Bodegas Montecillo is a part of history.

Founded in 1870, the winery predates Spain’s denomination system. It helped to define the Denominaciones de Origen (DO). Yet, with over a century of experience making Spanish wine, Bodegas Montecillo is still pushing the envelope in the vineyard and cellar.

In a virtual tasting with winemaker Mercedes García Rupérez and Rioja wine expert Madeline Maldonado, six dynamic wines cast a wide net to showcase the finest Rioja has to offer. There’s more than 66,000 acres and 571 wineries in Rioja, and García Rupérez has spent the last 15 years at the helm of a winery that’s still leading the charge in the region.

Due to the variety of sites García Rupérez has to work with, Bodegas Montecillo has its fingers on the pulse of Rioja.

“We find different soils and climate,” García Rupérez said. “The Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. The difference in the soils. We have a great variety in the soils. The difference in the terroirs and soils is special for us. It’s very important and allows us to make different wines.”

Montecillo Blanco is awaiting its U.S. release. Fermented in barrels and in its 10th year, it has grown from 50 barrels to more than 200. García Rupérez called it a “complete gem,” and with its white peach, herbal notes and a touch of snappy grapefruit with honeysuckle, the white tempranillo has multiple dimensions of flavor and texture.

“We’re opening a new realm of Rioja with two whites being showcased,” Maldonado said. “Lots of people think it’s only a red wine region.”

With the Viña Monty Reserva 2018 ($26) comes a wine made from a single plot. Their goal is to make a “Burgundy-styled white.” This winery was founded in 1924, and García Rupérez said, “It is a very special brand for us.”

Flinty, lychee nose and marzipan flavors, butterscotch, red apple, Meyer lemon and toasty marshmallow emerged from a wine with a golden color in the glass.

As the tasting transitioned to red, intrigue grew. Each wine was its own entity and ventured from Old World to New World as to where it fit on the flair spectrum.

Viña Monty Garnacha 2016 ($90) was a wine García Rupérez said was “very rustic (and is) a variety that can become great with intense fruit.”

Hailing from a 96-year-old plot in Rioja Alta [a sub-region of Rioja], the wine was deeply concentrated and dark purple in the glass. Aged underground in concrete tanks and then French oak, there were herbs de Provence and dark chocolate on the nose with flavors of blackberry compote.

Because the Bodegas Montecillo Edición Limitada 2017 ($26) is a crianza, García Rupérez can color outside the lines a little when it comes to Rioja winemaking rules.

“We can play a little more to create fun things and do a little more with the wine,” García Rupérez said. “It’s made in a modern style.”

There were concentrated black cherry, tobacco, blackberry, leather, dark chocolate shavings and chewy tannins.

A meaty nose welcomed the Bodegas Montecillo 22 Barricas Gran Reserva 2015 ($50) with tobacco and black currant aromas. There was a silky mouthfeel and flavors of blackberry, charred meat, plum, cassis, cinnamon stick, dusty espresso and singed herbs. It’s a blend of their four best sites and comes from vineyards that are over 50 years old.

If a wine stood out among its peers, it would be the Viña Monty Graciano ($90). There was anise and balsamic on the nose with a silky mouthfeel and flavors of raspberry, blood orange, baker’s chocolate, dried violets and dried herbs.

Given that it has a long growing cycle and thrives when it basks in heat and sunshine, García Rupérez crafted a wine that Decanter World Wine Awards 2024 named Best in Show. [Learn more at www.bodegasmontecillo.com/en]

“It’s very special for us,” García Rupérez said. “It’s a different wine but we made it with a lot of love on our side, and we’re happy with the recognition it’s received.”

• James Nokes has been tasting, touring and collecting in the wine world for several years. Email him at jamesnokes25@yahoo.com.

Wine Market Tasting Notes for the big game

My family prepares as much food for the upcoming big game as Thanksgiving. We also go deep in the cellar and pull bottles saved for a special occasion. If you’re hosting a party for the game and don’t want to raid your collection or break the bank, here’s eight bottles, a touchdown and a two-point conversion’s worth of wines – under $25.

Avivo Red Wine 2021 ($24): Red fruits on the nose; strawberry and raspberry, medium-bodied with strawberry, mint, eucalyptus and pomegranate flavors.

Santa Rita “Floresta” Chardonnay 2021 ($21): Toasted almonds, jasmine and orange rind on the nose; there’s cantaloupe, pear and yellow apple flavors. From Chile.

Mouton Cadet X Pierre Bordeaux 2023 ($14): Strawberry, red plum and sage flavors on a medium-bodied red.

Ramon Bilbao Rioja Reserva 2016 ($21): Blackberry, raspberry, nutmeg, vanilla, pronounced concentration of fruit aromas and flavors, a long finish with well-integrated tannins that lead to a silky, smooth experience.

Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 ($9): On the nose, there’s blueberry and black berry. Both flavors emerge along with a batch of dried violets and vanilla on the nose.

Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pinot Noir 2023 ($9): Light ruby red in the glass with black cherry and sweet tobacco pipe aromas and flavors.

Souleil Vin de Bonté Le Rouge Red Wine 2023 ($17): Fig and boysenberry on the nose. A blend of 65% syrah, 35% grenache yields flavors of black plum, boysenberry, white pepper and bacon fat. Made with organic grapes. A portion of the proceeds supports ocean conservation.

William Hill North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 ($14.99): Black currant, black cherry and dusty dark chocolate flavors. A perfect foil for grilled ribeye.