2015 Bodegas Olarra Rioja Reserva Cerro Añon 750 ml

Sure, when our Master Sommelier Sur Lucero announced this bottle as his “favorite under-$20 Rioja of the year,” it grabbed our attention. And when he was backed up by 92-point Smart Buy honors from Wine Spectator AND a 92-point Editors’ Choice nod from Wine Enthusiast, our interest only intensified. 

But nothing sold us on the 2015 Bodegas Olarra Cerro Añon Rioja Reserva like our first swirl and sip. Ruby-hued with cellar-earned crimson edges, this dazzling red boasts all the hallmarks you expect from classic Rioja: a beautifully integrated nose of dried cherry and plum skin accented by wild herbs, leather, Maduro tobacco, and dusty earth. On the palate, it’s voluminous and rich, finishing on a frame of polished tannins with lingering notes of licorice, cedar plank, and forest floor. 

It’s no surprise that this kind of value comes from Bodegas Olarra. Founded in 1973, they’ve been a mainstay in the subzone of La Rioja for nearly half a century, turning out top-flight reds from their striking winery, which sits across the winding Ebro River from the picturesque town of Logroño. 

You can’t talk about Bodegas Olarra without talking about the stunning architecture. Designed by Juan Antonio Ridruejo, the iconic three-winged building (picture the Mercedes-Benz badge) is one of the most breathtaking sights in Spanish wine. Its most prominent feature is the barrel room roof, which is made up of 111 hexagonal domes, whose role is much more than aesthetic—they’re designed to prevent sharp temperature changes in the cellar. 

This is absolutely crucial for Rioja, where careful aging is the crux of the process. The 2015 Cerro Añon Reserva, which consists of 80% Tempranillo and the rest Garnacha, Mazuelo, and Graciano, spent 20 patient months in Bodegas Olarra’s cellar, biding its time in 225-liter barriques of 65% American and 35% French oak. Ranging from brand-new to seven years old, the varied oak regimen imparted perfect toasted notes, before another 18 months in bottle mellowed the wine beautifully. 

Now five years after harvest, all the gorgeous spice, leather, and toasted notes of great Rioja are deepening. 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 for anywhere near that long.