Kirkland Signature

If you like fruity, this one’s not for you. If you know Rioja, check it out.

What: Red. 2018

Where: Costco (Pocatello is the closest one to Salt Lake City . . . )

How Much: $10 / bottle

Rating: 3 out of 5

Review: When we’re talking Rioja wine, it’s important to understand some essential terminology.

You’ll see Rioja Crianza, Rioja Reserva, and Rioja Gran Reserva. With Riojas, it would be easy to pick one you hate if you don’t understand what these three different wine categories mean.

Rioja Crianza: this requires a minimum of 24 months of total aging, 12 months of which must be in a barrel.

Rioja Reserva: this requires a minimum of 36 months of total aging, 12 months of which must be in a barrel, plus 6 months in the bottle.

Rioja Grand Reserva: this requires a minimum of 60 months of total aging, 24 of which must be in a barrel, and another 24 (at least) in the bottle.

So what does this mean to you? Well, it all depends on your palate.

How much do you like oak? To me, that’s the real issue here. More time in oak means more oaky flavors. It also means more tannins pulled from that oak. Take it to the next step and all that extra tannin means more aging power, so you’re going to be able to mellow the Reservas and Gran Reservas in your cellar for a hell of a lot longer than a Crianza, but you’d better like a mouthful of oak if you do.

Okay, let’s get to this wine.

Ooh, this one smells like a musty cave . . . but, you know, the good kind of musty . . . the kind that you want to drink. I also get a hint of generic red fruit among an oaky backdrop. On the palate, I’m hit with a good balance of acid and tannin. Not a lot of fruit flavors, though that same generic red flavor huddles at the edges. There’s a spiciniess from the barrels this bad boy was aged in. Overall, this is an easy drinking wine I recommend to all the Rioja Reserva lovers out there. For the wine lovers who want fruit flavors in their wine, skip this one (or hey, try it and expand your horizons!).