Carlos (Charles) Serres was born in Orléans in 1862 and was a well-known wine consultant when he was charged with finding a wine region outside France that was able to produce high-quality wines. He had already come across a unique terroir during his frequent travels that reminded him of the best terroirs in Bordeaux — a small town called Haro in a region known as Rioja. In 1885, Serres moved to Haro to establish a new style of wine with an international profile and a Bordeaux soul. In 1896, he established the first winery registered as an 'export merchant' with the goal of satisfying the tastes and appetites of the international wine consumer. He brought his French winemaking traditions to bear on the vinification and ageing of his new wines, and also drove the business' focus on exporting its wines.
The winery still respects the legacy and traditions of its founder. The Bordeaux style, established by Carlos Serres, giving the wine its spicy, vanilla notes, still comes from the use of French and American oak barrels made by the best coopers, slumbering in a new 5000-barrel cellar.
Although it was at the end of the 19th century that the City of Haro began to position itself as the Wine Capital of La Rioja, its winemaking heritage has many more centuries of tradition. Even today there are still many small, underground and practically abandoned cellars that bear witness to the more than 500 years of history of Haro’s wine cellars — a history linked to perfect conditions for the development of La Rioja wines: clay and limestone soils, the necessary cold in winter, and the influence of the Ebro River. We will sample:
Viura Tempranillo Blanco 2022 — Viura is the most widely planted white variety in Rioja. It showcases high acidity and green apple aromas. Tempranillo Blanco is a minority indigenous white grape variety which is exclusive to the DOCa Rioja. It is the result of a natural mutation of Red Tempranillo. Clean and bright with a lingering fruity aroma. Light, fresh, and silky on the palate with a pleasant finish. 12% ABV. $15.99/$6
Rioja Reserva Tempranillo 2017 — Cherry red color with thin terra cotta edge showing its longer barrel age. Aromas of mature black fruit, toffee, and balsamic as well as some mineral notes. Lots of black fruit, spice, and vanilla all beautifully integrated. Strong minerality and the sense of that extra time in barrel and bottle*. Fresh, vibrant and juicy, but aldo silky and elegant. Blend: 90% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano. 13% ABV. $19.50/$6.50
Rioja Gran Reserva Tempranillo 2015 — Bright red and garnet with a rim turning to brick showing its extended ageing in barrel and bottle. Complex aromas from its development and ageing, mature ripe black fruit, and vanilla and cinnamon spice, with a deep mineral core. Velvety smooth, harmonious with a fresh finish.Blend: 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo. 13.5% ABV. $28/$9.50
SOMETHING SPECIAL: We just happen to have TWO bottles of Carlos Serres Carlomagno 1970 Rioja Gran Reserva in stock! The last vintage that Bodegas Carlos Serres bottled of its flagship Carlomagno label was in the late 1970s. If Carlos Serres Gran Reserva exuded power in the Bordelaise style, Carlomagno showed more finesse and elegance, closer to the wines from Burgundy. During a winery inventory, an un-labelled batch of bottles that had been earmarked as Carlomagno was discovered. After years of work, the winery managed to recover the Carlomagno brand. Coinciding with the 125th Anniversary of the winery’s foundation, the brand was relaunched with a special edition of 1,896 bottles (to match the year the winery first opened). Blend: 65% Tempranillo, 25% Graciano and 10% Mazuelo. Aged 55 months in American oak barrels and 45 years in the bottle.
*Rioja has a strict set of rules regarding its classification. Reserva must be aged a minimum of 3 years, with at least 1 year in barell and 6 months in bottle. Gran Reserva means that the wine was aged at least five years, with a minimum of two years in oak. In addition, gran reserva wines are typically made in only outstanding vintages.