Roda I Reserva 2020 is a red Rioja from Bodegas Roda, made primarily from Tempranillo grapes grown on old bush vines in Haro and the neighboring villages of Ollauri, Cihuri, Gimileo, and Villalba. The yield is extremely low, at only about 1.5 kg per vine. Grapes from each plot are harvested separately, fermented individually in oak vats, and then undergo malolactic fermentation (a secondary fermentation that softens the wine's flavor) in the barrels. It is aged for 16 months in French oak barriques (half of which are new) before being bottled and aged for an additional two years prior to release.
2020 was a warm and humid year in the Rioja region. A rainy spring led to heavy mildew pressure, and in the summer, 13 days with temperatures exceeding 35°C, and the harvest came in reduced. However, September turned dry, and the harvest began about five days earlier than usual, with the grapes harvested in good condition.
The result is a wine with an alcohol content of 14.5% that retains a firm structure while exhibiting true maturity. It features juicy dark berry fruit, dusty tannins, and enough acidity to keep it upright. The 2020 vintage possesses a rich, full-bodied character. While it's enjoyable to drink now after some aeration, given the texture of its tannins, you'll likely appreciate its flavor even more if you let it age a little longer.
Robert Parker (94)
The flagship 2020 Roda I has a nose of black fruit and spices with hints of licorice and aromatic herbs, with depth and complexity, still very young and undeveloped. It's mostly Tempranillo and 8% Graciano fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in French oak barrels, half of them new, for 16 months. It reveals a powerful nose with good ripeness, reaching 14.5% alcohol but keeping its poise with a good pH and acidity, coming through as medium to full-bodied with juicy berry fruit and abundant, slightly dusty tannins. 119,200 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2023.
James Suckling (94)
This shows spices, dark berries, violets, cedar, underbrush and a hint of licorice on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied, it offers tender dark fruit with an expansive and voluminous profile, combining depth and density on the balanced palate. The tannins are polished and well integrated. 92% tempranillo and 8% graciano.
