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| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.9 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 188 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Philip67 on 2/13/2024 & rated 92 points: A little tart but with good blackberry fruit on the attack. Violets lavendar and a touch of forest floor. Medium plus body, high acidity, medium ripe tannin. Medium length, some complexity. Drinking now. Fruit will recede from but will last for decades. (898 views) | | | Tasted by belfast taxman on 11/20/2023 & rated 92 points: Good colour with only limited bricking. The nose was slightly reserved but seemed correct given the age and style of the wine. The palate was classic Rioja. I would say this wine was mature now but plenty of life left in it. This was our last bottle of this very good vintage for Imperial CVNE. Paired very well with Iberico pork chops from HG Walter in London. Decanted for one hour, only moderate sediment. (1170 views) | | | Tasted by kevin h on 11/7/2023 & rated 91 points: Still very youthful. Decent red fruits on the nose but it needed 2 hours in the decanter and then another hour opening up to show its meaty- mocha complexity. It will come good but probably needs at least another 10 years yet. (1184 views) | | | Tasted by NickM on 10/29/2023 & rated 91 points: Fresher than my last bottle. Last from a case of 12. Really very good, fully mature, probably won’t get better but will keep. Claret-like, iron, some blueberry. Lovely! (1145 views) | | | Tasted by Rani on 10/23/2023 & rated 93 points: Tasted blind, opened 2 hours priort. Dark, notes of espresso, vanilla and dark berries. Chewy and velvety, with very fine tannins, mouth filling acidity and hint of porcini mushrooms. Definitely in its drinking window but can also age for two more decades effortlessly. (1285 views) | | | Tasted by JayP on 9/11/2023 & rated 91 points: A delicious Gran Reserva from a great year. Sadly the last of my bottles - also ridiculously good VFM! (1271 views) | | | Tasted by Yagil on 8/7/2023 & rated 92 points: Rioja & Ribera-del-Duero tasting: excellent.
ready to enjoy. (1256 views) | | | Tasted by JayP on 6/30/2023 & rated 92 points: If you have any left you are very lucky - BUT do open and decant for an hour or so. DELICIOUS (1050 views) | | | Tasted by Eric Wright on 4/15/2023 & rated 95 points: Needs some air. Elegant and complex. Savory. Oak / vanilla not overwhelming. Excellent representation (1473 views) | | | Tasted by JayP on 3/6/2023 & rated 88 points: I liked this but found it rather under-whelming. Bland almost. Certainly not what I expected nor the last bottle. Is it too old - or needs decanting or a faulty bottle? UPDATE - there was just a glass left over and drunk 24 hours later and ...... a MUCH better wine. Lesson learned this needs a really good decant even though 19 years old! (1686 views) | | | Tasted by jonanator on 1/8/2023 & rated 92 points: Very much reminds me of a left bank Bordeaux. Really good wine that is in a great place. Should age well for many more years but I dont expect it to necessarily improve. In a great spot to enjoy. Just a hair behind the 2001. (1836 views) | | | Tasted by DoubleD1969 on 9/16/2022: PnP. I've had this bottle since release. Cork was in great shape with only the bottom stains. Color was almost an opaque maroon color. Nose was expressive with baking spices, dried rose petals, raspberry patch. Palate was surprisingly medium-bodied and silky; appearance may have suggested a fuller bodied wine. Flavors of fresh red berries linger. Delicious wine. Plenty of years ahead of it. (2108 views) | | | Tasted by JayP on 7/10/2022 & rated 90 points: A delicious Gran Reserve from CVNE - from a great year 2004. May last 3 should be drunk over next year or two I think (2575 views) | | | Tasted by belfast taxman on 4/12/2022 & rated 93 points: Much better balanced than my previous note this bottle which we decanted, most necessarily given the significant amount of sediment, for about an hour was lovely and improved in the glass. Soft strawberry with oodles of complex tertiary development. (2662 views) | | | Tasted by JayP on 2/27/2022 & rated 91 points: A very nice and typical Rioja - not quite at the level of the 17 Barricas the following night (2611 views) | | | Tasted by Goodwine4ever on 12/29/2021 & rated 91 points: Première fois avec ce vin que j'ai acheté en 2014.
Encore assez primaire, pas de notes secondaires, au nez c'est sur la cerise marasquin, en bouche c'est tout en fraîcheur, les tannins sont fondus, aucune impression de fruits cuits même le bois est subtil. C'est un vin savoureux mais honnêtement ça manque un peu de complexité. Tout de même très agréable ! (2964 views) | | | Tasted by Neecies on 12/28/2021 & rated 94 points: Erik's. Spicy nose, rich and structured on the palate with tobacco and dark berry. Excellent. Co-WOTN for me. (2425 views) | | | Tasted by Jason Wu on 12/4/2021 & rated 94 points: Tasted at Terroir Renaissance along with 1988 and 2012 vintage. Certainly more expressive than the other two. You can find great value in aged Rioja! (2356 views) | | | Tasted by Janstan on 11/8/2021 & rated 88 points: Went well with rib roast. Hard to identify
fruit (2317 views) | | | Tasted by snaff on 11/3/2021 & rated 93 points: Spices on the nose, a bit of leather. Medium bodies, dark fruit, meaty notes, good oak, but well integrated. Plenty of years left for this delicious example of Rioja. (2181 views) | | | Tasted by wurzel68 on 9/12/2021 & rated 93 points: Tabak, rote Beerenfrucht, etwas Erdbeere, Graphit, Eiche, hintergründig Menthol und Thymian, am Gaumen klarer, feiner, sehr frisch wirkender Wein, ausgewogen, lang, lecker und komplex! (2152 views) | | | Tasted by dkentaustin on 8/28/2021 & rated 94 points: Red currant, raspberry and strawberry with wet leaves, light mocha and flint. Bright, still youthful with subtle thyme and solid structure with grippy tannins. Sadly our last bottle but will be seeking out more to buy.
p.s. bison hash in iceberg lettuce cups (2128 views) | | | Tasted by Conde on 4/17/2021 & rated 94 points: I agree with Walkerjfw. A bit tight to begin with, but opened up during the evening, showing tertiary aromas and typical and generous rioja trademarks like leather, vanilla and sleek, red fruit. A beautiful wine with plenty of life ahead, but in a great spot right now! (2776 views) | | | Tasted by walkerjfw on 3/20/2021 & rated 94 points: With Rob and Mollie, dinner at Meeting House. First bottle from a batch bought from Gary's, bought these about 8 years ago. Decanted about 2.5 hours prior to drinking, rebottled and brought to the restaurant. Third win of the evening, after a Tor Chardonnay and Helioterra (Oregon) Pinot.
Deep ruby/garnet color, no sign of aging. Nose showing red fruits, oak, tobacco. Palate of redcurrant, cherry, cedar, vanilla and oak. Savory notes and red fruit through the mid palate. Medium weight, long finish.
In a great spot, classic and well made Rioja. I did not have this in its younger days, no comparison on evolution, guessing the oak may have been a bit more amped up in its youth. It's settled, deep, and complex at this point. The air made a big difference. It didn't have the depth/secondary notes when first opened and the oak was dominant.This was a killer pairing with steak and some lamb gnocchi. Should go for another 10+ years.... (2766 views) | | | Tasted by belfast taxman on 3/15/2021 & rated 91 points: There was so much to admire in this wine, starting with the nose of smoky fruit, which on the palate was at first more red berried, almost pickled strawberry. On the other band there was a background of quite sharp acidity that also suggested that the wine was not quite balanced. Seemingly plenty of life in this, perhaps additional decanting required, which I rarely do with wine of this age. (2654 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Producer website
U.S. Importer (add'l info)
alternate U.S. Importer (add'l info)Tempranillo BlendTempranillo is the backbone of wines made ihvhhcn the best well-known Spanish regions Rioja and Ribera del Duero, but is also grown as far afield as Mexico and Australia.
As a flavor profile, red fruits like strawberries and cherries can predominate - but with a rustic edge. The Many wines made from Tempranillo will spend a few years in barrel and bottle before reaching the consumers . Many Tempranillo-based wines see a few years of oak - add that to a few years of bottle and the wine can give a subtle - and occasionaly not-so-subtle - leathery mouthfeel. The combination of the tart fruit and tannins make this wine very food friendly.Spain Vinos de España - Wines of Spain (Instituto Español de Comercio Exterior) | Wikipedia
Wine Map on weinlagen-info
Spain is the third largest wine producing nation in the world, occupying the majority of the Iberian Peninsula with vast diversity in climate, culture, and of course, wine. From inky, dark reds of the [Priorat] to dry, white Finos from Andalusia, Spain can easily boast of elaborating a wide variety of notable styles. Within Spain there are currently 62 demarcated wine regions, of which a handful have gained international recognition: [Rioja], Priorat and [Ribera del Duero]. Yet these regions are only a small sample of the high quality wines Spain produces. Regions such as Cava, Penedes, Somontano, Galicia, Rueda and Jerez are only a few of the numerous regions worthy of exploration throughout Spain. Spain can also lay claim to having the most land under vine in the world, growing up to, by some accounts, 600 indigenous varietals of which Tempranillo is their most well known. Other popular varietals include [Garnacha], Bobal and Monastrell for reds and for whites; the infamous [sic] Palomino Fino grape which is used in the production of sherry wine, Pedro Ximenez in Montilla Morilles, Albarino used in the creation of the bright, effervescent wines of Galicia, and Verdejo in Rueda. - Source: - Catavino.net
Spain is not in the forefront of winemaking for its dessert wines, other than for its sweet wines from Sherry country including the highly revered Olorosos (when sweetened). But apart from Sherry Spain has a range of styles of dessert wines, ranging from the those made from the Pedro Ximenez grape primarily in Jerez and Montilla-Moriles) to luscious, red dessert wines made in the Mediterranean from the Garnacha (Grenache) grape. Some good Moscatels are made in Mallorca, Alicante and Navarre. The northwest corner of Spain, Galicia, with its bitter Atlantic climate, is even making dessert wines, called “Tostadillos” in the village of Ribadivia (similar to France’s “Vin de Paille”). The Canary Islands have made interesting dessert wines for centuries (they are mentioned by Shakespeare, for example) and in recent years the quality of winemaking has been improved and the Canary Islands wines are being better marketed now. The winemaking styles for “Vinos Dulces” are also diverse, from “Late Harvest” (Vendimia Tardía) to “Fortified Wines” (Fermentación Parcial). Based on in-spain.info.La Rioja Consejo Regulador DOC Rioja - Control Board of the D.O.Ca. Rioja
Map on weinlagen-infoLa Rioja Alta Map on weinlagen-infoRioja Consejo Regulador DOC Rioja - Control Board of the D.O.Ca. Rioja
HISTORY
The wine region of La Rioja in Spain was first demarcated by the area's governing body, the Consejo Regulador, in 1926. The region extends for approximately 120 kilometres along both sides of the Ebro River and is, at its widest point, bounded by mountains on either side. In fact, the word 'Rioja' is a derivation of the two words 'Rio' (River) and 'Oja (the name of a tributary of the Ebro that runs right through La Rioja creating a series of microclimates and providing much needed water for the vines).
La Rioja has always been a vital part of Spain's history. Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Moors, and finally, medieval Crusaders have all played a part in the area's history. The Romans, however, made wine a part of their culture wherever they travelled, and La Rioja was no exception. Ancient sites of Roman wineries still exist in and around the area today.
After the Romans came the Moors, and winemaking all but ceased. It wasn't until after the famous 'El Cid' liberated Spain, and medieval Christianity brought trade via the Crusaders through the region, that it flourished again. The Benedictine monks of Cluny in Burgundy, known for their viticulture, helped to establish three monasteries in the area. The vines they planted were mostly white grapes. In the fourteenth century, English traders acquired a taste for a local Rioja wine, which was a blend of white and red wines called Blancos Pardillos. Over time, development of lighter reds came about satisfying eighteenth century English and French courts.
The real improvements to Rioja's viticulture began around 1780 when the need to prolong wine during transport brought about experimentation with different woods and preservatives. Studies were made of the techniques used by great chateaux in Bordeaux. With the outbreak of the Peninsular War, progress was halted until 1852, when the Bordelais came south to Rioja seeking vines because their vineyards had been blighted with oidium. French winemaking methods were eagerly taken up by great rivals the Marques de Murrieta and Marques de Riscal (who both claim to have been the first in Rioja to make wine in the Bordeaux fashion).
When phylloxera devastated Bordeaux in the 1870s and the French influence really took hold in Rioja, many of the region's finest bodegas started production on what we now consider as the great wines of Rioja. It’s important to remember that Bordeaux winemaking methods then were very different to those employed today in France, and involved long ageing in barrel, a factor that the Riojans took up enthusiastically. So enthusiastically in fact that to this day there are a number of Bodegas that still make their wine in a surprisingly similar fashion to that of the Bordelais in the later part of the 1800s and this also explains why oak ageing is such an important part of Riojan winemaking.
USE OF OAK
Pronounced vanilla flavours in the wines are a trademark of the region though some modern winemakers are experimenting with making wines less influenced by oak. Originally French oak was used but as the cost of the barrels increased many bodegas began to buy American oak planks and fashion them into barrels at Spanish cooperages in a style more closely resembling the French method. This included hand splitting the wood, rather than sawing, and allowing the planks time to dry and 'season' in the outdoors versus drying in the kiln. In recent times, more bodegas have begun using French oak and many will age wines in both American and French oak for blending purposes.
In the past, it was not uncommon for some bodegas to age their red wines for 15-20 years or even more before their release. One notable example of this is Marqués de Murrieta which released its 1942 vintage Gran Reserva in 1983 after 41 years of ageing. Today most bodegas have shifted their winemaking focus to wines that are ready to drink sooner with the top wines typically ageing for 4-8 years prior to release though some traditionalists still age longer. The typical bodega owns anywhere from 10,000 to 40,000 oak barrels.
The use of oak in white wine has declined significantly in recent times when before the norm was traditionally 2-5 years in oak. This created slightly oxidised wines with flavours of caramel, coffee, and roasted nuts that did not appeal to a large market of consumers. Today the focus of white winemakers has been to enhance the vibrancy and fruit flavours of the wine.
WINE CLASSIFICATION
Most Riojan Bodegas believe that the ageing of a wine should be the responsibility of the producer rather than that of the consumer, and this is why much Rioja is more mature than wines from other countries. Rioja red wines are classified into four categories. The first, simply labelled 'Rioja', or 'Sin Crianza' (meaning 'without ageing') is the youngest, spending less than a year in oak. A "Crianza" is wine aged for at least two years, at least one of which is in oak. 'Reserva' is aged for at least three years, of which at least one year is in oak. Finally, 'Gran Reserva' wines have been aged at least two years in oak and three years in bottle. Reserva and Gran Reserva wines are not necessarily produced each year. Also produced are wines in a semi-crianza style, those that have had a couple of months of oak influence but not enough to be called a full crianza. The designation of Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva might not always appear on the front label but may appear on a neck or back label in the form of a stamp designation known as Consejo.
SUB REGIONS
Rioja Alta
Located on the western edge of the region, and at higher elevations than the other areas, the Rioja Alta is known for more fruity and concentrated wines which can have very smooth texture and mouth feel.
Rioja Alavesa
Despite sharing a similar climate as the Alta region, the Rioja Alavesa produces wines with a fuller body and higher acidity. Vineyards in the area have a low vine density with large spacing between rows. This is due to the relatively poor conditions of the soil with the vines needing more distance from each other and less competition for the nutrients in the surrounding soil.
Rioja Baja
Unlike the more continental climate of the Alta and Alavesa, the Rioja Baja is strongly influenced by a Mediterranean climate which makes this area the warmest and driest of the Rioja. In the summer months, drought can be a significant viticultural hazard, though since the late 1990s irrigation has been permitted. Temperatures in the summer typically reach 95°F. Twenty percent of the vineyards actually fall within the Navarra appellation but the wine produced from the grapes is still allowed to claim the Rioja designation. The predominant grape here is the Garnacha which prefers the hot conditions, unlike the more aromatic Tempranillo. Consequently Baja wines are very deeply coloured and can be highly alcoholic with some wines at 18% alcohol by volume. The wines typically do not have much acidity or aroma and are generally used as blending components with wines from other parts of
the Rioja.
The Riojans are master blenders (as they have to be because there are relatively few single estates in the area, the norm being to blend from a wide variety of vineyards and wine areas). Consequently they are able to reduce vintage variation by careful blending and many of the best wines vary relatively little between vintages.
VITICULTURE & GRAPES
Rioja wines are normally a blend of various grape varieties, and can be either red (tinto), white (blanco) or rosé (rosado). Rioja has a total of 57,000 hectares cultivated, yielding 250 million litres of wine annually, of which 85% is red. The harvest time for most Rioja vineyards is September-October with the northern Rioja Alta having the latest harvest in late October. The soil here is clay-based with a high concentration of chalk and iron (which provides the redness in the soil that may be responsible for the region's name, Rioja, meaning red). There is also significant concentration of limestone, sandstone and alluvial silt.
Among the Tintos, the best-known and most widely-used variety is Tempranillo. Other grapes used include Garnacha Tinta, Graciano, and Mazuelo. A typical blend will consist of approximately 60% Tempranillo and up to 20% Garnacha, with much smaller proportions of Mazuelo and Graciano. Each grape adds a unique component to the wine with Tempranillo contributing the main flavours and ageing potential to the wine; Garnacha adding body and alcohol; Mazuelo adding seasoning flavours and Graciano adding additional aromas.
With Rioja Blanco, Viura is the prominent grape (also known as Macabeo) and is sometimes blended with some Malvesia and Garnacha Blanca. In the white wines the Viura contributes mild fruitness, acidity and some aroma to the blend with Garnacha Blanca adding body and Malvasia adding aroma. Rosados are mostly derived from Garnacha grapes. The 'international varieties' of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have gained some attention and use through experimental plantings by some bodegas but their use has created wines distinctly different from the typical Rioja.
Some of the most sought after grapes come from the limestone/sandstone based 'old vine' vineyards in the Alavesa and Alta regions. These 40 year old plus vines are prized due to their low yields and more concentrated flavours. A unique DO regulation stipulates that the cost of the grapes used to make Rioja must exceed by at least 200% the national average of wine grapes used in all Spanish wines.
VINTAGE CHART
Rioja (Red) Year %
2004 Superb vintage, classic wines Drink or Hold 94
2003 Hot, dry year, long-ageing wines Drink or Hold 91
2002 Smallest vintage in 10 years. Variable quality.
Keep to top names Drink or Hold 87
2001 Excellent year for long ageing Reservas
and Gran Reservas Drink or Hold 94
2000 A generally good vintage with fine Reservas Drink or Hold 89
1999 Smaller vintage of good quality Drink or Hold 88
1998 Good vintage Drink or Hold 97
1997 Unexciting so far, but quaffable Drink or Hold 84
1996 Good year, plenty of ageing potential Drink or Hold 89
1995 Very good vintage, Reservas now showing excellent fruit Drink or Hold 92
1994 Outstanding, some great long-ageing wines Drink or Hold 94
1993 Lesser wines, apart from best-known names Drink 77
1992 Rather light vintage Drink 80
1991 Still improving, average quality Drink or Hold 85
1990 Fairly ordinary but quaffable Drink 84
1989 Good, firm structure Drink 88
Rioja Reserva & Gran Reserva – Vintages of the Eighties Year %
1989 Goodish vintage, well balanced Drink 88
1988 Fairly good vintage, well balanced wines Drink 88
1987 Very attractive vintage, now at peak Drink 90
1986 Average year, now drinking well Drink 87
1985 Average year, now drinking well Drink 87
1984 Disappointing, with problem weather Avoid 80
1983 Don't keep it any longer Drink 86
1982 Now past its best Drink 83
1981 Superb wines, finest will keep longer Drink 90
1980 Average vintage, don't keep any longer Drink 86
More vintage charts
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