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Roda Winery Guide

Winery Overview

Roda produces some of the most delectable and sought-after red wines in the Rioja region and Spain. Small quantities of spicy, powerful, and concentrated ultra-high-quality Reserva wines are released each year and snapped up by those in the know. Yet, for all of Roda’s pedigree, it is still a baby with a reasonably recent history, having been established in 1987 by Catalan Mario Rotllant and Carmen Daurell.

They eventually settled in the Rioja Alta region. They located their winery in Haro’s Station District, “Barrio Estacion,” which soon created a unique, modern-style wine that would become the region’s benchmark.

Haro dates back to the 10th century and has been central to viticultural activity in Rioja for centuries. It is built on the sides and top of a hill on the southern slopes of the Obarenes mountains at the river Tirion’s mouth and is the first point of call for any visitor to the region. Mario instinctively knew that Haro would yield the best results from his wines, and he spent many years searching for the perfect vineyards and constructing the ideal winery. Eventually, after thorough analysis and research, he found his chosen 20 sites encompassing 70 hectares and agreements with local growers for a further 50 hectares.

In 1992, Roda burst into the Rioja limelight when a great vintage finally yielded a wine that Mario was happy with. First released in 1996, Roda took its name from its proud parents, Mario and his wife, Carmen Daurella. The estate has gone from strength to strength with the Roda 1 Reserva now the jewel in the crown, rich, structured wine of great finesse and breeding. Wine Spectator’s Thomas Matthews observed that this refined red wine combines intensity and grace, showcasing a solid framework and harmonious notes of plum, toast, and spice that linger on the crisp and invigorating conclusion.

Its Roda label is lighter but still much more than a second wine. And then there is the prestige wine, Cirsion. One of the region’s most profound and immortal expressions astonishes all who taste it: intoxicating perfume and concentrated, spicy berry fruit. The aim has always been to produce excellent reservas (in other words, no “vino joven” or “crianzas”), and these splendid, single-estate wines are worth seeking out. Besides their fine wines, Roda also produces some of the best olive oils in Spain.

 

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Further Reading

Author

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James lawrence

With a passion for food & drink that verges on the obsessive, wine writer James Lawrence has traveled the world in search of the perfect tipple. To date, nothing has surpassed the 1952 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Rioja Reserva, tasted in the cobweb-filled cellars with owner María José. Meanwhile, James has been writing for a wide variety of publications for over 12 years, including Telegraph, Decanter, Harpers, The Drinks Business, and Wine Business International. He lives in South Wales and returns to his former university city, Bilbao, as much as possible.

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