A really nice example of a Rioja Reserva at a great price. We review the Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva.
Primarily Tempranillo plus small amounts of Graciano and Mazuelo from vineyards throughout Rioja, Spain. The wine spends 18 months in 225 litre American and French oak barrels, followed by at least 18 months in the bottle before release.
We love a good Rioja, especially when you get it for close to $10. Surprisingly, we’ve never actually reviewed this wine on the site, so let’s check it out!
Sample submitted for review. The 2018 Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva has an SRP of $16 and is available widely for as low as $11. It is imported by Pernod Ricard USA.
From the winery:
2018 Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva
Regional overview: The Denominación de Origen Calificada Rioja is located in the north of Spain, in the Ebro River Valley, and it’s divided into 3 zones: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental. The whole area hosts 66 thousand hectares of vineyards, distributed in terraces at both sides of the river. Rioja’s mild climate, being a confluence of Atlantic and Mediterranean influences, is perfect for grape growing. The diversity of soil types and mesoclimates, together with local varieties and centuries old experience in winemaking makes Rioja one of the most emblematic regions in the world.
Vineyards: Campo Viejo benefits from the diversity provided by Rioja by sourcing grapes from vineyards distributed throughout the region, each one of them with its unique characteristics imprinted in the wines obtained. Sustainable practices are used during the growing season to ensure high quality grapes in each vintage are obtained in a respectful manner with the environment. The Campo Viejo winery itself was built to be sustainable and pioneered in the country to be the first Spanish winery to be carbon footprint certified, among other certifications.
Winemaking and ageing: The grapes coming from different locations are de-stemmed, gently crushed and carried via gravity force to stainless steel vats for fermentation at a controlled temperature of approximately 28°C.
During fermentation, regular pump-overs are used in order to extract colour and flavours. The components of the final blend are aged separately in French and American oak barriques (225 litres) for 18 months. After the oak ageing, the final blend is made and then the wine rests in bottle for a further 18 months where it gains its complexity and round palate.
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Tasting: A beautifully-structured Spanish red wine with fruit notes (cherries and ripe blackberries). The wine has elegant, soft tannins, medium body, and a long, complex finish. There is a great balance between the fruit (cherries, black plums, ripe blackberries) and the clean nuances from the oak (clove, pepper, vanilla and coconut), enriched by the complex aromas developed during bottle ageing. Very attractive to the palate, with ripe fruit and spices, tobacco and toasted oak. Elegant, soft tannins, medium body and a long, complex finish.
13.5% Alcohol
The 2018 Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva begins with a pleasing aroma of black cherry, leather and licorice along with touches of cranberry, blood orange and spice. It’s a nice start.
The wine needs a bit of air but then it tastes quite nice. Smooth and with good balance and acidity, it’s easy to drink but also has enough depth to keep it interesting. It features juicy fruit with similar flavors to the nose.
It ends dry and a touch grippy and spicy on the very long finish and was even a bit better on day 2 where it was even smoother. This is lovely.
2018 Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva
Looking for more of our favorite picks from Rioja under $25? Browse our multi-page listing along with more information on the wines of this popular, and unique, region!
You can also find more of our favorite Tempranillo here.
Review Summary
Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva Review • Reverse Wine Snob
A really nice example of a Rioja Reserva at a great price. We review the Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva.
8
Pros
- 89-90 Points
- Widely available/easy to find
Cons
- Nothing not to like at this price
