Alvaro Loza Cien Reales Rioja 2023
Alvaro Loza Cien Reales Rioja 2023
93+pts Wine Advocate
Drink Date: 2027 - 2035
The 2023 Cien Reales is the third vintage of a red from a specific 0.37-hectare plot in Labastida that was planted 32 years ago with Tempranillo at 530 meters in altitude surrounded by aromatic plants like thyme, rosemary and lavender in a zone with ancient stone lagares. It fermented with 40% full clusters, with 45 days of maceration and matured in two 225- and 228-liter French oak barrels for 16 months. It has the aromatics of the Mediterranean herbs, decayed violets and ripe berries with abundant spicy notes and a smoky twist. It's tasty, juicy and almost salty, with a chalky feeling to it. It's a powerful vintage with 14.5% alcohol but with good balance and freshness, fine tannins and a long, dry finish. 599 bottles were filled in November 2025.
Álvaro Loza started his small project in Rioja in 2019 after extended experience in different parts of the world—Champagne, Tasmania, South Africa... He has six small plots that total a little over one hectare and purchases some grapes to produce a total of 6,000 bottles. For him, 2023 was warm and dry, a year of healthy grapes and an early harvest, and 2024 was a little milder and with some more rain and some risk of botrytis. Published: Mar 12, 2026
Vineyard: Cien Reales is the name of the vineyard, located in Labastada at 530 meters above sea level. It is a terrace on a large slab or sandstone rock facing the Toloño mountain range. The soil is shallow with calcareous sand on the surface and sandstone with a high calcium carbonate content. It is surrounded by aromatic undergrowth plants such as thyme, rosemary, lavender, and juniper.
Winemaking:
- 100% Tempranillo
- 70% of the grapes were destemmed without crushing, leaving the berries whole. 30% were whole grapes.
- Fermented in open 1,000-liter tanks with daily punch-downs by hand.
- Maceration lasted 35 days.
- Aged in a used 225-liter French oak barrel for 16 months.
