Baron de Ley Reserva Rioja (Spain) 2015

Buy Six or more Pay Just $15.99
Sale $17.99

92 pts Wine Spectator / 92 pts Decanter / 91 pts Wine Enthusiast

Simply, this is a wine-lover’s dream. Winery aged red, ready to drink, yet possessing the secondary flavor characteristics that only age can impart, at a world-class level… for $16-18? Oh… and it is flat-out delicious. What I find compelling is the way the winery blends tradition and modernity to create a wine that redefines the Rioja Reserva category. The traditional aspects are there – two years aging in French and American oak, plus three in bottle results in an incredibly smooth wine, with hints of cedar and spice on the finish. In the vineyard, the winery has adopted modern techniques to increase leaf exposure, resulting in better ripening and aeration of the grapes. With these clean, expressive grapes, the winery practices cool fermentation in concrete vats to preserve the fresh aromatics and intense fruit flavors. The result is INSANE… ripe, juicy fruit… yet softened with age… yet possessed with fine, firm tannins… and… oh my!

This wine has classic aromas of vanilla and raspberries glide into a smoooothhh mouthful of blackberry and cherry fruit, backed up by rose petal, violets and well-integrated oak spice notes. There isn’t a rough edge to this baby thanks to the years of barrel and bottle aging. Yet don’t mistake that for “light” – this gem packs a ton of flavor and body into its seamless package. A well-tuned sports car just tooling along the Autobahn…

"This red offers a plush texture and ripe flavors, yet it remains graceful through the spicy finish. Plum, currant and fig notes are balanced by licorice and graphite elements, with well-integrated tannins and gentle acidity keeping this balanced. Drink now through 2025." WS

"A traditional and elegant style, combining notes of spice and earth with a ripe, juicy fruit profile. Shows finesse and complexity. Drinking Window 2020 - 2029" Decanter

"Earthy, spicy plum and red berry aromas are solid and in harmony. This reserva shows depth and balance along with ripe berry, cassis, chocolate and brown sugar flavors. On the finish, this is more subtle and smooth than loud. " WE


or reply. The wine is in stock now in Chapel Hill. Tuesday, as ordered, in Hillsborough.