7 Decades of Rioja

Riga
Tasted Monday, October 21, 2013 by AV2012 with 402 views

Introduction

Drank over 3 hour period. Monte Real GR decanted for ~1.5h, the rest decanted for sediment and poured. My WOTN was '52 or '83, followed by 64 and 97, then 70, and finally 2001 and 2010.

Flight 1 (7 Notes)

  • 1952 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Reserva Especial 93 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Brick brown, quite dark for such an old wine. Deep, beautiful colour.
    On the nose: barnyard aromas, animals, salami, hay, some port like sweetness.
    On the palate it was very lively, soft, integrated tannins, but you can still feel them. Some lovely sweetness and dried fruits open up with air. Nose grows with air, some honey and hay aromas develop.
    Don't always like to give score to old wine, but this must be (A-).

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  • 1964 Martinez Lacuesta Rioja Reserva Especial 89 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

    Very transparent, brickish colour.
    Peculiar aromas of marinated pickles, boiled meat; when left alone for half an hour, warm notes of resin and sauna wood develop.
    Well integrated palate of redcurrants, cranberries, rowan and some autumn decaying leafs.
    Quite aggressive and accidic wine comparing to CVNE Vina Real '52 that went before this.

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  • 1970 Bodegas Riojanas Rioja Monte Real Gran Reserva 89 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

    Closed nose, some dust, wet wood, some animal notes. May be mild tobacco, tea.
    Calm palate, some mushrooms.
    Overall this wine was lost between '64 Lacuesta and '83 Valdemar, it couldn't compare to either of them.

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  • 1983 Bodegas Valdemar Rioja Conde de Valdemar Gran Reserva 93 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Nose of plums, dried fruits, vanilla, sweet cherry.
    Sweet but completely dry, cherries, may be even blackcurrants, oak.
    Surprisingly fresh. Gets even more aromatic with air. Tasty and enjoyable. (A-)

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  • 1997 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 90 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Nose of strong, pronounced dill, lush and multilayer, leather, oak, vanilla, dark berries, greenhouse. Full, lucious palate. (B+)

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  • 2001 Marqués de Riscal Rioja Gran Reserva 79 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

    Dark, saturated colour.
    Edgy, alchocolic nose, lots of vanilla from oak. Strong hospital aromas, may be eucalyptus or pine needles. Light animal scents.
    On the palate - earthy, plums, tar, may be mushroom. Lots and lots of tannin, doesn't really improve with air. Didn't get this wine. (C+)

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  • 2010 Benjamin Romeo Rioja Predicador 83 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

    Very strong aromas of vanilla, berries, (canned pineapple?) flowers, tar, butter. Intense, but drinkable tannins. Quite edgy, but improves with air. Mixed feelings towards this bottle. (C+)

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