Rioja is one of the great wine regions of the world, producing wine that is not only delicious upon release, but that is also extremely age worthy – if you're looking to build a bit of a wine collection, this is a great place to start. With over a century of winemaking history, Rioja wines, from their young Cosechas all the way up to their aged Grand Reservas, are great with a wide variety of cuisines, and offer enough bright acidity and deep rich flavors to please almost any red wine drinker you might come across. And, for all of their pedigree, these wines – even the Reservas and Grand Reservas – are still insanely affordable. In fact, we're willing to say Rioja may be the best steal in the entire world of fine wine.
One of those steals is Bodegas Beronia Reserva 2011. This Reserva has spent 18 months in barrel and 20 months in bottle before being released, delivering an incredible amount of quality and age for a price point of only $20. We'd recommend buying an entire case.
In the glass, this wine is textbook Rioja, smoky and oaky aromas give way to berries and red fruit. It's a lusciously drinkable wine with a nice amount of tannin balanced by acidity delivering flavors of dark fruits and chocolate. It's the perfect wine for red meat and grilled lamb, the dish most commonly found in Rioja.
This is a wine that is sure to please, perfect for your next dinner party or as a gift for someone you want to impress.