Mature Rioja @ Medlar

Pheasant Milanese with truffled Autumn slaw, Parmesan and girolles

• 1976 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Ygay Gran Reserva Blanco 95 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  Deep old gold. Nicely rich. Vibrant too. Rich on the palate with an orange citrus hint to the finish. Very smooth and follows through to a long finish. Really lovely. Several extra layers of complexity and density (as have the other two whites in the flight) than a 73 Tondo GR earlier in the week. Holds do well in the glass over four hours or so. *****

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• 1981 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia 95 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Same deep old gold. Richer on the nose with more caramel notes though fewer fruit one. A touch of lanolin too though less so than the 73 earlier in the week. More sibstance too. Nicely rich. Orange peel develops on the nose and palate with air. Top Tondo, but the nod goes to the 76 Murrieta. *****

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• 1982 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Ygay Reserva Blanco 94 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  A fraction lighter than the other two, but still old gold. A touch of VA on the nose but this blows off quite quickly to reveal a nicely fresh, trad Rioja. A little fresher and lighter on the top notes cf the other two. Not quite the intensity or richness either but it fills out to show itself quite close to its older big brother. Richer on the palate than the Tondo and a little fresher and zingier but less depth than the 76GR. Really super though. ****1/2

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Squash ravioli with King oyster mushroom, ricotta, fresh walnuts and a sage beurre noisette

• 1954 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Reserva Especial 94 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Mid garnet. Nicely rich. Warm leather and fireside spice. Smooth. Very classic. A little damp earth too. Just a touch of orange peel developed. Gets slightly pinched with a couple of hours of air. Really lovely though. ****1/2

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• 1955 Federico Paternina Rioja Gran Reserva 91 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Full bottle. Similar mid garnet. A little volatile initially. Fresher on the palate, slightly more prominent acidity. Not quite as nuanced. Far more vital than from half bottle. Lacks the plushness and depth of the CVNEs though. Lots of interest but 'merely' very good. ****

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• 1959 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Imperial Reserva 94 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Mid garnet. Again, a little volatile initially. Similar on the palate to the 54VR but a little richer and with more coffee. Settles down nicely and opens to a classic, smooth richness. Leather, spice and coffee. Lovely. ****1/2

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Duck magret with baby artichokes, coco beans, shallot purée and marjoram

• 1970 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia Flawed

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  DOA. Maderised.

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• 1970 Bodegas Franco-Españolas Rioja Cosecha Especial Bordón 91 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  Mid garnet. Nicely mocha on the nose. Quite evolved with good orange peel typicity. Fresh and sprite lay on the palate. Lighter framed and brighter. Gets a little lost in the (stellar) crowd, but singing brightly. ****

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• 1973 Federico Paternina Rioja Conde de los Andes Gran Reserva Flawed

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Unknown vintage, but around 73 judging by colour. A bit of a mess along the lines of a previous bottle of this — seems to have taken on a swimming pool chemical concoction. Shame.

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• 1966 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Imperial Gran Reserva 93 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Another one that's quite volatile initially. Very mocha scented with base notes of coffee grounds. Deep and quite darkly plush. Not quite the richness on the palate that the 75VR has, or for that matter the 59ImpRes. Consistent with previous bottles of this. ****

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• 1975 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Gran Reserva 94 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Bottle 1. Once again, quite volatile but blows off quickly. Nicely rich. A little more mocha than usual with VR. Would almost pick it as Imperial if served blind. Really lovely wine though. Nicely rich but just a shade behind the slightly more classical 73. ****1/2

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Cheese cheese and more cheese

• 1973 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Gran Reserva 95 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  When it's good, the 73 is very good and this bottle is no exception. Lovely and typically 73. All the leather, spice, orange peel and warm fireside. Opens and puts on a little coffee ground weight. Long and luscious. *****

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• 1973 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Imperial Gran Reserva Flawed

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Haven't had the 73 Imperial GR for almost five years but the first bottle of this is clearly substandard. A bit pinched with excess volatility and a touch of mud. The colour is a little browner too and there's a fine sediment haze.

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• 1973 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Imperial Gran Reserva 92 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  The second bottle is far better but still not at the heights this wine can achieve. A little darker and richer than the VR on the nose, but also brighter acidity than usual for Imperial. Lovely match to the VR but doesn't quite match on complexity, intensity of length. 'Merely' very good. ****

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• 1975 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Gran Reserva 91 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Bottle 2. A little more lift here. Coffee and curiously, burnt toast on the nose. Then it starts to show that creamy Vienese chocolate melange thing that older bottles of CVNE can sometimes develop. Volatility or something bacterial? Not sure, but whilst it doesn't kill the underlying wine which is still richly VR, it does take the complexity and interest off the nose. Not as good as the earlier bottle of this though still plenty of interest. ****

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