What, precisely, is a “reserve” wine…? To start things off, the word reserva is a Spanish and Portuguese term referring to quality wine from a good vintage that has satisfied specific aging requirements. In the case of red wines, they must have a minimum of three (3) years of aging with at least one (1) year in oak barrels. In order to be labeled reserva, rosé and white wines require a minimum aging of two (2) years with no less than six months in oak.
To go one step beyond, gran reserva is a Spanish term used for aged, top-quality wines from very good vintages. In order for this term to be used on a label, red wines must age for five (5) years, with two (2) of those years in wooden barrels. White and rosé wines must age for four (4) years, with six months in wood.
Contrast this with “reserve.” Although this word is found on a plethoric variety of U.S. wine labels, it has no legal definition, as does reserva in Spain and Portugal… which indicates that this term cannot be relied upon to have any special meaning. And “reserve” can appear on wine labels in numerous ways: Private Reserve, Proprietor’s Reserve, Special Reserve, Vintner’s Reserve, or simply Reserve.
For some vintners, of course, the term “reserve” means their top quality wines. These wines may be produced from grapes produced from special vineyards, or blended from superior batches of grapes, or aged in special barrels for a specific period of time. However, and this is a mighty big however… “Reserve,” in whatever variation in which it may appear, does not always indicate high quality and is often used as a marketing ploy in which producers charge a great deal more for their reserves than for their regular wines. In other words, reserve wines should be judged upon their individual merit and not on the labeling. Sometimes reserve wines are worth the added expenditure… and sometimes they are not.
This brings us to two wines I recently tasted: 2011 Rancho Zabaco Zinfandels. One is a reserve, the other their regular vintage. And, interestingly enough, there is very little difference in price. The regular 2011 is normally priced in the $10.00 – $14.00 range; the 2011 reserve generally goes for approximately $17.00. Both are heady, hefty wines… lots of ripe fruit and plenty of alcoholic punch (the regular vintage weighs in at 14.5%; the reserve at a whopping 15.2%).
But there are a number of differences in these two wines. The regular 2011 isn’t quite as deeply colored as the reserve and is initially a touch rough on the palate. It lacks the suppleness and soothing mouth-feel of the reserve. The Bottom Line: Both wines are recommendable, but the reserve is simply a better vintage; smoother around the edges and more pleasant from start to finish. In this case, the 2011 Rancho Zabaco Reserve Zinfandel is definitely worth a few more dollars… and it still remains a remarkable bargain.
Bon Appétit!
TAD
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