Vintage Character Bodegas Roda Cirsion 2016 is an icon-level Rioja DOCa from Rioja Alta, crafted from Tempranillo selected through the estate’s highly specific vineyard research rather than from a fixed parcel alone. The 2016 vintage is widely regarded as strong in Rioja, with a long, balanced growing season that delivered ripe fruit, fresh acidity, and notably refined tannin structure. Sourced from old-vine sites around Haro, its origin is distinguished by Atlantic influence, limestone-clay and alluvial elements, and the poise that Rioja Alta brings to power.
Tasting Profile & Food Pairing The wine shows deep aromas of black cherry, blackberry, plum and violet, layered with cocoa, espresso, sweet spice and a subtle balsamic note. On the palate it is full-bodied and concentrated yet remarkably polished, with velvety tannins, vivid lift, and a long, savory finish marked by dark fruit, mineral tension, and fine oak integration. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate awarded the 2016 Cirsion 95 points, reinforcing its standing as one of modern Rioja’s flagship reds. It pairs beautifully with grilled ribeye, roast lamb with rosemary, or duck breast with cherry reduction.
Winery Background Founded in 1987 in Haro’s famed Barrio de la Estación, Bodegas Roda helped redefine Rioja through a vineyard-first, contemporary approach focused on old-vine Tempranillo. The estate is known for sustainable viticulture, hand harvesting, and detailed study of vine behavior; Cirsion itself emerged from research identifying vines whose grapes achieve exceptional phenolic maturity with naturally supple tannins. Fermented in oak vats and matured in French oak barrels, the wine reflects precision rather than excess, and stands out as a benchmark for modern Rioja that combines depth, elegance, and scientific insight.