This wine is black cherry in color with a purple rim and deep aromas of black fruit, plum, mineral and cocoa. Subtle tannins in a dense body are complemented by black prune and chocolate flavors that culminate in a long, elegant finish with balanced acidity.

Grapes for Roda Reserva are harvested from more than 20 carefully supervised vineyard blocks spread out among the best terroirs of Rioja. Each year only the top 17 blocks are vinified, guaranteeing superior grape quality. A team of 30 harvesters that returns year after year selects the grapes by hand. Typically two or three separate pickings are carried out to ensure that the grapes are perfectly ripe. In the winery, carefully sorted bunches are gently crushed in basket presses, then a cold soak extracts optimal color and tannins before a high-temperature fermentation and a long maceration. The grapes are vinified separately until it is determined which Roda wines each lot will produce. Aging is 16 months in French oak followed by 20 months in the bottle.

Technical notes

The 2004 vintage began badly but had a happy ending. Winter was wet and the budbreak was good, but by summer the weather turned wet and stormy. In early August, hail damaged two of the vineyards, and in the first half of September, warm temperatures and rain showers caused a fear of botrytis. In mid-September the weather changed drastically. It stopped raining, the days were sunny and dry and the nights were cold, and botrytis dried out--the vintage became an outstanding one. Roda calls it the miraculous vintage.

Food pairing

Perfect for rich main courses such as lamb stew, osso bucco, and needless to say, a good steak.

Producer

Mario Rotllant and Carmen Daurella have prioritized quality above all else since founding Roda in the late 1980s. Their goal: to be recognised as producers of one of the world’s iconic wines.