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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2024 and 2030 (based on 13 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.7 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 30 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by THECORKDORK on 5/12/2024 & rated 89 points: Tasty Lopez white. Perfect Eggplant pairing. (453 views) | | | Tasted by Jonne on 5/9/2024 & rated 94 points: Medel gyllene. Medelgardiner (12,5 procent).
Stor söt doft med citrus, honung och lite tropisk frukt. Lite blommigt. Fresia? Vete fan. Aning brynt smör.
Snustorrt trots den yppiga doften. Men ändå fylligt. Hög syra. Citrus och honung. Lite av den där hinten av brynt smör/popcorn.
Lång eftersmak med citrussyrlighet. (300 views) | | | Tasted by Peter Spijker on 3/17/2024 & rated 91 points: I've never had a disappointing bottle of Gravonia, and this was no exception. Lovely intense lemon, nuts, oak, ripe yellow apple, good balance between fruit and oxidative notes. I do think it misses a tiny bit of intensity and complexity, that I suspect will come with few more years in the bottle. I will start drinking these in 2026. (2078 views) | | | Tasted by AlphaMikeFoxtrot on 2/18/2024 & rated 91 points: Butterscotch, vanilla, coconut, white flowers, yeast, just a bit of ripe yellow apple and ripe quince on the nose. Medium + intensity of aromas. The palate adds tea leaves and white pepper which are a nice counterpoint to all the oak flavors, which remain. The fruit remains too. Overall the flavors are consistent with the aromas. Medium + intensity of flavors with a similarily intense finish that lasts 35 seconds.
Medium + body with zippy medium + acid that really balances it out. I like the conbination of American oak and high acid. Developing. Drinking well now, but will continue to age for 5-10 more years in the bottle. (2414 views) | | | Tasted by LiquidThoughts.de on 2/9/2024 & rated 92 points: [TASTED AT A WINEBAR @ GRAPES, MUNICH, GERMANY]
ENGLISH:
Nose: Funky fino sherry on the nose, salty but also candied light nuts, especially cashews and some macadamia, subtle butter, but also old, oxidized wood laying by the sea, light raisins and some unripe papaya, very aromatic but not loud, clover and wax, later also dried fruit fresh from the oven
Taste: Similar play in the mouth, Fino and Palo Cortado sherry, oxidative notes, cashew nuts, salt, beeswax, clover, light raisins and light wood, some unripe tropical fruit, medium body, acidity not as intense as you would think, even rather nice and playful, but dry
Comment: Funky single grape variety bottling with exciting characteristics, a dream for lovers of dry sherries, also develops for a long time in the glass...
GERMAN (ORIGINAL):
Nose: Funky Fino Sherry in der Nase, salzige aber auch kandierte helle Nüsse, insbesondere Cashewkerne und etwas Macadamia, dezente Butter, aber auch altes, oxidiertes Holz am Meer, helle Rosinen und etwas unreife Papaya, sehr aromatisch, aber nicht laut, Klee und Wachs, später auch Trockenfrüchte frisch aus dem Ofen
Taste: Ähnliches Spiel im Mund, Fino und Palo Cortado Sherry, oxidative Noten, Cashewkerne, Salz, Bienenwachs, Klee, helle Rosinen und helles Holz, etwas unreife tropische Frucht, mittlerer Körper, Säure nicht so intensiv wie man denken würde, sogar eher nett verspielt, aber trocken
Comment: Funky Reinsortler mit spannenden Eigenschaften, ein Traum für Liebhaber trockener Sherrys, entwickelt sich auch lange im Glas... (2102 views) | | | Tasted by diggydan on 2/2/2024 & rated 95 points: This was awful. Who would want a creamy, minerally, saline, textural mouth-bomb? My mistake for buying it, please don't. Thanks! (2630 views) | | | Tasted by Adrian Chmielarz on 1/20/2024 & rated 93 points: Fresh, aromatic, complex. Summer fruits with nuts and wax in the background -- but that's just the beginning. If this is so good, how heavenly do Tondonia Reserva and Gran Reserva must be?! (2677 views) | | | Tasted by Manuaia on 1/4/2024 flawed bottle: Uh oh. Second bottle of this thats been corked. Anyone else have this issue ? Or am i just “lucky” (2761 views) | | | Tasted by Paul D on 1/3/2024 & rated 90 points: 1/6, good cork.
Bright, pale gold.
Aromatic, petrol, cream, lightly nutty. Fumey. Medium/full, oily texture, creamy, nutty, fresh/vibrant acids with orangey notes on g/l finish. Excellent. (2577 views) | | | Tasted by NoahCap on 12/12/2023: My first time with Gravonia. I've had the Tondonia Reserva Blanco before. This crianza is by no means a down grade, though there are differences. Generally, the body here is lighter, concentration a little lower, overall a bit fresher.
This wine still has plenty of the oxidative, nutty, waxy character that make LdH blancos so distinctive. The amazing feat of this wine is its ability to balance these flavors with freshness and lift.
I'd wager that 99%+ of white wines out there are distinguished by fruit, minimality, and acid. This is not. This is driven by texture, flavors of the earth and flowers, characteristics like wax and mushrooms, length and complexity. The finish is long. The wine evolves with air like few others. It is protean over days, each manifestation enjoyable in its own way. (2499 views) | | | Tasted by Deux Chevaux on 12/4/2023: JVIZ’s note below describes it beautifully. We’ve had these creatures (along with other LDH Blancos) going back 10+ years now, and consistently find them among the most fascinating wines in our cellar. Here’s to Gravonia! (2403 views) | | | Tasted by jviz on 12/2/2023 & rated 95 points: Another marvelous wine from LdH. I really like the gravonia blanco bottling in its youth. It’s already polarizing enough, but as much fruit and freshness as it will ever have makes this a more charming wine to share. I’ve said before I think it is one of the world’s best, most unique wines, and stand by that comment. And while the reserva and gran reserva wines are even better, they are more serious, especially as they age, while a young gravonia can really open the eyes of a novice drinker. If a red wine could do what this does, all the complexity, interest, evolution in glass, etc; well it would be $1k/bottle and named Rayas. These wines have a high annual production and have started to increase in price, but I find it more than justified. In any case, this was my first taste of 2015 and I find it in line with other vintages. No particular flaw or shortcoming. It’s a delight on PnP
Day 2 (and 3) don’t show the wine budging much. Plenty of golden apple fruit, walnut and juniper. It’s a sturdy vintage I imagine will hold up well. (2626 views) | | | Tasted by theraredram on 11/25/2023 & rated 93 points: An unbelievably spectacular wine and for the price quite possible the bargain of the century.
The nose opens with benchmark oxidation, salinity, white flower, blanched apricot and olive. Utterly mouthwatering.
The palate is buttery with walnut, underripe gage, floral honey, lanolin, grapefruit and white flower. The oxidation and salinity reappears on the finish complemented by dried lavender, hay and marmalade.
It's the freshness in age, complimented by such refined salinity that makes these wines so great. Others have already mentioned that the palate of this vintage is ever so slightly thin, but considering the price point and incredible character, it really does little to spoil the experience. A sensation. (2223 views) | | | Tasted by Philolesen on 11/10/2023 & rated 92 points: Very interesting wine. Oxidative on the nose almost sherry-like with notes of walnuts, hazelnuts, fermented apples, mineral and ripe lemons.
We did not give this wine a lot of air which probably was a big mistake given the other CT reviews. The palate disappointed somewhat based on the expectation upon smelling it. Perhaps air would have helped a bit with that. Still a very nice wine. 91p.
Update: Had the remaining of this bottle a few days (first time was coravin), and I can only agree with the rest of the reviews. This wine needs at least 1.5 hour in the bottle to fully blossom. 92p+ (2043 views) | | | Tasted by lozatron on 10/14/2023: Friday Night with Sushi and Ferris Beuler: We were having sushi, my sister was coming over and I felt like something a little bit special - K doesn't really like these wines so with her away for the weekend, felt like the chance to try one. Decanted into a beaker for 3 hours before drinking - this time should have been longer. This has that kind of spiky waxiness I really enjoy in this wine, big on the palate, the fruit is forcing itself through but I suspect this would have had more balance on day 2. A lovely treat to head into the weekend. (2129 views) | | | Tasted by Rudolph Schmidt on 10/9/2023: Decanted and enjoyed over 3h. Almond, honey butter, tangerine, super oxidative, lemon zest, gala apple, toffee, salinity. (1963 views) | | | Tasted by grafstrb on 10/1/2023: -- tasted non-blind on Days 1, 2 and 4 --
NOSE: initially, pretty flat; light Sherry-esque aromatics -- along the lines of a Fino. Never blossomed or unfurled in any kind of dramatic fashion over 4 days.
BODY: medium-light to medium bodied; medium-rich golden yellow color -- perhaps leaning into amber territory.
TASTE: medium+ to high acidity; oaky, but this is behind a more front-facing, juicy, mineral-forward (wooly) Viura presentation; very slightly oxidative; alc. is hidden (13.5%); as with the Nose, faintly Sherry-esque on the palate; this was possibly at its best on Day 4, by which time a little Strawberry Runts note had emerged. In the context of this LdH bottling, this vintage is certainly on the more subdued end of the spectrum. I'm hoping it simply needs more age, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at all nervous ... we'll see. For now, best to Hold. (1929 views) | | | Tasted by sh6k on 9/30/2023 & rated 93 points: Creamy and nutty butterscotchy, great food wine (1892 views) | | | Tasted by gayocamuzet69 on 7/22/2023 & rated 88 points: Purchased in my over-excitement about my upcoming visit to the domaine.
Popped and poured on Friday night alone. Needed about 15 minutes of air to work out the kinks, but this wine showed beautifully.
Lovely oxidative nose, sherry- or Jura-like, with nice tree fruitiness. Lots of ripe lemon and apple.
Broad mouthfeel, and my one knock on the wine is that the mid palate is somewhat flat, but not in a way that overly detracts from the experience. Lovely acidity and nice length on the finish.
Shared with a few friends on Saturday evening, and the wine continued to impress. Could probably keep going for weeks.
Very cool departure from my primarily burgundy-focused drinking habits. 88 / 100 (1889 views) | | | Tasted by WetRock on 7/6/2023: As expected, this needed plenty of air to be at its best. But its best falls a bit short of expectations. That only speaks to the high expectations this wine carries. The fruit is a bit thin. There just isn't the depth you want from this wine. After a night or two it does get a good deal more complex but without the body it never really finds its groove. A good wine but check your expectations. Its only going to really need a couple years more rest. (1970 views) | | | Tasted by mmiller94 on 6/25/2023 & rated 91 points: Definitely sherry-like, Granny Smith and yellow apples, lemon and orange zest, mushroom, salinity, walnut, and a bit of spice. The finish is particularly impressive, it goes on for almost a full minute.
But PSA, definitely give it a good couple hours of decanting or pull the cork and let it sit overnight. (1601 views) | | | Tasted by BCJ99 on 6/7/2023 & rated 91 points: Hay, almond, dried apricot, dried citruspeel, lemon meringue, complex and with good length, good acidity for balance (1679 views) | | | Tasted by Akatz821 on 6/4/2023 & rated 89 points: I liked it, but not nearly as much as the 2014 I had earlier in the year. Almonds, flor, lemon meringue, vanilla custard, a super nice waxiness and heft. However, it almost felt as if there was some sneaky hidden residual sugar (1630 views) | | | Tasted by La Ronde on 5/20/2023 & rated 92 points: Lemony fresh and quite complex. Nutty and mushroomy. Decant and don’t drink too cold. (1349 views) | | | Tasted by Manuaia on 4/25/2023 & rated 91 points: Got the classic lemon curd thing. Slightly creamy. Pretty. A wonderful freshness to the wine that i wasnt expecting. Oak pretty prevelent upon opening but this should integrate soon. Better than the 2014 but not as good as the 12 or 13 imo
Day 2: imperative this wine is drunk at cellar temp. Lemon curd is now some sort of cherimoya curd. Oak still pretty up front. wine is kind of closed. Lets give it another day.
Day 3: more open. red apple. Wet wool. Good acidity. Tannin. Oak still prevalent. Every sip is different. Still goin… (1320 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| R. López de Heredia Producer WebsiteViuraMacabeo, also called Viura or Macabeu is a white variety of wine grape.
It is widely grown in the Rioja region of northeastern Spain, the Cava producing areas south of Barcelona, and the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. Spanish plantations stood at near 32,000 hectares (79,000 acres) in 2004, and French plantations at 2,800 hectares (6,900 acres) in 2007.
The grape is mostly used to make mildly acidic and young white wines mostly suitable for early consumption or blending with other varieties, both red and white. It is often the main grape of white Rioja and is sometimes blended in small amounts with Tempranillo and red Garnacha, both in unoaked and oaked versions. It was introduced in Rioja after the phylloxera epidemic, where it largely replaced Malvasia and Garnacha blanca, partially because of the ability of its wines to better withstand oxidation. Some producers of white Rioja make superior wines (Reserva and Gran Reserva) subjected to extended ageing that can span decades, resulting in a highly distinctive and aromatic wine.
Macabeo (or Macabeu as it is known in Catalan) is traditionally blended with Xarel·lo and Parellada to make Cava, the best known sparkling wine of Spain. It is also used in the base spirit used to create Obsello Absinthe.
This is the white Riojan grape par excellence and the main grape we grow in Patrocinio. It is also known as Macabeo, particularly in Catalonia, where it forms part of the traditional trio of Cava varieties. In our winery, it produces still, vibrant wines with subtle aromas of herbs and spices. It is the base of our whites that are fermented in the barrel, a traditional technique developed in our region.Viña Gravonia On weinlagen-infoSpain 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
Mp on weinlagen-info
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