A Midweek Morrisons Rioja That Had Other Ideas – Marques de Los Rios Reserva Review

I picked this bottle up after seeing it mentioned by Tom Gilbey, who spoke highly of it and compared it to styles I’ve enjoyed before. That was enough to spark my interest, especially given how much I’ve liked wines like Viña Alberdi. What I got initially was exactly that. A pleasant nose, cherry pie and a touch of vanilla pastry, then in the glass a nice hit of damson jam. It showed well enough, but it didn’t quite carry through. The flavour dropped off a little earlier than I’d hoped and it sat firmly in that good, not great category.

And to be honest, I was fine with that. Not every bottle needs to be a moment.

First Impressions at the Table

With food, things improved as you’d expect. Ribeye for me, lamb chops for Liv. The tannins softened, the wine became rounder, and the American oak started to show itself more clearly. It was enjoyable, easy to drink, and did exactly what a midweek Rioja should do.

But it didn’t really change character. It stayed consistent. Nice, balanced, food-friendly, but not particularly exciting. At that point, I had it down as a well-made, straightforward Rioja that needed food to shine.

The Overnight Surprise

Then something interesting happened.

I left a glass in the decanter overnight and came back to it the next day with no real expectations. This is where the wine completely shifted.

The tannins had softened even further, but more importantly, the wine had found length. Where it had previously peaked early and faded, it now flowed. The fruit, oak and structure had come together in a way that just wasn’t there on opening.

It genuinely felt like a different wine. Less about impact and more about balance. Less Rioja in the obvious sense, more like a composed blend. There was even a touch of elegance to it, something that reminded me of a decent Pinot Noir in the way it moved across the palate.

That high end feel I’m always chasing started to show itself, not in the same way as Bordeaux or Tignanello, but it was there.

When Wine Starts to Move

The last time I experienced a shift like this was with Château Musar, and that’s what made this moment stand out. Obviously we’re talking about completely different levels of wine, but the principle felt similar.

A wine that doesn’t give you everything straight away. A wine that needs time. A wine that evolves.

Back to the Table

Coming back to it again with Spaghetti Bolognese, A great pairing! The acidity from the tomato, the richness of the meat, the herbs in the sauce, it all lined up with where the wine had settled.

This time it wasn’t about fixing the wine with food. The wine had already found itself. The pairing just elevated it further.

It felt balanced, complete, and properly enjoyable.

A Rioja Worth the Wait

What started as a decent, midweek Rioja turned into something far more interesting with time. It never became a top tier, unforgettable bottle, but it showed something important.

There was more there than first impressions suggested.

It needed air, and not just a quick decant. It needed time to settle, to knit together, to find its shape. Once it did, it delivered length, softness and a level of elegance that simply wasn’t there at the start.

It’s a good reminder that sometimes the difference between a nice wine and an interesting one isn’t the bottle itself, it’s patience.

And that’s something I’ll definitely be taking into the next one.