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Mayor de Ondarre Reserva is not intended to replace the much-loved Ondarre Reserva, it is instead only produced in those exceptional vintages when the character of the fruit gives the winemaking team an opportunity to explore a different, and unique, expression of the Ondarre house style.
Made principally from Tempranillo grown in carefully selected low-yield vineyards, it combines concentrated dark fruit, polished oak, refined tannins and impressive length. Familiar enough to remain unmistakably Ondarre, yet individual enough to reveal another side of the winery, Mayor is a fascinating choice for Rioja drinkers who already trust the producer and would like to continue the conversation.
Why We Think You'll Love It
Merchant's Recommendation
Recommended if you enjoy: traditional Rioja Reserva, mature Tempranillo, elegant but structured Spanish reds, fine Bordeaux or Ondarre Rioja Reserva itself.
When an Exceptional Vintage Inspires a Different Expression
Mayor de Ondarre Reserva is not intended to replace Ondarre Reserva, nor is it simply a more expensive version. It exists for a different reason.
Ondarre Reserva carries the responsibility of consistency. Vintage after vintage, the winemaker must preserve the balance and familiar character that loyal customers trust. Mayor is created when an exceptional growing season produces fruit that invites a little more exploration.
It remains unmistakably Ondarre, retaining the winery's elegance, balance and measured use of oak. Yet it also reveals what becomes possible when outstanding fruit gives the winemaking team greater freedom to interpret the vintage.
One wine protects continuity. The other explores possibility. Mayor exists where those two disciplines meet.
Is This The Right Rioja For You?
Mayor will appeal particularly to Rioja drinkers who enjoy concentration and complexity but do not want power to overwhelm balance. Its dark fruit and firm structure give it presence, while freshness and refined tannins keep it elegant.
If you already enjoy Ondarre Rioja Reserva, Mayor offers the chance to discover another expression of the same producer. The family resemblance is clear, but the wine is more closely shaped by the individuality of its vintage.
Tasting Notes
Appearance: Deep cherry red with developing garnet and iodine-toned highlights.
Nose: Blackberry, plum, black cherry and dark raspberry are joined by vanilla, cedar and coconut. With air, notes of smoke, dried herbs, coffee, cocoa and gentle spice emerge.
Palate: Concentrated yet composed, with ripe dark fruit, refreshing acidity and fine, mouth-filling tannins. French and American oak add cedar, vanilla, coffee and sweet spice without overwhelming the fruit.
Finish: Long and polished, leaving blackberry, cocoa, coffee and savoury spice on the palate.
About Bodegas Ondarre
Founded in 1985 in the historic town of Viana, Bodegas Ondarre works with numerous vineyard parcels across the surrounding hills. Differences in altitude, aspect and soil allow the team to select fruit according to the purpose of each wine.
Ondarre has built its reputation on balance rather than excessive ripeness or oak. That philosophy is central to Mayor, which is made only when selected vineyards and the character of the vintage provide fruit capable of supporting its distinctive style.
Learn more in our guide to Bodegas Ondarre and its wines.
Vineyards
The grapes come from low-yield vineyards on south-facing slopes in Rioja's northern hills, at approximately 550 metres above sea level. Warm days encourage full ripening, while cooler nights help preserve acidity and aromatic freshness.
The vines average around 25 years of age and grow mainly in clay soils rich in iron and chalk. These conditions provide fruit with the concentration, freshness and structure needed for extended maturation.
How Mayor de Ondarre Is Made
Mayor is made from approximately 92% Tempranillo, with the remainder predominantly Mazuelo and small amounts of other permitted varieties. Tempranillo supplies dark fruit and texture, while Mazuelo contributes freshness, structure and ageing potential.
Fermentation lasts approximately three weeks at controlled temperatures between 20°C and 26°C, with daily pumping over and délestage to manage extraction. Malolactic fermentation takes place in new Missouri and central French oak barrels.
The wine then matures for 16 months in approximately 80% French and 20% American oak. French oak contributes fine tannins, cedar and restrained spice; American oak adds vanilla and coconut.
Afterwards, Mayor spends at least 20 months developing in bottle. It clarifies naturally through successive rackings and is bottled without conventional clarification or stabilisation, so a harmless deposit may form. Decanting is recommended.
Award-Winning, But Not Defined By Its Award
The 2017 vintage received a Platinum Medal and 97 points at the 2022 Decanter World Wine Awards. This is impressive independent recognition, but the award is evidence of the wine's quality rather than its reason for existing.
Mayor's identity comes from the decision to respond individually to an exceptional vintage. The medal supports that story; it does not need to become the story.
Food Pairing
Mayor is excellent with roast lamb, rib of beef, venison, game, slow-cooked pork, mushrooms and roasted vegetables. Its dark fruit complements rich flavours, while its acidity and tannins refresh the palate.
It also pairs well with mature Manchego, aged Cheddar and Comté, and with dishes featuring chorizo, smoked paprika or slow-cooked tomato.
See our Rioja food-pairing guide for more ideas.
Serving & Cellaring
Serve at approximately 16–18°C and, where possible, decant for about an hour. This separates any natural sediment and allows the fruit, oak and savoury complexity to open fully.
Mayor is ready to enjoy but has the concentration, acidity and tannin to develop further. With time, its fruit should become more savoury as notes of leather, tobacco, dried herbs and cedar emerge.
Merchant's Insight
Customers sometimes assume Mayor must simply be a better Ondarre Reserva because it is rarer and more expensive. That is not how we recommend it.
Ondarre Reserva demonstrates the winemaker's ability to preserve a trusted style. Mayor shows how the same team responds when a particular vintage offers the freedom to explore another expression of that style.
If you already know and trust Ondarre Reserva, Mayor is not a move away from it. It is an opportunity to understand the producer more completely.
Merchant's Verdict
Mayor succeeds because it does not need to diminish the wine beside it. Ondarre Reserva remains the dependable, familiar expression we have confidently recommended for years. Mayor sits alongside it, revealing what the producer can create when exceptional fruit allows a little more freedom.
If you are new to Bodegas Ondarre, the standard Reserva remains the natural starting point. If you already enjoy it, Mayor offers another conversation with a producer you trust—not automatically better, but meaningfully different.
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