2014 Bodegas Olarra Laztana Rioja Reserva 750 ml

Our Master Sommelier Sur Lucero has a checklist for can’t miss, traditional, old-school Rioja and a knack for sniffing out the best deals in Spain—but rarely does a bottle tick every box AND crush quality-to-price expectations like the 2014 Bodegas Olarra Laztana Rioja Reserva.

This is a superb Reserva, and it comes from one of our favorite producers on the Ebro. After 16 months in barrel and a full six years in the bottle, it is absolutely singing. 

It’s not surprising to see this quality and value from Bodegas Olarra. For almost half a century, the winery has produced top-flight reds of impressive character, combining the region's traditional winemaking methods with state-of-the-art technologies and cutting-edge design. The winery itself, which sits on the Ebro River in the heart of Logroño, is a monument to modern architecture.

Designed by Juan Antonio Ridruejo, the iconic three-winged building (picture the Mercedes-Benz badge) is one of the most breathtaking sites in Spanish wine. Its most prominent feature is the barrel-room roof, a remarkable assemblage of 111 hexagonal domes that go way beyond aesthetics: They’re designed to prevent sharp temperature changes in the cellar.

This is absolutely crucial for Rioja wines, which require careful aging. The 2014 Laztana Rioja Reserva, made from 85% Tempranillo, 10% Mazuelo (Carignan), and 5% Garnacha, was aged for 16 months in barriques, then six full years in bottle. It’s drinking perfectly now, but will stand up in the cellar for years—although chances are slim that you can keep your hands off it for anywhere close to that long.