1 items £12.15
Some wines deserve a bigger stage.
Ondarre Rioja Reserva Magnum contains exactly the same award-winning Rioja Reserva that has become one of our longest-standing customer favourites, presented in an impressive 1.5-litre bottle that is perfect for sharing, gifting and special occasions.
Beyond the theatre of serving from a Magnum lies another advantage appreciated by wine lovers: larger bottles generally mature more slowly than standard bottles. Whether you are planning a family celebration, choosing a memorable gift or laying wine down for the future, the Magnum offers a wonderful way to experience one of Rioja's classic Reservas.
Why We Think You'll Love It
Merchant's Recommendation
Recommended if you enjoy: entertaining family and friends, collecting or ageing wine, celebrating important occasions or giving gifts that people genuinely remember.
Why Choose the Magnum?
People sometimes assume that a Magnum is simply two standard bottles' worth of wine in a larger piece of glass. While the wine inside is the same, the experience can be quite different.
Large-format bottles have long been appreciated by wine lovers because the amount of air beneath the cork is smaller in proportion to the volume of wine. This generally allows maturation to take place more gradually, helping the wine retain freshness as its flavours slowly integrate.
The difference is unlikely to transform a casual midweek bottle, but for a balanced and structured wine such as Ondarre Rioja Reserva, a Magnum can be an excellent format for longer-term enjoyment.
Perfect for Sharing
A 1.5-litre Magnum contains the equivalent of two standard bottles and provides approximately twelve 125ml glasses.
That makes it well suited to a dinner for six people, allowing everyone to enjoy the same wine throughout the meal without opening several separate bottles.
It also brings a sense of occasion before the cork has even been removed. Few bottles attract attention around a dining table quite like a Magnum.
The Wine Inside
The wine is exactly the same Ondarre Rioja Reserva that has earned such a loyal following among our customers.
It combines ripe Tempranillo fruit, carefully judged American and French oak, smooth tannins and the savoury complexity associated with traditional Rioja Reserva.
Rather than repeating the complete story here, our page for the regular bottle explores the wine's tasting notes, vineyards, winemaking, food pairing and the reasons we have continued to recommend it for so many years.
Discover Ondarre Rioja Reserva in the standard 75cl bottle
Is the Magnum the Right Choice for You?
If you are simply looking for a bottle to enjoy with tonight's meal, the standard 75cl bottle remains an excellent and more practical choice.
The Magnum comes into its own when the bottle itself contributes something to the occasion.
It may be an important birthday, an anniversary, a retirement celebration, Christmas dinner or a gift for someone who already loves Rioja. It may also appeal to someone who wants to cellar the wine and experience how it develops in a larger format.
These are the occasions when a Magnum earns its place—not because it contains a different wine, but because it offers a different way to enjoy it.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Ripe blackberry, plum and cherry are joined by vanilla, cedar, gentle spice and developing savoury notes.
Palate: Generous yet balanced, with ripe dark fruit, fresh acidity, smooth tannins and well-integrated oak.
Finish: Long and composed, with lingering red and black fruit, vanilla, cedar and subtle spice.
About
Bodegas Ondarre was founded in 1985 in the historic town of Viana, in the northern part of Rioja. The winery works with vineyards across the surrounding hills, where differences in altitude, soil and aspect provide fruit with freshness, concentration and character.
Ondarre has earned a reputation for producing Riojas that balance ripe fruit, oak maturation and savoury development without allowing any one element to dominate.
Learn more about Bodegas Ondarre and its wines
Vineyards
The fruit is sourced from vineyards surrounding Viana, where the combination of warm days, cooler nights and varied clay and limestone soils helps preserve freshness while allowing the grapes to ripen fully.
Tempranillo forms the heart of the wine, supported by other traditional Rioja varieties that contribute structure, acidity and aromatic complexity.
Winemaking
The wine is fermented under controlled conditions before ageing in a combination of American and French oak barrels.
American oak contributes familiar notes of vanilla, coconut and sweet spice, while French oak adds cedar, restrained toast and fine tannin. Further maturation in bottle allows the fruit, oak and savoury elements to integrate before release.
The Magnum contains the same finished wine as the standard bottle. Its larger format affects how the wine may develop after bottling rather than changing how the wine was originally made.
Food Pairing
Ondarre Rioja Reserva Magnum is an excellent choice for meals built around roast lamb, rib of beef, venison, slow-cooked pork, roast chicken or mushroom dishes.
It also pairs well with chorizo, smoked paprika, tomato-based dishes and mature cheeses such as Manchego, Cheddar and Comté.
The advantage of the Magnum is that one bottle can comfortably serve the whole table, allowing the wine to remain part of the meal from beginning to end.
Explore our Rioja food-pairing guide
Serving & Cellaring
Serve at approximately 16–18°C. Because of its greater volume, a Magnum will take longer to reach the correct temperature than a standard bottle, so allow sufficient time if it has been stored somewhere cool.
Decanting for around an hour is recommended. This will help the aromas open and will also separate any harmless sediment that may develop as the wine matures.
A Magnum is heavier and less convenient to pour than a standard bottle, so a large, sturdy decanter can make serving easier.
The wine is ready to enjoy now but can continue to develop when stored horizontally in a cool, dark place with a consistent temperature.
Merchant's Insight
We have sold Ondarre Reserva for many years and have seen countless customers return for another bottle. The Magnum tends to attract a slightly different purchase.
Sometimes it is chosen for an important birthday or anniversary. Sometimes it is opened at Christmas or placed at the centre of a family meal. At other times, it is bought by someone who wants to experience a favourite Rioja in a format particularly well suited to gradual ageing.
Whatever the reason, the bottle nearly always becomes part of the occasion itself.
Merchant's Verdict
The standard bottle remains our recommendation for everyday enjoyment.
The Magnum is our recommendation when the bottle should become part of the memory.
Inside is exactly the same beautifully balanced Rioja Reserva that has delighted our customers for years. Outside is one of wine's most iconic formats, capable of turning an excellent wine into an unforgettable occasion.
Choosing with Confidence
We can ship your order to all UK mainland addresses, usually on a next day delivery.
Our shipping fee is typically £5.95 for a single item order, and a maximum of £7.50 for all other orders. Delivery fees are calculated during check-out.
If your delivery address is local, delivery is free, delivered on the same day you order. Alternatively, you can collect it from our shop.
Click here for cut off times and full details of our courier service.
It is an offence for a person under the age of 18 to buy or attempt to buy alcohol. By making a purchase, you acknowledge that you are 18 years of age or over.