Old Rioja - A Walkabout Tasting

Not many regions offer such great value mature wines as Rioja, so when the opportunity arises to taste a wide selection of old vintages, we inevitably get excited. We found a small merchant based in Rioja that had an Aladdin’s cave of old vintages from top producers and the temptation to bring them in for a tasting proved too much to fight. Spain has a rich history of producing fine wines that age for decades. As styles have changed in the last twenty years and more international styled wines have emerged, the uniqueness of old-school Rioja offers a wonderful contrast to the super-slick wines that dominate the market today.

Now…we have no idea how many of these wines will be in good drinking condition. Most of the wines have good levels and some of them are excellent, but.....we cannot guarantee anything. So, if you decide to join us at this tasting, please bear with us. Some of the wines could be past it, but then again look at the line-up – this could be the best £50 you ever spend!

2nd Table visited.

• 1975 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Imperial Reserva 88 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Clear and bright. Very intense port like nose. Still tannic with little fruit left on the palate.

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• 1973 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Imperial Reserva 88 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Clear and bright. Mineral stone on the nose with some fruit. Light start with a long finish, somehow a little disappointing.

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• 1970 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Imperial Reserva 88 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Darker than expected. Nose of grilled meat and a little smoke. Powerful, tannic, little fruit and abrupt finish.

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• 1966 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Imperial Reserva 91 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Clear and bright. Bol smokey and fruity nose. Soft, subtle, wonderful cherry note through to a long finish.

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• 1975 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Crianza 90 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Pale, clear and bright. Vegetal nose with a touch of perfume. Silky, good acidity, soft with a lingering cherry note.

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• 1973 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Crianza 89 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Clear and bright, pale. Vegetal with a touch of perfume, Silky and soft with still the soft fruit notes of cherry.

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The first table visited - well, I am a huge fan on La Rioja Alta.

• 1976 Bodegas Muga Rioja Crianza 86 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Very pale garnet. Polish but little fruit on the nose. Much more fruit on the palate, long. This is bottled as the Reserva in the UK.

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• 1974 Bodegas Muga Rioja Crianza 88 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Pale garnet. Nose of stewed berries with polish. Surprisingly fresh fruit on the palate with good length.

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• 1973 Bodegas Muga Rioja Crianza 88 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Pale garnet. Smokey nose. Lighter than the '74. Good fruit and long.

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• 1970 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva 90 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  V pale. Nose of roast meat. Rich, lush and long.

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• 1969 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva 92 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Pale. Rich and fruity nose. Luscious, long with a great fruit finish.

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• 1982 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 92 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Very little sign of age, perhaps a slight drop in colour. Very berry nose. Sweet fruit, subtle rather than bold in the middle palate, good length.

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• 1970 La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva 904 88 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Holding colour well. Vegetal nose with perfume underlying. Acidic, fruity and later savoury. Feels in transition.

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Last table visited and had to skip two wines as time ran out.

• 1978 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Ygay Etiqueta Blanca 88 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  Dark. Fruity nose, fruity on the palate. Perhaps under rated as being tasted alongside some fabulous wines.

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• 1976 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Ygay Etiqueta Blanca 90 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  Clear and Bright. Rich, fruity and meaty nose. Fresh fruity palate.

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• 1982 Marqués de Riscal Rioja Reserva 85 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  Clear and bright. Pineapple and Marzipan nose. Bit soapy and short.

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• 1976 Marqués de Riscal Rioja Reserva 88 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  Clear and Bright. Classic Riscal nose with perfume and fruit. Soft, fruity, good acidity but drops quite quickly.

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• 1974 Marqués de Riscal Rioja Reserva 88 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  Clear and bright. Fruit and some blood notes. Soft, fruity and acidic. Good but not great.

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• 1976 Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Crianza 85 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  Clear and bright. Vegetal pong nose. Not very expressive on the palate.

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• 1970 Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Crianza 88 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  Clear and bright. Some smokiness on the nose with sweet fruit. Light with good fruit.

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Third table visited with some duds but some great surprises!

• 1973 Bodegas Palacio Rioja Glorioso Reserva 92 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  Clear and Bright. Glorious rich fruity nose. Silky smooth, still fruity with good length but no lingering.

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• 1970 Solar de Samaniego Rioja Crianza Flawed

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  Clear TCA on the nose but cleared with some agitation leaving polish. Wine was figgy on the palate and past it's best.

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• 1970 Bodegas Franco-Españolas Rioja Reserva Especial 88 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  Clear and bright. Old polish on the nose with little fruit or meat. Meaty and savoury in the mouth. Long.

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• 1970 Bodegas Olarra Rioja Reserva 91 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  C+B. Sweet fruity nose. Sweet fruity start moving to a more earthy taste.

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• 1970 Señorío de Sarría Navarra Reserva Flawed

  Spain, Navarra

  This wine was on the list as a Rioja as SEÑORÍO SARRÍA.

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• 1964 Viña Santana Rioja Gran Reserva 87 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  Incredibly dark for the age. Tapenade nose of olives! Smooth, soft, subtle but all still present and drinking well.

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• 1959 Bodegas Fuenmayor Rioja Gran Reserva 88 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Very pale. Intriguing nose of pre-baked cake mix! Amazingly still fruity and long on the palate.

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• 1955 Yago Condal 85 Points

  Spain

  Darker than expected for the age. Punchy prune like nose. Cooked fruit, acid failing so past it's best.

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Well organised and eclectic tasting - would have preferred sitting down but this was possibly the best stand up tasting I have attended. Not over populated and easy to get wine from all bottles - no fear of missing any specials!