Onomastica Reserva 1995 (6 bottles) Bodegas Carlos Serres - (Haro, La Rioja) D.O.: Rioja Rioja Vintage Rating 1995: EXCELLENT Carlos Serres' most emblematic wine in an excellent vintage Carlos Serres was a visionary from Bordeaux who forever changed Rioja winemaking and expanded its reach beyond the ocean. More than a century later, the winery that bears his name produces wines worthy of his legacy. Onomástica Reserva is the winery's flagship wine, a limited-production red that, on this occasion, boasts an excellent vintage. It offers ample depth on the palate, balance, and flavor, with good acidity and refined tannins; the mouthfeel is aromatic and smooth, and the finish is long and persistent. Onomástica is a commemorative label by Carlos Serres. It is a limited-production red wine that represents the pinnacle of the winery's quality. It is the result of a traditional blend dominated by Tempranillo and complemented by Mazuelo and Graciano. The grapes come from the El Estanque estate, the heart of the winery and one of the most emblematic properties in Rioja. It is perfected with 24 months of aging in oak barrels. The 19th century was drawing to a close when the French wine merchant and consultant Charles Serres settled in Haro. Phylloxera had devastated French vineyards, and Spain was then Europe's great hope. Enamored with Rioja from the moment he arrived, he decided to apply his knowledge of viticulture and oenology here and founded his own winery in Haro's Station District. Charles, by then known as Carlos, was a pioneer of aging wines according to the Bordeaux model and played a significant role in the export of Rioja wine, showing local winemakers how to open markets across the ocean. Today, the memory of this man and his importance in the development of Spanish winemaking lives on thanks to the winery that bears his name, one of Haro's most distinguished.