The 2007 Reserva (100% Tempranillo from 30+-year-old vines) was bottled unfiltered after spending 18 months in a combination of French and American oak. While not as sexy as the 2008 Reserva Unica, it is an outstanding wine displaying copious aromas of new saddle leather, tobacco leaf, licorice, black currants and cherries as well as dusty, loamy soil notes in the mouth. Medium to full-bodied, long and rich, it will provide pleasure over the next 6-8 years.
One of my favorite wineries in Rioja, Sierra Cantabria is owned by the Eguren family (who also own the Dominio de Eguren estate).
Importer: Value Wines from Fine Estates from Spain, Dedham, MA, tel. (781) 461-5767; Fax (781) 461-2570; www.jorgeordonez.com