page_title: Reserve wine
section_title: Reserva in Iberia
hierarchical_section_title: Reserve wine / Reserva in Iberia
caption_attribution_description: English: Two bottles of Baron de Chirel, Rioja wine Español: Dos botellas de Barón de Chirel, Vino de Rioja
context_page_description: Reserve wine is wine of a higher quality than usual, or a wine that has been aged before being sold, or both. Traditionally, winemakers would reserve some of their best wine rather than sell it immediately, coining the term.
  In some countries the use of the term "reserve", "reserva" or "riserva" is regulated, but in many places it is not. Sometimes, reserve wine originates from the best vineyards, or the best barrels, making it more special. Additionally, reserve wines may be made in a style suited to longer aging periods. However, in regions where the use is not regulated the presence of the term "reserve" on a wine label may be nothing but a marketing strategy. Indeed, in the case of one of the largest-selling premium wines, Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay, every bottle produced is "Vintner's Reserve". To indicate a traditional reserve wine, Kendall-Jackson uses the term "Grand Reserve".
  Like the term "old vines", "reserve" traditionally indicates a wine that is special, or at least different in flavor or aging potential. The presence of a non-reserve bottling with a producer that also sells reserve wine makes it more likely that "reserve" is being used in its traditional sense.
context_section_description: In Portugal and Spain, reserva is a regulated term controlled by law, at least ensuring that reserve wines get some additional ageing. In practice it is very difficult to regulate quality, so the term primarily deals with ageing and alcoholic strength. In Portuguese and Spanish wines, the requirements varies between regions, but typically, when used on a label "Reserva" means that the wine was aged for at least three years in the cask and bottle, at least one of which must have been in the cask.
  Those that have been aged for five years (two in cask, three in bottle) or more are labelled Gran Reserva. Gran Reservas are intended to be made only in exceptional vintages, but this is up to the producer.
  In Portugal the term indicates that the wine has an alcohol level of at least 0.5 percent above the regional minimum, and that it was made from a rated vintage.
caption: Bottles of Rioja Reserva
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