In Spain we can enjoy different types of wines, some, the best wines in the world. We popularly catalog them in reds, rosés and whites, and each one is known to combine with certain dishes and flavors. They are also usually grouped according to the denomination of origin and aging.
If you are interested in the wine universe, you have probably heard debate about whether a wine from Breeding or a wine from Reservation. To know if a wine is better, the time that has passed the wine in the wooden barrel and in the bottle before being consumed.
You may be wondering which one you should buy to delight your palate and that of your diners. While it is true that, in part, personal tastes, preferences and subjective elements influence, there are objective characteristics that determine the quality of a wine. In Cosmevins we will clarify what is the main element of a good wine.
Table of Contents
Crianza or Reserva Wines, which one to choose?
Young wine
Before talking about these two kinds of wines, it is necessary to clarify what is the young wine. It is a common type of wine, made to be marketed that same year. It is not stored in wooden barrels nor is aging expected; is bottled for a almost immediate consumption.
There are cases in which the young wine it is stored in barrels to age, but it spends less time than an Crianza or Reserva. Therefore, it is usually more fruityHas less body And is less intense. It is the ideal wine for those who do not feel passion for wine.
That said, let's start comparing the qualities of the two main wines.
Crianza Wines
The Crianza wines go through a aging process quite long but smaller than the Reserve wines. It usually lasts about 2 years; of which 6 months minimum must be stored in wood. be stored. There are exceptions such as the rioja and Ribera del Duero appellations of origin, which do not strictly comply with this process. At the age of three a wine of Crianza is ready to be marketed.
In the case of white wines and Pink, are classified as Crianza those who age in the cellar for a period of 18 months and spend at least six months in wooden barrels. Usually, these wines begin to be sold from the age of two. As you can see, the fermentation time of white and rosé wines is shorter than that of red wines.
But Why should wine be stored in barrels? It is made to improve its aromatic qualities, stabilize its color and lighten the astringency. That is, to achieve an excellent result. In fact, storing them for a long period causes the impurities to concentrate at the bottom of the barrel.
As you can imagine, the qualities of wine depend on the maturation time to which they are subjected. So from this factor determines your balance, colour and the quality of the taste.
Reserve Wines
The Reserve wines boast of a superior quality to the Crianza thanks to a longer maturation process. Therefore, that famous saying that goes: "Wine, the older, the better", applies in this case.
As a general rule, the Reserves are subject to a minimum of 36 months of aging, of which 12 are in wooden barrels. From the age of four they are marketed.
If we talk about the white and rosé wines, the fermentation time is shorter. Minimum, 18 months; with six months in barrels and 12 more in the cellar. They are marketed from the third year.
If you want to go a step further, the denomination Gran Reserva is the highest quality of all. It corresponds to a last period of aging that is reserved for the best harvests. For this reason, they are the more exquisite wines, giving to which a selection of the best grapes of each harvest is made. In addition, they have at least five years of maturation, with 18 months inside wooden barrels, which will add better nuances to the flavor and the final body of the drink, which will be marketed from the sixth year.
Conclusion
The difference in quality between a aged or reserve wine resides in the time of aging. In the case of white and pink reds of each denomination, the time is less than the reds.
It is clear: the wines Reservation are of higher quality than those of Crianza.
The process is key to achieving more exquisite flavors, but it also guarantees a longer durability. For example, those of Crianza are able to last in perfect condition between 5 to 8 years, while the Reserva and Gran Reserva can spend more years without being damaged, although everything will depend on the techniques applied in their elaboration.
In short, choosing between an Crianza or Reserva wine is not very difficult if you are looking for a quality that will make your palate fall in love. You already know!, Gran Reserva wines have no comparison.