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Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva

On a bottle of wine, the term “Reserve” can mean literally anything. Often it’s just a simple marketing ploy and doesn’t denote quality.

However, in Spain it’s part of the legal classification system, most notably in Rioja.

  • A wine labelled simply “Rioja,” is the youngest, spending less than a year in an oak barrel.
  • A Rioja “crianza” is wine aged for at least two years, with at least one in oak.
  • “Reserva” is aged for at least three years, with at least one year in oak.
  • “Gran Reserva” wines have been aged at least two years in oak and three years in bottle before being released.