A tight and linear red now with very long and direct palate that is driven and intense. Medium to full body, bright blackberry and mineral character. Just a baby now. Give it three to four years to soften. A beauty. Try in 2021.

"Not everyone made good wines in 2017, a vintage that threw various curve balls at Rioja, not least the April frost, but Maria Larrea certainly did. This blend of Tempranillo with 15% Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha is youthful vigorous and focused, with fine oak, a green undertone, lots of dark berry fruit and chalky minerality."

This balanced red shows muscle without losing grace. Black cherry, leafy, forest floor and toasty notes mingle over well-integrated tannins in a silky texture, with fresh acidity giving way to a floral, minerally finish. Not showy, but harmonious. Drink now through 2030. 12,500 cases made, 1,500 cases imported.

Light and sophisticated, well balanced with a dried tart fruit finish. Subtle oak with a true old word feel.

"Saturated garnet. Ripe cherry, red currant and pungent flowers on the expansive nose, along with vanilla and tobacco nuances that build in the glass. Sweet and broad on the palate, offering oak-spiced red and dark berry and fruitcake flavors and a hint of candied flowers. Slowly building tannins frame the clinging finish, which shows excellent clarity and repeating cherry and vanilla notes.-- Josh Raynolds"

The analysis of the 2015 Imperial Reserva is almost identical to those of the Viña Real Reserva from the same vintage, but the profile is quite different. This is the more serious Haro-style red, and it has slightly darker fruit and a medium to full-bodied palate with very good grip, powerful but with great balance. The blend is also similar—85% Tempranillo and the rest split between Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha—but these are grapes from Rioja Alta fermented with yeasts selected from their own vineyards. The wine matured in French and American oak barrels for two years. The wines are different, but the quality level is similar. 150,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2018. (LG)