2005 Seleccion de la Familia Rioja Reserva
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One of the great Rioja pioneers, Luis Cañas (who died recently in his early 90s) was the man who really put Rioja Alavesa on the map, and this wine is a fitting testament to that achievement; old vines tended organically (mainly Tempranillo) and then aged in half-and-half American and French oak. The 2005 is superb now; still magisterial in colour, the primary fruit having ceded to a rich savoury seam, balsamic suede and bitter chocolate vying for attention. The finish is magnificent, even after all these years.
Critic scores
Average Score
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate
Simon Field MW, Decanter
More reviews and scores
85% Tempranillo. Dark crimson. Very oaky. Not a style I like personally but it’s well done in this idiom. Drying finish. (JR)
The 2005 Reserva de la Familia is a blend of 85% Tempranillo and 15% “other varieties” that is aged for 20 months in new French and American oak. It has a sophisticated bouquet of dark red cherries, cold black tea and a touch of blueberry that is succinct and beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, saturated tannins. It is silky smooth in texture with a sensual finish of cranberry, wild strawberry, white pepper and a touch of dark chocolate. This is effortless and pure class. Drink now-2022+ Bodegas Luis Canas owns 90 hectares of vine. This is augmented by 200 hectares under long-term contract, dispersed over 815 parcels. These wines were imbued with wonderful purity and sophistication, managing to tread that fine line between modernism and classicism and embracing the virtues from the two. Moreover, I found that these wines evoked a sense of place, something that not all Rioja wines do. These all comes highly recommended.