Las Rocas Viñas Viejas Garnacha 2003 Review

Las Rocas Viñas Viejas Garnacha became one of those under-$15 Spanish red wines that seemed to be everywhere after receiving major critic attention. I finally tried the 2003 vintage to see whether the hype matched the bottle, and my reaction was somewhere in the middle: very good value, very drinkable, but not quite the life-changing wine some reviews made it sound like.

Las Rocas Viñas Viejas Garnacha 2003 at a Glance

A Hyped Spanish Garnacha That Still Delivers Good Value

Las Rocas Viñas Viejas Garnacha had already received a lot of attention by the time I finally picked up a bottle. The 2001 vintage scored 93 points from Wine Advocate, and the 2002 received 91 points. Because the wine was widely available and could often be found around the $10 range, it became one of those bottles that value wine drinkers kept talking about.

I usually do not chase hype immediately, so I ignored this wine at first. But after seeing it still talked about a couple of years later, I figured there had to be something more to it than a quick flash of critic excitement.

I bought the 2003 vintage at Barrons Market in the Del Mar area for about $11. You could probably find it a dollar or two cheaper with some shopping around, but even at that price, it was still a very fair value.

What Makes Spanish Garnacha Different?

If you have never had Spanish Garnacha, it is worth trying. This is not a light, delicate red. True Garnacha can be robust, ripe, higher in alcohol, and full of warm red fruit, spice, and richness.

Garnacha is the Spanish name for the same grape called Grenache in France, especially in the Rhône region. In Spain, especially from areas like Calatayud, it can make bold, flavorful wines that often offer a lot of personality for the money.

Las Rocas Viñas Viejas is the old-vine bottling, made from fruit from very old vines. That old-vine concentration is part of why this wine became so popular with value-focused red wine drinkers.

Regular Las Rocas vs. Viñas Viejas

One thing that can be confusing is that there are two Las Rocas Garnacha wines. The regular bottling is made from older vines, while the Viñas Viejas bottling is the more premium version made from fruit from even older vines.

The grapes come from Calatayud, about 150 miles northeast of Madrid. The story behind the wine is that importer Eric Solomon and winemaker Jean-Marc Lafage saw potential in the old-vine fruit from the San Alejandro Winery cooperative and encouraged the separation of the best old-vine grapes for a more concentrated cuvée.

That background helps explain why the wine became such a major value story. It had old-vine fruit, a big critic score, wide availability, and a price that made it easy for regular wine drinkers to try.

Coffee, Chocolate, Raspberry Tartness, and Warm Alcohol

The wine was a little closed when I first opened the bottle, but it came to life after a short amount of time in the glass. I did not think it needed a long decant. A brief swirl and a little air were enough.

Like many Garnacha-based wines, it had fairly high alcohol at 14.5%, and I did notice a little alcoholic sweetness. If you strongly prefer lower-alcohol wines, this probably is not the bottle for you.

The tannins were moderate and well integrated. The bouquet was pleasant, although a little softer than I personally prefer. On the palate, the wine showed a lot of coffee and chocolate notes, along with slightly tart, acidic fruit that reminded me of raspberries.

Overall, I found it pleasant, flavorful, and very much worth the price, even if it did not quite live up to the most enthusiastic hype.

Good Wine, But Not a 93-Point Experience for Me

I can understand why people got excited about this wine. For around $10 to $12, it delivers much more character than many wines in that price range. It has richness, alcohol, dark flavor notes, and enough structure to feel like a serious value bottle.

That said, I would not personally put it in the 93-point range if I used that scoring system. To me, 93 points should mean a wine is truly memorable. I found the 2003 Las Rocas Viñas Viejas Garnacha to be pleasant and enjoyable, but not extraordinary.

Granted, the vintage I tasted was not the 2001 vintage that created the biggest hype. Still, I expected a little more based on the way people talked about this wine.

What I Would Pair With Las Rocas Viñas Viejas Garnacha

This is exactly the kind of wine I would open with pizza during the week. The coffee, chocolate, raspberry-like fruit, and higher alcohol make it a good match for casual, flavorful foods rather than delicate dishes.

I would also pair it with burgers, grilled sausages, barbecue chicken, roasted pork, lamb, meatballs, tomato-based pasta, or anything with a little char and richness.

A Strong Midweek Value Wine

Even though I did not think the wine fully lived up to the biggest hype, I still thought it was a very good value. At around $11, it delivered enough flavor and personality that I would buy it again.

I would not stash this in the cellar for years. My feeling is that it is better enjoyed within a year or so rather than treated like a long-term aging wine.

This is the kind of bottle I would recommend as a high-quality midweek value wine, especially with pizza or grilled food.

Las Rocas Viñas Viejas Garnacha 2003 Details

3 Stars

I gave Las Rocas Viñas Viejas Garnacha 2003 three stars because it is a very good value, enjoyable with food, and worth buying again, but not quite as memorable or extraordinary as the hype suggested.

Prior Wine of the Week Winner

Real Wine Reviews From Bottles We Actually Drink

My wine reviews are written from the perspective of an everyday wine drinker. I focus on how the wine tastes, what stood out, whether I would buy it again, and what food I think it pairs with best.

For Las Rocas Viñas Viejas Garnacha 2003, the biggest takeaways were the strong value, coffee and chocolate notes, raspberry-like tart fruit, high-alcohol warmth, and the fact that I would buy it again as a midweek food wine.