Dear Mary,

I appreciate your effort in trying to show the differences between "old" style Rioja and "modern" Rioja. But I woluld like to make a few points on this issue. Otherwise, people can be confused about what we are talking about. It's very much the case nowadays, unfortunately.

You say that "The modern reservas will generally have between 12 and 18 months of oak, while the classics will have at least 24, but many times much more.  I this case our modern has only 12 months and our classic has 36 months!   "

There's something very important missing in the comparison you make: the age of barrels. New oak barrels give to wine much more flavors and odors than used oak do. Thus, 12 month aging in new oak wood (specially if the oak is strongly toasted) can completely "squeeze" all the fruit in the wine.

You say that "Thirty six months in oak does not leave the fresh fruit taste most wine consumers today are accustomed to.". I wonder how people can taste fresh fruit in many of these wines, when the only thing one can smell is  tons and tons of wood (vanilla, cocnut, coffee, chocolate, ....).

I bet any wine lover to try to identify in a blind taste a modern Rioja as a Rioja.. The wine soul, the terroir, is almost always hidden by a carved wood mask. New wood is to wine what excessive make-up is to people...

I always thought that in art, the best you can say about an artist is that he/she has a style of his own. Wheter you like the style or not, wheter you like the artwork or not, I find it's a sign of a good artist to have an individual and recognisable style.

I found the same is pretty much valid for wine. I can like or not the style of a Tondonia white, but as long as it's absolutely unique I think this is real art in the form of wine.

Just my opinion. Not the more widespread nowadays, but I thought it could be a different opinion interesting to some people. 

Forgive my english, as I'm a spanish speaking and sometimes struggle when writing in your language :-)

Cheers,

Sobre Vino
www.sobrevino.com