At the head of Bodegas Tobía is one Oscar Tobía. In a region that places immense emphasis on tradition, Oscar stands out for his innovation and relentless tinkering. Nothing is sacrosanct for him. Alongside the American oak preferred by Rioja classicists you’ll find more discrete and elegant French barrels; reds ferment in a mix of old-school cement and high-tech stainless tanks that capture the CO2 produced by fermentation; whites often go into barrels made from rarely-seen wood like acacia or ash. With his endless experimentation, he’s had a palpable impact on the region as a whole: his barrel-fermented 1996 “Alma Tobía” rosé prompted the regulatory authorities to amend the category and allow oak influence in the wines.

And despite Bodegas Tobía’s relative youth, it’s got a pedigree most century-old wineries would be envious of. Oscar himself is a fourth-generation winegrower, and he began his eponymous winery only after doing extensive studies in France. He knew what he was looking for when he began the hunt for a property, and selected fifteen different plots of old vines in the Rioja Alta. This subregion is the historic heart of quality winemaking in Rioja, and Oscar counts as neighbors legends like Lopez de Heredia and (of course) La Rioja Alta. Rioja Alta vineyard sit at higher elevation than in the Rioja Oriental to the east, imbuing the wines with vigor and freshness to support the ample fruit Rioja’s warm climate imbues. It also makes for the scintillating structure that allows a wine like “Oscar Tobía” to blossom at ten years old and age basically for as long as you can let them rest in your cellar. 

Why You’ll Love It

• The age of the vines here is incredible – the youngest vineyard from which “Oscar Tobía” is sourced is 45 years old. The oldest site is in Oscar’s hometown San Asensio, and the vines are over a century old.

• “Oscar Tobía” Gran Reserva is 93% Tempranillo and 7% Graciano, sourced from three plots across Rioja Alta, with calcareous clay and sandy gravel soils.

• Oscar’s winemaking emphasizes lift, grace, and purity of fruit. That means he goes for more gentle extractions, and ages his Gran Reserva in a mix of American and new French oak. 

• Now almost eleven years old, the 2014 “Oscar Tobía” is absolutely singing. The nose brings waves of dark cherries, blackberries, dried rose petals, dried plums, anise seed, pepper, cinnamon, and leather.

• On the palate it’s deep and lush, velvety and with substantial volume. There’s great acidity to balance the richness, and the fruit never isn’t nearly as dried out as in so many other Gran Reservas. 

• The value here is, honestly, insane. “Oscar Tobía” drinks like a $100 bottle and costs less than half that.

How To Serve It

• Pop “Oscar Tobía” into a decanter for about 30 minutes before drinking to really let the aromas unfurl.

• Drink around 60-65 degrees in all-purpose stems.

• Despite the price, this is a bottle to watch unfold throughout an evening. Serve it alongside some regional fare like patatas la Riojanas.