The Gran Reserva is almost exclusively a classic style in Rioja….most of these wines have over 30 months in oak, many as much as 48 months!   National wine law in Spain has changed…the minimum oak aging for a gran reserva is 18 months, though the total time before release remains 5 years.  But many of the regional authorities have left the minimum oak aging period at 24 months.  In any case the typical aging periods far exceed the minimum. 

So for our modern.classic comparision I decided to pair the Gran Reserva with what I’ll call a super-reserva.  This is an ultra modern wine that is a step above the normal reserva.  In this case our reserva is not officially a reserva…though it has 18 months of oak it only has a cosecha or joven sticker on the back.

I think Rioja Gran Reserva’s are very, unique interesting wines, but they can cause a lot of confusion for the foreign wine consumer.  Gran Reservas are quite expensive and one could order them in a restaurant thinking you are getting a sort of Grand Cru equivalent….the top wine from the region.  When the wine arrives and has that soft oaky mouth with complex but faded fruit…it can be quite a disappointment.  I’ve had some clients tell me they thought the wine they ordered was defective!  From their perspective the top Vinos de Autor fit their expectations of bang for the buck much better. A Vino de Autor is the name for a wine personally crafted by the wine-maker to fit his strict criteria…in reality these “authored wines” are the top wines of many wineries and are made in an ultra-modern style.

From my perspective, I have tasted few Gran Reservas I would buy for personal use…the less expensive ones are woody, bitter, and hollow…the expensive ones are quite impressive, but I prefer an intense, fresh and complex fruit for my 30-55 euros. 

My classic gran reserva:
Gran Reserva 904 1995 by Bodegas La Rioja Alta (around 30€)
Outstanding, excellent nose….earthy, sweet spice, figs. Very reminiscent of certain sherries.  An attractive mouth, silky texture with complex raisin and spice notes.  The finish though is quite short, woody and bitter. 
Rating: 17 points

My modern super-reserva:
Coleccion Privada 2005 by Bodegas Sierra Cantabria (around 30€)
Attractive, candied plum and candy-like nose at first…with air intense spicy, vanilla oak notes come out.  In the mouth, sweet red fruit, spice….smooth, yet with a bracing structure and fresh acidity…very elegant.  Very mouth-filling and long with medium levels of very ripe tannins.  Better with aeration. 
Rating: 17 points

Conclusions:
I would call this a draw….though I would much rather have the Sierra Cantabria with my meal…we could easily polish off a bottle or two!  The Gran Reserva really impressed me, especially on the nose…but suffers from a serious shortfall when it comes to the finish.  There is also something disconcerting about its dried fruit elements.  The Sierra Cantabria is super attractive and easy to drink, but lacks a certain complexity that would raise its rating.  Both of them are pricy at 30 euros. 

Ratings (20 point system):  10-13 poor, 13-15 fair, 15-17 good, 18-19 excellent, 20 exceptional