Rioja Vega 135 Aniversario Reserva 2011 ** Master ** Vinos De Autor Category Rioja Masters Awards

Rioja Vega 135 Aniversario Reserva 2011 is MASTER in the Vinos de Autor category, the highest honor granted by the Rioja Masters competition.

The awards organized by the internationally-acclaimed The Drinks Business magazine, have chosen only nine wines in total with the MASTER accolade among all the categories.

One of them is Rioja Vega 135 Aniversario Reserva 2011, situated among the best Vinos de Autor (RRP 30£-50£). As the tasting panel director and Master of Wine Patrick Schmitt explains: “Our final category concerned the rather loose concept of Vinos de Autor, which, if one were to draw a comparison, represents the equivalent of Super Tuscans in Chianti – representations of Rioja that break the rules of the traditional classifications. Roughly translating as ‘winemakers’ signature’ wines, they tend to have more concentration and depth than the gran reservas, and often higher prices too – mainly because they are made in small quantities from specific sites”.

Such is the case of Rioja Vega 135 Aniversario Reserva 2011 in which the Tempranillo from the vineyards of Rioja Vega plays a key role. It is made with grapes from a vineyard of over 60 years of age located next to the winery as well as a vineyard of more than 50 years of age nestled in the hillside of the Sierra de Cantabria. These two locations, with different altitudes, climates and soil compositions, stamp their own personalities in this wine and make it unique.

But not only the most exclusive Rioja Vega wines have gathered the compliments of the Rioja Masters judges. Also the top places in the categories of Vino Joven and Crianza wines are occupied by Rioja Vega wines. For instance, Rioja Vega GyG 2017 has a Gold Medal and is considered Best Vino Joven from Rioja (under £10). Rioja Vega Crianza 2015 has received a Gold Medal and has been placed among the top five wines in its class. Also, Schmitt himself highlights Rioja Vega Colección Tempranillo Blanco 2017 as Best White Wine from Rioja and ‘a great discovery’; it is the only white wine in the competition to receive a Gold Medal.