Glorioso Reserva 2018: classic Rioja review

This is the flavour most people picture when they hear the word Rioja. The Glorioso Reserva 2018 from Bodegas Cosme Palacio does nothing to surprise you, and that is exactly the point. Vanilla, coconut, ripe red fruit and that soft, familiar roundness that gave Rioja its global reputation.

Glorioso is the approachable brand from Cosme Palacio, the Laguardia house that has been making wine since the nineteenth century. The Reserva is its calling card: a wine that fits every Spanish bar and every table without asking you to think about it.

In the glass: clear ruby with a brick rim that gives away the age. Ripe plum and sweet cherry, then the signature American oak with vanilla, coconut and a hint of dill. Supple tannins, medium acidity, a finish that lands warm and round on that 14% alcohol. Classic, comfortable, easy.

What this style stands for, and who it isn’t for

Here is the honest part. The American oak dominates the fruit. If you love the modern, fresh, terroir-driven Rioja that is now on the rise, you will find the Glorioso old-fashioned, too sweet on the wood. That isn’t a fault, it’s a choice, but a polarising one. You’re picking nostalgia and recognition here, not tension.

The second caveat is complexity. For a Reserva, with the ageing that designation implies, the wine stays flat. It doesn’t unfold in the glass, it is immediately who it is and stays that way. Fine at its price, but don’t expect layers to reveal themselves after half an hour.

When to pour the Glorioso Reserva 2018

A weeknight bottle with grilled meat, chorizo, a plate of manchego. Not a wine to sit and contemplate, but one to pour generously without anyone complaining. Serve it slightly below room temperature, around 16 degrees, or the alcohol pushes too far forward.

Cosme Palacio and the Glorioso brand are widely available. This is the bottle you can grab blind for a dinner when you don’t want to take a risk. For adventure, look elsewhere in the Cosme Palacio range.

Producer

Bodegas Cosme Palacio

Wine

Glorioso Reserva

Vintage

2018

Region

Rioja DOCa, Spain

Grape

Tempranillo

Alcohol

14%

Bottle received as a press sample from Cosme Palacio. No payment, independent assessment.