2015 El Centimo Real Reserva Rioja 750 ml

It was late summer—the last hurrahs of Napa barbeque season before harvest—and we had just arrived at a friend’s St. Helena backyard. Dusk was approaching, the string lights were on, and he was just laying out platters of Flannery ribeyes, anointing them with peppery Tuscan olive oil.

Perfect timing, except… The El Céntimo Rioja was almost gone. Realizing this, the grillmaster’s wife, a winemaker of note in Oakville,  practically pushed us to the wine table so we could get a glass before the last bottle was empty. She, like anyone who knows Jesus Parreño and his wife Alaina Velasquez, is a big fan of their work—and she loves to share wines from their micro label in Rioja. 

Alaina Velasquez isn’t just an enologist at Opus One. She’s their head of research, constantly running experiments to improve the standards of the legendary estate. Her husband Jesus grew up in Rioja, and his family still owns prime sites in Rioja Alta—the most coveted of the area’s sub-regions. 

Generally, those grapes get sold to some of the region’s most famous wineries. But in exceptional years, Alaina and Jesus have a few barrels made for the El Céntimo label. And boy was 2015 an outstanding year in Rioja, standing as a providential intersection of perfect timing and Mother Nature's generosity. 

Under brilliant Spanish skies, Rioja’s Tempranillo grapes achieved exceptional ripeness while maintaining their characteristic acidity, yielding wines of remarkable depth and finesse. The year was recognized immediately as one of the greatest of the decade by both Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator—and our estimation has only increased over time. 

Because El Céntimo’s principals have day jobs, they can hold onto their wines until they’re ready to drink, and the 2015 Reserva is absolutely lights-out right now. With gorgeous aromas and a palate that’s both generous and sneakily structured, it’s pure seduction right now, but you easily have another 15 years to drink your bottles.