El Coto 'Coto de Imaz' Rioja Reserva 2016

Wine Spectator 91
Supple and graceful tannins encase the cherry tart, violet and cola notes of this mocha-tinged red. Accents of loamy earth, anise and herb sail on through the finish. Drink now through 2026.

James Suckling 91
Red fruit, toasted oak and some coffee and chocolate. Medium body with firm tannins and attractive ripeness. Drink or hold.


Wine & Spirits 91 Best Buy"
This tight, earthy Rioja has a classical profile, with gamey notes, edges of limestone acidity and tannins darkening its red-currant flavors. Its youthful energy makes it a lovely match with grilled lamb.

El Coto de Rioja, located in Oyón, was founded in 1970 by a group of winemakers committed to creating a new type of Rioja. Its first bottling was released in 1975. Today, El Coto is the leading brand in Spain and among the top-selling Spanish wines in Europe.

Five hundred hectares of estate vineyards are located in La Rioja Alta's village of Cenicero, near the east bank of the Najerilla River, a tributary of the Ebro. Facing northwest, vineyard soils are mostly ferric clay, sand and limestone, which contribute structure, power and elegant minerality, respectively, to the wines. The recently incorporated Los Almendros estate, shared with Barón de Ley, adds an additional 300 hectares of vineyards to the impressive estate holdings. Additional grapes are sourced from 2,000 hectares in Rioja Alavesa. Here, limestone, clay and stony soils make aromatic, expressive wines with great finesse.

With the exception of "Coto Real" Reserva and "Coto de Imaz" Gran Reserva, all reds are aged in new American oak barrels, the classic Rioja marriage of wine and wood. Their seductive cigar box, spice and herbal aromas and silky red fruit flavors are the essence of fine traditional Rioja.