Now we’ve done the groundwork and know what «young», Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva wines are, and what differentiates them, we are going to discuss which is the most appropriate for each situation.
This is, of course, leaving you to have the final say; we only want to help in the selection, to guide you, making it easier so you can make an informed and enjoyable choice among the chaos. This is what wine is for, and everyone’s taste is different.
Never forget that we are talking about a celebratory, sociable drink.
Both complex and fun.
Having said this we are going to make a daring but useful recommendation of the ideal wine for every occasion…. you will see if you are in agreement or not.
Social gatherings vary greatly so covering them all off is impossible, therefore our mission is to define, through examples, which is the optimum wine in each case, and then you can find the analogy.
Oh! And, of course, we are going to talk in terms of wines from Rioja, trying to include the rest of the wines on offer worldwide would be unmanageable.
If everything is clear and you are in the front of the Rioja section in a supermarket aisle or a wine shop (they are normally ordered primarily by the type of wine and then by region, that is to say, all the white wines together and all the sparkling wines together but within these categories they are usually organized by area.)
On the unoaked shelf you can find white, rosé and «young» red wines or wines made through carbonic maceration (already explained in previous chapters,) this wines are ideal for many gatherings. Both indoor and outdoor celebrations, barbecues and parties of all kinds.
Wine parties
As these are wines that often taste better chilled, they are ideal for warmer seasons of the year, when you can enjoy their tasty, fun and addictive nature.
A Crianza could also be a good option, above all if the event includes some more serious food, for example a good piece of barbecued meat.
Here, depending on the type of oak that is used, a red wine from this category could work very well... if you want to get even more sophisticated we would choose American oak for the lamb (the flavour of this meat combines very well with the coconut and vanilla of this type of oak) and French oak for red or white meat, in which the resinous notes will bring out its subtlety.
Without doubt the Crianza is very versatile in terms of price and possibilities, as already the most reasonably priced oaked options can reach a level of complexity that makes them an appropriate option for any kind of event.
Here we can say that Montecillo Crianza would make your evening.
But going up to the next tier, we get to the Reserva and Gran Reserva wines, back when we talked about them we told you that they come in both red and white and both should be taken very seriously.
The simple fact that a wine is white does not mean that it is less age-worthy, that is simpler or worse, in many cases the opposite is true.
Rioja is great thanks to – among other things – its white wines.
In our opinion, The Gran Reserva or Selección Especial are wines that have spent a long time waiting to be consumed, time during which they have readied themselves for perfection, becoming harmonious and velvety. Therefore, they also need the same time to be dedicated to their enjoyment, they deserve the privilege of time, therefore they are ideal for meals or get-togethers with friends and family, surrounded by long conservations during which wine and good company is enjoyed over extended periods.
We want you to have a full Montecillo Experience and that you appreciate all the viticultural work and history behind the wines. Sensing our value.
As a conversation starter.
Meals as a couple, «slow food» family meals, business lunches (often of more use than a decent CV) and so on.
But, in the end, the important thing is to enjoy the event and drink responsibility.
