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2019 Miguel Merino Reserva Rioja

2019 Miguel Merino Reserva Rioja

95DC
94TA
93RP
93VN
$39.99

Fulfillment times vary, for estimated turnaround times

Availability by location

San Francisco: 37 | Redwood City: 18 | Hollywood: 10 | Culver City: 9 | Main Warehouse: 5

95

Decanter

Reviewed March 2025
Seductive and enticing oak with attractive smokey bacon and woody spice aromas; this is a very fine and elegant reserva with plenty of red berry fruit and wonderful acidity. There is enough power here but the tannins are well managed and the oak is perfectly balanced. Will be interesting to see how this develops over time. (BW)

Professional Reviews

94

Tim Atkin

Review Date: 02/2025
Miguel Merino's Reserva used to be more traditional in style than his other wines, but that has now changed. Subtle, refined and elegant, it has rose petal and thyme aromas, fine grained tannins, plum and red berry fruit flavours and a hint of vanilla spice. One of the bodega's best Reservas yet. 2025-32

93

Wine Advocate

Review Date: 02/2025
The 2019 Reserva is only the second vintage Miguel made after he took over from his late father, Miguel Sr. It's a more classical expression of the grapes, mostly Tempranillo with some 5% Graciano from five Briones vineyards planted in the 1950s and 1960s, the wine pictured by his father. Miguel fermented the grapes in a 12,000-liter stainless steel tank and matured the wine in mixed French and American oak barrels, one-third of them new, for 22 months. Despite the amount of new wood, this seems less marked by the élevage than the Vitola, perhaps there's more depth and concentration here and the wine took the oak better. (LG)

93

Vinous

Review Date: 05/2025
The 2019 Reserva Miguel Merino is mostly Tempranillo with 4% Graciano from Briones, Rioja Alta. This aged for two years in French and American barrels. The nose offers mild vanilla, caramel, cherry and sour cherry against a backdrop of forest floor and light spice. Medium-bodied, with a broad yet focused palate and well-integrated tannins, during the charming finish oak and fruit combine harmoniously. The 2019 is refined and flavorful. (JH)

Staff Reviews

RR
Rachael Ryan

Rachael Ryan

K&L Buyer
Review Date: 06/2026
Miguel Merino is somewhat unusual in that he chooses to release the same vintage of Reserva and Gran Reserva side by side, rather than a younger vintage of Reserva next to an older vintage of Gran Reserva. This makes for a fascinating comparison, with the main differences being time spent in barrel and the type of oak used for aging. The 2019 Reserva is made from mostly Tempranillo, with just a dash of Graciano, aged for two years in an interesting hybrid barrel of sorts: the staves are made from American oak and the heads are made from French oak, allowing the two flavor profiles to meld from the earliest stages of maturation. The barrels are 70% new, imparting a clear savory and dried herb component to the wine, along with dried tobacco, leather and toasted hazelnut. Now with over four years of bottle age, this Rioja is absolutely singing, with seamlessly integrated supple tannins and lovely, refreshing acidity. For me, this Rioja sits perfectly in the middle of a traditionally styled Rioja and one with more modern sensibilities – it seems to have one foot in the past honoring Miguel Sr. and one foot firmly in the present, showcasing the forward-thinking style of Miguel Jr. It’s clearly of the region, but it is a wonderfully elegant, light-footed version of a Rioja Reserva.
ML
Matthew Landau Hassan

Matthew Landau Hassan

Review Date: 06/2026
This is Rioja with depth, patience, and real class. Layers of dried cherry, plum skin, tobacco, and warm baking spice unfold slowly from the glass, giving a wine beautifully mature and composed despite its youthful energy. The palate is silky and deeply savory, with finely integrated oak framing the fruit rather than overpowering it. There’s a quiet intensity here—nothing flashy, just confident winemaking and exceptional balance. The finish lingers with notes of leather, crushed herbs, and earthy minerality, making this a Reserva that feels both timeless and remarkably polished.
SB
Scott Beckerley

Scott Beckerley

Review Date: 05/2026
This is, by far, one my most favorite Rioja's that I have tasted since the beginning of the year. Like the "Vinas Jovenes" Rioja from this producer, it is cherry dominant though the fruit in this one run more toward darker cherries combined with increased rustic elements of more traditional Rioja. There are earthy scents, tobacco, baking spices, herbs. The fuller mouthfeel integrates with the traditional elements most brilliantly and the overall effect is one of increased complexity. I was quite astounded by the price to quality ratio! It's just a wonderful bottling and can drink beautifully now or it should cellar well for several more years.

Notes

Bodega Miguel Merino is located in the Rioja Alta village of Briones. Having spent decades in the business of exporting Rioja to the world, Miguel Merino had more than his fair share of the classic great wines from the region. It was with that knowledge and inspiration he founded his own Bodega in the mid 1990’s. It is the combination of clay soils rich in limestone, the altitude, and relatively steep slopes that make this an incredible location to grow Tempranillo. The blend is mostly Tempranillo with a small amount of Graciano, the wine is fermented in stainless steel and then aged for two years in oak. It is then bottled and then aged for an additional three years. They like to describe their style as “updated classic,” meaning they use a mix of French and American oak and craft wines with a fresher, brighter fruit component. That style is evident here with ripe, fresh fruit character. The oak frames the fruit with a mix of savory and sweet spices; that classic Rioja leathery earthiness is present but subdued. The tannins are present and polished and there is a fine lingering earthiness on the finish of the wine. This is an updated expression of a classic style.

Details

OriginRioja, Spain
Type/VarietalTempranillo
Alcohol Content14.5%
SKU1952859