Bodegas Miguel Merino Rioja Reserva 2020

A stalwart of the Briones sub-region, the 2020 Miguel Merino “Vitola” Reserva is a textbook example of why we look to Rioja Alta for elegance and longevity. While many Reservas can lean into a world of heavy-handed oak and oxidative notes, Merino crafts this wine with a journalist’s eye for detail—clean, expressive, and rooted in terroir.

Sourced from north-facing slopes planted in the 1970s, this blend of Tempranillo and a splash of Graciano (added for its vibrant, nerve-shattering acidity) spent nearly two years in French oak. The result is a wine that feels alive. On the nose, it offers a sophisticated profile of wild lavender, thyme, and red cherry, underpinned by more savory notes of tobacco leaf and cedar. The palate is medium-bodied and exceptionally polished, showing a refined tannic structure that makes it a natural partner for the dinner table.
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This is a bottle for those who appreciate the “real Rioja”—where the fruit is still the star, and the dirt and complexity linger long after the last sip. Enjoy it now with a herb-crusted rack of lamb or tuck a few bottles away in the cellar to watch them evolve over the next decade.