🍷 Eguren Ugarte Gran Reserva

Eguren Ugarte Gran Reserva is a line of Eguren Ugarte (red Rioja Gran Reserva); years on this site: 2016.

According to the house, the grape varieties are Tempranillo (90 %) and Graciano (10 %).

Eguren Ugarte is a family winery in Laguardia (Rioja Alavesa); according to the house, the family has grown vines since 1870, and the present winery with 2,000 metres of caves was built in 1989 in Páganos.

Rioja is a qualified designation of origin (DOCa; in EU terms a PDO) in northern Spain along the Ebro; the name has been protected in the EU since 13 June 1986. The area covers municipalities of La Rioja, Álava and Navarre and is divided into Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental. Fourteen grape varieties are allowed, among them Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta, Graciano, Mazuelo, Maturana Tinta and Viura; yields may not exceed 6,500 kg/ha for red grapes and 9,000 kg/ha for white. Oak chips are banned, and only wine bottled at wineries registered with the Regulatory Board may carry the name Rioja.

Under the DOCa Rioja rules, a red Gran Reserva ages in oak barrel and bottle for at least 60 months, including at least 24 months in oak followed by at least 24 months in bottle; its alcohol must be at least 12 %.

Under the DOCa Rioja rules, wines without an ageing term may not mention “barrel” or “wood” on the label or in advertising. The ageing terms are Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva; the label may also name a zone, use “Vino de” with the name of a municipality, or say Viñedo Singular — a single vineyard with vines at least 35 years old. The minimum alcohol of red wine is 10 %, of Crianza 11.5 %, and of Reserva and Gran Reserva 12 %.

Under EU rules, a wine label must show the designation of origin, the actual alcoholic strength, allergens such as sulphites, and the name of the bottler. For Rioja, the word Rioja must stand out, with the words “Denominación de Origen Calificada”, the Regulatory Board seal, the brand name and the name of a registered winery just below it.

Why it matters to you. The term on the label (Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva) tells you the minimum ageing in oak and bottle, not how good the year was. The WHO reminds: there is no safe level of alcohol. The year on the label is the harvest year, so different years of the same line are different wines.