Another Rioja Reserva at an amazing Costco price. We review the 2018 Olarra Classico Rioja Reserva.
90% Tempranillo, 5% Garnacha and 5% Mazuelo and Graciano from Rioja Alta and Baja, Spain. The wine was aged 18 months in oak casks with additional time in the bottle.
Sometimes Costco pricing boggles the mind. According to Wine Enthusiast, when they gave their 93 point rating of this wine, it has an SRP of $55. Wine Access offered it in the recent past at $22 a bottle. The current Wine-Searcher average is about $17. Both are pretty good discounts, huh?
Well, Costco just asked all those other retailers to hold their beer and priced it at $8.99, barely higher than their own Kirkland Signature Rioja Reserva. It really makes you wonder about the markup that you’ve been paying everywhere else…
From the winery:
2018 Olarra Classico Rioja Reserva
Tempranillo 90%, Garnacha 5%, Mazuelo and Graciano 5% from Rioja Alta and Baja
Careful selection of the fruit as it came into the bodega enable us to perfom long periods of maceration, so as to ensure good extraction of tannins, aroma and other quality components in the resulting wines.
After fermentation, the wine was racked several times in large American-oak vats before being left to age for 18 months in oak casks. After bottling, Olarra Clásico Reserva has been kept in our bottle cellar to develop its bouquet and harmonious character.
Deep cherry red with ruby hues, Olarra Clásico Reserva is a wine for laying down. Its aromatic complexity includes red berries, liquorice and hints of smokiness, opening up towards animal aromas after opening. In the mouth, it proves to be long and with good backbone, with a reminder of the fruit returning in the aftertaste.
Bottled by Bodegas Olarra
Imported by Tri-Vin Imports, Inc.
13.5% Alcohol
The 2018 Olarra Classico Rioja Reserva opens with a pleasing aroma of dark red berry, baking spice, licorice, some smoky balsamic notes and more. It’s a great start.
Taking a sip reveals plenty of those wonderful aged Rioja balsamic notes along with other flavors similar to the nose. It also features a soft, smooth mouthfeel and good acidity. Unlike a lot of other Rioja Reservas I wouldn’t wait too much longer to drink this one but it certainly is nice to be able to get a wine like this with some age on it for just $9.
It ends dry and long and was similar on day 2.
2018 Olarra Classico 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 Costco wine selections here.
Review Summary
Olarra Classico Rioja Reserva Review • Reverse Wine Snob
Another Rioja Reserva at an amazing Costco price. We review the 2018 Olarra Classico Rioja Reserva.
7.5
Pros
- Giant discount at Costco
- 87-88 points
Cons
- Much more expensive elsewhere
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