was bottled after 21 months in American oak barrels.”
#10 James Suckling’s Top 100 Wines of 2023
Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial, Rioja DOCa 2012 750ml Displayed Price: $275, that’s $261.25 at 5% off and $247.50 at 10% off, 6 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 100 points “So much dried flower, mushroom, iron, rust, sweet berry, and grilled orange. Full-bodied with very elegant and refined tannins that melt in the mouth and give a real sense of place and integrity. Balanced and harmonious. The finesse and finish is endless. Production was 30% less than in 2011. Already so drinkable. A wonderful future. This is the new 1934 or 1964, two legends. Drink or hold.”
“The single vineyard wines of Viñedos de Páganos represent the terrain that the vineyards are planted on. These wines have been in production since 2001 and the Eguren family have achieved quality vintage after vintage, and have even lowered the production and increased quality over the last 12 years. Viñedos de Páganos was founded with the goal of highlighting the elegant, mineral expression of El Puntido … The family considers El Puntido to be the paradigm of a mineral expression of Tempranillo, which is caused by the high proportion of chalk in the soils at this site.” -Jorge Ordóñez Selections
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Vinedos de Paganos El Puntido Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2013 750ml Displayed Price: $89, that’s $84.55 at 5% off and $80.10 at 10% off, 16 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2013 El Puntido Gran Reserva started very shy and closed; it took time to open up to slowly unfurl the more tertiary notes, despite its youth. It reveals great complexity and nuance. It’s a triumph over the adverse conditions of a challenging year like 2013, a year with a lot of rain and a cold summer with lots of cloudy days when people thought the grapes were not going to ripen. It has a classical nose with notes of cherries in liqueur, cigar ash, decayed leaves and truffles with the spiciness from the 28 months in new French oak barrels and a lactic touch. The palate is polished, sleek and elegant. In 2018, they changed the fermentation vessels from stainless steel to concrete, but we’ll have to wait a few years to see that… 5,000 bottles produced. It has been in bottle since March 2016. It should be long lived and make old bones.”
In 2012, Sandra Bravo established her winery in Rioja Alavesa, working with some of the oldest and highest altitude vines in the region. With experience in wineries in Bordeaux, Tuscany, New Zealand, and California, she was ready to tackle the near-impossible heights of the foothills vineyards of the Sierra de Toloño, also known as the Sierra de Cantabria.
The terroir is what drew her. She came looking for freshness in the high elevation and calcareous soils. As she puts it, “Priorat really influenced me to make artisanal wines, and to understand that the most important is the vineyard, the vineyard with soul.” These are precise, elegantly textured wines featuring great acidity, low alcohol, and a sense of place. The wines seem to capture the energy and drama of the cool northernly winds that whistle through, imparting the sought-for freshness.
Sierra de Tolono Tinto, Rioja DOCa 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $24, that’s $22.80 at 5% off and $21.60 at 10% off, 14 bottles in stock now
Tim Atkin 92 points “The altitude and freshness of Rivas de Tereso were an advantage in the heat of the 2022 growing season. This old-vine Tempranillo really over-delivers at the price, with very little oak, lots of zip and freshness, succulent strawberry and red cherry fruit and undertones of pine and wild thyme. 2024-27.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Sierra de Tolono ‘Raposo’ Tempranillo, Rioja DOCa 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $31.90, that’s $30.31 at 5% off and $28.71 at 10% off, 11 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “In this wine, Sandra wanted to pay homage to the people of Villabuena de Álava where she is originally from. The vineyards are located at 500m altitude within the valley of the Rivas de Tereso. A blend of Tempranillo and a small amount of Graciano the wine is fermented and aged in large foudres. No fining or filtering.”
The most famous of all Spanish wineries, Vega Sicilia has been producing iconoclastic wines since 1864 that have both expanded and reinforced the idea of what a Spanish wine can be. Often compared to the very finest Premier Cru wines of Bordeaux, Vega Sicilia utilizes particularly low yield harvests and extended again, only releasing their wines when they meet their stringent standards. The Macán estate is a highly-regarded collaboration between Vega Sicilia and the French wine and hospitality company of Edmond de Rothschild Heritage.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Rothschild y Vega Sicilia Macán Clásico, Rioja DOCa 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 17 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The second wine in the Bordeaux sense is the 2019 Macán Clásico, a more concentrated and powerful wine cropped from a warmer and drier year that was saved by the 80 liters of rain in the first half of September. It fermented in stainless steel with 10% of their own yeasts, and the élevage was 22% in stainless steel and the rest in new and used oak barrels, mostly French but with around 5% of them American, and lasted 12 months. It has a moderate 14% alcohol, mellow acidity and good freshness and balance. 2019 was a dry and warm year when they did a soft vinification to avoid harsh tannins. The nose is ripe without excess, and the oak is neatly integrated. The palate is juicy and round, with fine tannins and a velvety texture. 77,316 bottles, 1,050 magnums and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in August 2021.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Rothschild y Vega Sicilia Macán Clásico, Rioja DOCa 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 13 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2020 Macán Clásico was cropped from a more generous crop. The grapes were put in a cold chamber for one night and then underwent a cold soak of three to four days, after which they inoculated the yeasts—in 2020, 25% of it was their native yeast. It fermented in stainless steel, and the élevage was 45% in new French and 5% new American oak barrels, 28% in second use barrel and 22% in stainless steel for one year. The bottled wine has 14% alcohol, a pH of 3.78 and 4.5 grams of acidity (tartaric). This is one of the most elegant vintages of this bottling so far. It has showy aromatics with notes of smoky bacon, a bit meaty, and the thing that surprised me the most was the velvety texture. 202,697 bottles, 1,998 magnums and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in August 2022.”
“In 1973, the Villota family cofounded Viñedos del Contino, Rioja’s first single estate winery with CVNE. The partnership lasted until 2013, when the Villota family broke off, taking the historic family estate with them, and founded their own winery under the Villota brand on this historic plot of land… [This is from the vineyard of] Finca San Rafael, owned and cultivated by the Villota family since the 1930’s. The vineyard is distributed on three terraces that slope gently towards the Ebro River [and tended] without the use of systemic herbicides, fungicides, pesticides, or fertilizers.” -Jorge Ordóñez Selections
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Villota Tinto, Rioja DOCa 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $29, that’s $27.55 at 5% off and $26.10 at 10% off, 11 bottles in stock now
Joaquín Hidalgo-Vinous 90 points “The 2020 Tinto is composed of 88% Tempranillo and 12% Graciano from Laserna in Laguardia, Rioja Alavesa. Displaying a dark garnet color, it features balsamic aromas ranging from bay leaf to wild herbs in a garrigue-like mood, with hints of blackberry chutney. Dry, rich and intense, the fairly structured palate is flavorful—a potent and ripe Rioja.”
Shop our 41 Rioja selections now!
Don’t miss our additional sales going on now:
Fèlsina Sale
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles of Fèlsina
10% off any 6+ or more in-stock bottles of Fèlsina
Saint Cosme & Chateau de Rouanne Sale
5% off any 3-7 in-stock bottles of Saint Cosme &/or Chateau de Rouanne
10% off any 8+ or more in-stock bottles of Saint Cosme &/or Chateau de Rouanne
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Saint Cosme & Chateau de Rouanne sale ends Sunday, November 16th at 9 am Pacific. Fèlsina sale ends Monday, November 17th at 9 am Pacific.