You Should Be Drinking: Bodegas Montecillo Viña Monty Rioja 2016

Montecillo’s Reserva comes out swinging—tar, red fruit, dusty leather, the works. Brutal but refined, like a wealthy pirate with a good tailor.

byKalle Bergman

Coming out of the bottle, this wine is serious from the get go. Colors are a little muted, slightly matte, but deep deep red. The smell is pure soil, tar, any fermented red fruit you can think of, a pair of dusty cowboy chaps, brutal – but elegant, like a wealthy pirate with a fine tailor.

Drinking it? Oh, you’re in for a treat buddy.

Picture yourself sitting on the front porch of your elegant finca in the Sierras above the Mediterranean coast, looking out across your lands. A winding dirt road, leads up through the grounds to where you are. A few horses neighing in the background. You can see your private bullring in the distance, maybe one of your banderilleros is sparring with a young bull, preparing for this weekend’s grand fiesta. Your herd of black footed pigs, lazily munching on acorns as they fatten up, getting ready for slaughter. You see Africa in the far distance, across the narrow Gibraltar strait. The sun is slowly setting, creating the most spectacular display of colors and shades as the beams hit the branches of olive-trees and cork-trees that line the dirt road. The distinct scent of jacaranda fills the air. Something special is needed to accompany this special moment.

You call out for Paco (you know, your butler) to fetch you a chalice of wine from the cellar. One of the good ones.

This one.

Vina Monty Bodegas Montecillo

The Wine You Should Be Drinking:

Bodegas Montecillo Viña Monty 2016 Garnacha$90

About the Winemaker:

Founded in 1870, Bodegas Montecillo is the third-oldest winery in Rioja—and the oldest in Fuenmayor. It started as a family project and still feels like one, even after joining the Osborne group in the ‘70s. The focus has always been on Rioja Alta fruit, long aging, and a steady respect for time. Their underground cellars still hold bottles from nearly a century ago, stacked by hand and left to evolve. Montecillo doesn’t chase trends—it sticks to what Rioja does best: structured reds with patience built in.