2018 Rioja Reserva, Bodegas Ondarre

Deep ruby in the glass, this Rioja Reserva opens with aromas of ripe cherry, blackberry, and dried fig, layered with cedar, leather, and warm spice. The palate is smooth and structured with juicy dark fruit balanced by savoury tobacco and vanilla, framed by fine tannins and a long, elegant finish. Classic Rioja in its most reassuring form: polished, poised, and quietly powerful.

For when: you want a wine that feels like a safe pair of hands.
Pairs with: roast lamb, slow-cooked beef, or Manchego cheese.
If this wine were a person, it’d be the one who keeps the evening grounded while everyone else is telling stories.

Bodegas Ondarre, based in Viana in Rioja Alta, focuses on wines with a strong sense of place, sourcing from old bush vines grown on limestone and clay. Their Reservas are aged in a mix of American and French oak, giving both the smooth vanilla notes and the savoury backbone that make Rioja such a timeless classic.