1998 Bodegas Riojanas, Rioja Gran Reserva "Monte Real Limitado Edicion"

If you were salivating over this morning’s special discovery of 2001 Rioja, then get ready to melt into a giant pool of perfectly cellared, red wine Nirvana. The 1998 Gran Reserva “Monte Real, Edición Limitada” is a very rare re-release that comes direct from the cellars of Bodega Riojanas in Cenicero. Years ago the team at Riojanas set aside a special lot of their 1998 Gran Reserva to age in their pristine, cold cellars for what was then an undetermined amount of time. They finally started releasing these precious bottles just a couple of years ago, with the name “Edición Limitada” attached to their classic Monte Real labels. It is easily one of the most classic, complete, and complex Riojas we’ve tasted all year. And the price blew us away too. Of course it is limited, like the name suggests, so don’t wait to stock up.  The high, arid plateau that makes up the Rioja region of north-central Spain has been a wine destination for an almost unknowingly long time. Certainly a thousand yea