Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904 vertical 1964-2001 and a bonus from 50s

Tasted Monday, November 17, 2014 by AV2012 with 875 views

Flight 1 - Ostrich tartare (4 Notes)

  • NV La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva 904 91 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    A bottle from 50s, without vintage written on it. Superb, clear, ruby colour. Mild aroma of vanilla and non-identifyable jam. On the palate it is lively, but a bit edgy, also rather high accidity, pepper, beetroot sweetness, still noticeable tannin. Pepper on the finish. Very good with food. With air there develops a mushroom nose as well as cherry jam, figs, honey comb and finally smoked meats. Nicely opens up with air.

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  • 1964 La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva 904 92 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Clear, brownish colour. Starts off with mushrooms and basement on the nose. Sweetness, light caramel on the background as well as foam of red berry jam. There's also Christmas spices and old church on the nose. Mushroom cream soup on the palate, balsamico, caramelised sugar, anice, licorice, rowan, cowberry(!). Solid and stable wine. Loved by everybody, WOTN for many.

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  • 1973 La Rioja Alta Rioja Cuvée Centenario 89 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Nose of barnyard and leather, there's also some jam and orange rind in the background, old wood. Very integrated on the palate - old wood, leather, red berry jam. Rich, silky, but with lively accidity, quite round comparing to '64 or the one from 50s. There grows a note of sauna on the nose with air.

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  • 1973 La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva 904 89 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Colour almost the same as for '73 CC, a bit lighter. Nose is totally different - fresher, more intense, less oak and barnyard. On the palate it had more acidity and freshness. Both had this typical pickle notes on the nose. Concentrated mouthfeel, with time it develops some coffee notes as well as spices and rosemary.

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Flight 2 - Veal (4 Notes)

  • 1975 La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva 904 93 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Clear, ruby colour. Lively nose - light and very fruity for almost a 40 y.o. wine. There are foam of jam, some wood notes. On the palate there's good accidity, lovely tannins, plum jam. Elegant and multi-layered. Very powerful, built for ages. Chocolate on the finish. There's also the tipical pickle, spices and smoked meats on the nose.

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  • 1982 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 88 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    (From magnum) Clear, ruby colour, very little of that brownish hue, but meniscus is clear. Fresh, light nose of spices, smoked meats and tar as well as rosemary and bay leaves. Berries. tomato, metallic palate, very lean. From a smaller tasting glass it was more concentrated and better. It was either mildly corked or just somehow closed, not sure. I expected much more from this magnum.

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  • 1987 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 90 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Fresh and lively, good acidity, peppery, light tannins, menthol on the nose.

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  • 1989 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 91 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Graphite on the nose, as well as sugary black berries, dust and barnyard. Intense palate, seems that more alcohol than older vintages. Fresh tobacco leaves, more dense and taxture, vanilla and wood, pleasant tannins.

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Flight 3 - Lamb (5 Notes)

  • 1994 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 90 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Dense, intense nose. Fresh berries, also lovely animal notes, silky, pleasant tannins.

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  • 1997 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 90 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Camphor, Vietnamese serpent skin ointment on the nose as well as berries and spices. The typical pickle notes are here as well.

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  • 2000 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 92 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Quite dark, meniscus very small. Smoke, garrigue and pronounced tomato on the nose. Naturally more agressive than the older vintages, more acidity, but seemed more ready to drink than 2001 en magnum.

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  • 2001 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 Flawed

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    (From magnum) This seemed closed and not as impressive as it should be. Either it is very very primary in magnum, or the bottle was corked. Lucklily we had a regular bottle that we could open and compare side by side and it was a stunner!

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  • 2001 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 94 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Opened side by side with magnum, which was either corked or closed. This was excelent - dark, intense colour. Silky texture, dark berries, vanilla, animal notes, leather, pleasant barnyard, cherry stone, balsamico. Excellent as it should be. Perfect way to end the vertical.

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