1978 Bodegas Campillo Rioja Gran Reserva

Community Tasting Notes (9) Avg Score: 90 points

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  7/14/2022 - forceberry wrote: 91 Points

  I've had this wine once before, but back then the bottle looked entirely different than this time around. Anyways, I've understood this is a 100% Tempranillo from Faustino (as Campillo is a winery and a brand of Faustino established in 1990) that has been aged for 2 years in French and American barriques, followed by 3 years of aging in bottles. Tasted blind.
  
  Evolved, somewhat translucent pomegranate color with a brick-orange rim. The nose feels evolved and somewhat tertiary with classic Rioja aromas of dill and ripe strawberries, some wizened cranberries, a little bit of dried figs, light woody notes of savory old oak, a hint of cherry and a touch of vanilla. The wine is dry, evolved and quite sinewy on the palate with a medium body and aged, complex flavors of wizened sour cherries and tart lingonberries, some savory notes of meat stew, a little bit of dill, light woody notes of old oak, a hint of earth and a briny touch of olive. The overall feel is still surprisingly structured, thanks to the quite high acidity and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is very long, quite grippy and relatively lively with savory flavors of sour cherries and wizened cranberries, some tangy notes of salinity, a little bit of dill pickle, light earthy notes, a hint of tart lingonberry and a woody touch of savory oak spice.
  
  An evolved and still quite firm and structured Rioja Gran Reserva that was quite instantly recognizable for the style - almost all attendees guessed that this must be an aged Rioja. However, people thought "aged" here meant perhaps mid-to-early 1990's. The wine is surprisingly youthful for its age, but I'd say the wine has finally reached its apogee and won't evolve much or at all here - it's possible the still quite grippy tannins will resolve to some degree from here, but I feel that aromatically the wine is not going to develop any additional complexity. The wine feels somewhat more evolved and complete than how it was seven years ago when I tasted it previously. All in all, a classically styled, savory and structured old-school Rioja Gran Reserva. Nice, although nothing truly mesmerizing.

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  3/28/2016 - blaahhi wrote:

  Dark red fruit, leather, herbs and well-integrated oak on the quite ripe nose. The medium-bodied palate adds some spices and woody notes, as well as decent acidity and gentle tannins. Long finish, tapering towards acidity and some more wood. This is developed somehow, although certainly youthful for its age. Not very complex, but drinking pleasantly anyway.

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  8/18/2015 - forceberry wrote: 90 Points

  Very dark and remarkably youthful appearance for its age: the wine is quite deep purple-red with a somewhat mahogany rim and a hint of haze from the deposit. The wine is developed and moderately rustic with savory and slightly funky aromas of prunes, leather, some olive, light mocha tones, a little bit of dried figs, a hint of ripe blackcurrant and a touch of barnyard. The wine is medium-bodied, dry and quite tightly-knit on the palate with flavors of ripe dark berries, earthy spice, some leather, a little bit of bitter woody character, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of pruney fruit. The structure relies both on the high acidity and still quite tough and grippy tannins, making the wine feel pretty lean and intense. The finish is long, dry and quite tannic with savory flavors of earthy spices, crunchy dark berries, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of woody old oak character and a hint of vanilla. The alcohol lends a subtly warm touch to the palate.
  
  A very conspicuously youthful effort for a Rioja at almost 40 years of age. The wine certainly tastes like it has seen some age, but it is nowhere near as developed as the Rioja reds I've had from the 1970's and 1980's - I have a strong suspicion that either the wine is freshened with a dose of young Rioja red (with an amount that exceeds the 15% that is allowed) or this wine really isn't the stuff what the label says. I just have very hard time believing this is supposed to be as old as it claims to be. Overall the wine is certainly enjoyable and - due to its exceptionally youthful style - also capable of developing further from here. The wine just seems to call for some food pairing just to tone down the tough, angular structure and to bring the fruit department a little bit more to the fore. All in all, much better than the Campillo Gran Reserva 1989, but still not really worth the 59€.

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  6/20/2015 - empire80 Likes this wine: 91 Points

  Very deceptive for 37 years old! Colour still quite purple although fading at the rim. Leather, spice, bit dry on the finish. Great with roast lamb.

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  5/8/2015 - Henman Likes this wine: 89 Points

  Decanted for one hour. Leather and ripe red toned fruit on the nose. Medium bodied, resolving gentle tannins, delivering plenty of red fruit with a distinct leathery and oaky aspect. A little dusty finish. Incredibly youthful. No way this would go for a 1978 vintage in a blind tasting. I had expected something more complex and matured. Nevertheless a beautiful quaffer. 88-89.

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