Why this wine matters
More than a famous label.
The name revives an old cellar tradition: barrels judged especially characterful were once marked XR in chalk by the winemaker, though those wines were not historically sold under that name.
Marqués de Riscal · Rioja Alavesa
XR Reserva
Rioja Reserva · black cherry · liquorice · cinnamon · balsamic · polished
XR takes one of Rioja’s best-known names and gives it a slightly more distinctive story than a standard Reserva.
Country
Spain
Region
Rioja Alavesa
Appellation
Rioja DOCa Reserva
Grapes
Tempranillo · Graciano
Style
Red
Realistic spend
£22–£30
Budget band: £20–£35
Best moments
birthdayfathers daychristmasdinner partygiftsunday lunch
A highly recognisable Rioja Reserva for Christmas, birthdays and gifts.
How it is made
The decisions behind the style.
The blend is Tempranillo-led with Graciano and follows a long Reserva maturation in American oak; previous technical releases specify around 25 months.
What does it taste like?
The shape of the wine.
Black cherry and concentrated fruit meet liquorice, cinnamon, black pepper and balsamic notes, with polished tannins and a persistent finish.
Body4/5
Acidity4/5
Tannin4/5
Sweetness0/5
Oak influence4/5
Freshness4/5
Aroma5/5
Serve it well
Serve around 16–18°C.
If this wine were human…
The polished traditionalist
If XR Reserva were human, it would be immaculate manners, firm opinions and an excellent memory for details.
substantialsharp-mindedstrong-willedpolished
Does any of this sound suspiciously familiar?
Immaculate manners, firm opinions and an excellent memory for details. You can be patient for a surprisingly long time, provided the result is actually worth waiting for.
At dinner, you can rescue an awkward silence with one question and then let everyone else take the credit. Secretly, you are delighted when somebody else spots the detail you were hoping they would notice.
In short: immaculate manners, firm opinions and an excellent memory for details. rioja reserva energy, translated into a person.
Purely for fun — this is the wine’s fictional personality, not a psychological reading of yours.
What to eat with it
And the cheese?
No dead ends.
Start with this wine and move straight into cheese, or build a whole tasting around it.
Keep exploring
There are 365 more wines where this came from.
Research sources
This profile is researched against producer or similarly authoritative material. Vintage-specific details are kept separate from the permanent wine identity.