The 2007 Roda I Reserva is purple-colored with a nose of earth, mushroom, balsamic, and blackberry. Terroir-driven, it is tight and firm on the palate but may well evolve with an additional 5-7 years of bottle age. It is something of a gamble. Spanish wine aficionados will debate the merits of 2004 vs. 2005 for decades to come. Bodegas Roda is a family-owned winery in Rioja that was founded in 1987. The winery was completed in 1991, and the first commercial vintage was 1992. Three tiers of wine have been produced, Roda, Roda I, and Cirsion, all from the estate’s 17 parcels of vines, each of which is vinified separately. No wine is made from vines less than 30 years of age. Roda I focuses on the dark fruit side of the spectrum, while Cirsion is a selection of the best vines within 4 of the 17 blocks. This luxury cuvee is produced only in good years; 2002 was not produced, and 2008 will be skipped over as well. Beginning with the 2008 vintage, Roda will be releasing an as yet to be named entry-level wine designed to be more forward and appealing to younger wine drinkers. A barrel sample was very pleasant and is likely to sell for under $20. In addition, Roda has begun a project in Ribera del Duero. I tasted barrel samples of 2008 and 2009 of this yet to be named wine, and they revealed plenty of promise.Importer: Kobrand, New York, NY; tel. (914) 253-7700

The purple-colored 2005 Roda I Reserva offers up aromas of toast, scorched earth, tobacco, incense, black cherry, and blackberry. More powerful and structured than the 2004, it still manages to be light on its feet, offering up plenty of succulent black fruit flavors, incipient complexity, and a 45-second finish. Drink it from 2015 to 2035. Bodegas Roda is a family-owned winery in Rioja that was founded in 1987. The winery was completed in 1991, and the first commercial vintage was 1992. Three tiers of wine have been produced, Roda, Roda I, and Cirsion, all from the estate’s 17 parcels of vines, each of which is vinified separately. No wine is made from vines less than 30 years of age. Roda I focuses on the dark fruit side of the spectrum, while Cirsion is a selection of the best vines within 4 of the 17 blocks. This luxury cuvee is produced only in good years; 2002 was not produced, and 2008 will be skipped over as well. Beginning with the 2008 vintage, Roda will be releasing an as yet to be named entry-level wine designed to be more forward and appealing to younger wine drinkers. A barrel sample was very pleasant and is likely to sell for under $20. In addition, Roda has begun a project in Ribera del Duero. I tasted barrel samples of 2008 and 2009 of this yet to be named wine, and they revealed plenty of promise.Importer: Kobrand, New York, NY; tel. (914) 253-7700

The 2004 vintage was a great one in Rioja (as it was in the rest of Spain). The 2004 Roda I Reserva is purple-colored with an expressive, youthful bouquet of wood smoke, espresso, incense, tobacco, black cherry, and blackberry. Structured on the palate, it has enough ripe tannin to evolve for another 6-8 years. Sweetly fruited, it has superior depth and concentration, layered savory flavors, and a lengthy, pure finish. Its drinking window will extend from 2015 to 2034. Bodegas Roda is a family-owned winery in Rioja that was founded in 1987. The winery was completed in 1991, and the first commercial vintage was 1992. Three tiers of wine have been produced, Roda, Roda I, and Cirsion, all from the estate’s 17 parcels of vines, each of which is vinified separately. No wine is made from vines less than 30 years of age. Roda I focuses on the dark fruit side of the spectrum, while Cirsion is a selection of the best vines within 4 of the 17 blocks. This luxury cuvee is produced only in good years; 2002 was not produced, and 2008 will be skipped over as well. Beginning with the 2008 vintage, Roda will be releasing an as yet to be named entry-level wine designed to be more forward and appealing to younger wine drinkers. A barrel sample was very pleasant and is likely to sell for under $20. In addition, Roda has begun a project in Ribera del Duero. I tasted barrel samples of 2008 and 2009 of this yet to be named wine, and they revealed plenty of promise.Importer: Kobrand, New York, NY; tel. (914) 253-7700

The 2001 Roda I Reserva is selected from vineyards said to provide firmer, more structured, longer-lived wines. More deeply colored, it offers a fragrant bouquet of wood smoke, spice box, mineral, and assorted black fruits. On the palate it is medium to full-bodied with a firm structure, ripe flavors, good depth, and a moderately long finish. It will benefit from 2-3 years of cellaring and drink well through 2020. Importer: Kobrand Corp., New York, NY; tel. (212) 490-9300

The 2002 Roda I Reserva is 100% Tempranillo from vineyards said to provide more structure than the straight Reserva. This effort is a bit deeper in color and more expressive aromatically with scents of earth, smoke, spice and blackberry. It is also slightly richer and longer but it, too, is lacking in depth and concentration. That said, the wine is certainly elegant and enjoyable but is clearly the product of a lesser vintage. Drink it now and over the next 6 years. Importer: Kobrand Corp., New York, NY; tel. (212) 490-9300