The textbook 2016 Gran Reserva is elegant but lively, keeping fruit with tension and freshness. They matured it in new French barrels for two years and a further year in used French oak barrels. The wine has lots of power and stuffing and has notes of incense, nutmeg and cigar ash, with abundant, slightly grainy tannins. So, it has a slightly different spice profile from the wines matured in American oak, livelier and more powerful. 3,656 bottles were filled in early 2020.

Like the Reserva, the 2014 Gran Reserva also shows brilliantly, complex, nuanced, polished and elegant, showing the essence of traditional Rioja in a clean and expressive way. They selected grapes from old vines (planted between 1918 and 1960) that fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts and matured in new French oak barrels. The wine has absorbed most of the new oak by now and feels quite classical, perhaps a little creamier than the old-timers, with fine tannins and developed flavors. 4,821 bottles and 378 magnums were filled in March 2017.

The classic, polished, developed and balanced 2010 Gran Reserva is only produced in certain vintages. The dream year 2010 was one of those vintages when they achieved the elegance and subtlety they look for in this bottling. It matured in seven oak barrels of different origins for 27 months, which provided subtle aromas of cigar ash, cured meat and incense. The medium-bodied palate revealed good balance with some chalky tannins and good acidity, polished and soft. 1,952 bottles were filled in March 2013.

The classic, developed and polished 2008 Gran Reserva was a good bottle of traditional Rioja, mostly Tempranillo with some 5% Graciano that matured for 33 months in oak barrels. There are notes of forest floor, cigar ash, cured meat and leather with a hint of soya sauce, clean and classic. The palate shows good consistency, with some chalky tannins and moderate acidity, polished and soft. Ready to drink. 6,850 bottles were filled in September 2011.

The 2004 Grand Reserva is Tempranillo blended with 4% Graciano from three vineyards, two planted in 1931 and a third, “La Loma,” planted in 1946 near Briones. It is matured for 26 months in Allier and American barrels. It has a very harmonious bouquet with dark plum, singed leather, sous-bois and game that is very well-defined and classic in style. The palate is medium-bodied with elegant, fine tannins matched with well-judged acidity, the finish is a little dry and savory with hints of cocoa on the long aftertaste. This is an excellent Gran Reserva. Drink now-2020. Located in the village of Briones in Rioja Alta, Bodegas Miguel Merino offer exemplary modern Rioja wine sourced from their own Tempranillo vines planted between 1931 and 1963 at an altitude of 550 meters above sea level. The Tempranillo vines are augmented by small plots of Mazuelo and Graciano that are occasionally bottled separately. The wine is then matured in a combination of new American, French and Hungarian oak. Importer: T. Edward Wines, New York, NY; tel. (212) 233-1504