Gran Reserva wine: What it is, barrel time and more

Gran Reserva wines have characteristics and features that make them unique from other wines. Discover them in detail and don't miss them.

Eva Pizarro

Sommelier at Fierro restaurant and trainer at Tandem Gastronómico.

In Spain, unlike in some other countries, the Denominations of Origin (D.O.) are responsible for establishing the regulations that wines must follow to be certified under a particular name. These regulations vary by region, and there are currently around 90 D.O.s, each with its unique circumstances, traditions and characteristics.

Alongside this legislation, Spain also has regulations regarding the ageing of wine – the period and conditions under which the wine matures before being released for sale. This has given rise to the well-known classifications of Young, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva wines.

GRAN RESERVA WINES

Today we are going to focus on the latter, Gran Reserva wines, which are aged for a minimum of 60 months, of which at least 18 months must be in the barrel – the rest of the ageing can be in the bottle itself.

For white and rosé wines, they are classified as Gran Reserva when they have been aged for at least 48 months, with at least the first 6 months spent in barrels.

CAN ALL WINES BE GRAN RESERVA?

At first glance, any wine aged for the aforementioned periods could qualify as a Gran Reserva, but this is not necessarily the case. The purpose of extended ageing is for the wine to improve over time. This requires using high-quality vintages, where the grapes have the right characteristics to evolve favourably during this ageing process.

WHAT IS A GRAN RESERVA WINE LIKE?

The lengthy time a wine spends in the barrel and subsequently in the bottle imparts a range of characteristics, including:

Changes in aroma. The fresh fruit nuances fade away and notes of ripe or dried fruit appear.
New aromas appear. The contact with the wood will give us toasted, spicy, leathery and earth notes.
Texture definition. The wines lose structure and become more fragile and elegant.
Colour changes. Youthful violet and red hues evolve into brownish tones, losing intensity.
They gain complexity, subtlety and refinement.

ARE GRAN RESERVA WINES THE BEST?

Gran Reserva wines from a winery are always the most expensive, due to the high costs associated with their long ageing process and the limited availability of top-quality grapes, which are reserved for these wines.

However, as always, it ultimately depends on individual preferences and circumstances!