My 50th at the Ledbury (The Ledbury, London): Deep garnet, denser than the other two. Classic Imperial nose, coffee, mocha, leather and dark red fruit. Finely velvety texture. Nicely rich, though lightens over a few hours after an early double decant. ****
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Está claro que abrir una botella de 49 años es siempre una lotería, pero en esta ocasión he sido afortunado. El tapón salió entero aunque mojado, no hubo decantación previa aunque durante el consumo sí que decanté media botella aproximadamente. Presenta un color totalmente atejado y claro. En la parte embotellada el aroma es leve, y en la decantada más intenso, (esta es la única diferencia entre ambas partes), no hay ningún tipo de suciedad, el aroma es de difícil definición aunque podría decirse que hay cenizas o mejor dicho madera quemada, balsámicos, mueble viejo o sacristía con apuntes de mandarina, el aroma va evolucionando hacia tabaco de pipa y café torrefacto.
Evidentemente en boca el vino es una suavidad y redondez extraordinaria, tiene cuerpo medio-bajo, acidez suficiente, sabor difícil de definir sería como confitura de cereza o higos, el final es medianamente largo. Da sensaciones excelentes
A pesar de que en condiciones normales este vino se debería calificar con un 92, creo que es necesario valorar la capacidad de resistencia y por eso le doy un 94. No creo que ningún Imperial ni de este siglo ni de finales de la anterior sea capaz de aguantar casi 50 años
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Brett or some funky flavor showed up right away, but after a couple hours he either left the party or I didn't notice him anymore. The wine opened up very nicely and tasted only 20 years old instead of 47 after 1.5-2 hours in a wide bottom decanter. Very nice fruit, decent complexity. The cork was completely wet, but the wine didn't care. Nice bottle, but give it 90min before you start.
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decanted 90 minutes-brick red with brown edge; raspberry nose, surprisingly primary; palate fruit not as strong as on the nose but a lovely silky texture and long finish. relatively light fruit makes me think the time is now, but the weight on the palate suggests an elegant, slow fade to OTH.
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Mature Rioja @ Medlar (Medlar, London): The second bottle is far better but still not at the heights this wine can achieve. A little darker and richer than the VR on the nose, but also brighter acidity than usual for Imperial. Lovely match to the VR but doesn't quite match on complexity, intensity of length. 'Merely' very good. ****
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Mature Rioja @ Medlar (Medlar, London): Haven't had the 73 Imperial GR for almost five years but the first bottle of this is clearly substandard. A bit pinched with excess volatility and a touch of mud. The colour is a little browner too and there's a fine sediment haze.
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Rich nose of dark fruit, dusty earth, leather, light smoke, musty notes with mineral and stony elements. However, on the palate the remaining fruit is overpowered by backpalate acidity. Virtually no noticeable residual tannin. Not one of the better bottles that I have had, and on balance does not live up to the recent experiences of other commentators.
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At Six Decade Rioja Tasting, 12/14/14. 2 hour Audouze, 2 hour decant. In the glass, ethereal tertiary nose of everything from violet to saddle-leather. On the palate, pure and refined, class in a glass. Best wine on the table (of 7 traditional Riojas) for the first hour, then started moving backward as the the beautifully balanced 1953 Bilbainas Reserva Especial came on strong, then overshadowed when a perfect bottle of the rich, ripe, round, still-too-young 1964 Campo Viejo was poured and fairly jumped out of the glass.
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Aged Rioja's and a Ribera (NYC): this was drinking nicely. Of the first 5 - which all didn't show too well, this was great and began to show what older rioja's can do. The wines that followed though were spectacular.
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Nariz generosa, abierto, totalmente entregado, elegante, de una madurez y accesibilidad impresionante. Un Imperial en estado de gracia que nos reconcilia con los grandes Rioja de toda la vida. Potente, expresivo, con una ráfaga de notas notas de cacao recién tostado, café aromático, fruta negra en compota (ciruelas maceradas, pasas, algarroba, higos), cremosos, vainilla, bombón en licor, y un deje de mermelada, de guindas, fruta roja madura, confitura de cítricos, piel de naranja. No se acaba... Al respirar comienza a sacar todo tipo de aromas terrosos, maderas nobles, humus, hojarasca, pimientas, especias, cava de puro, tabaco de pipa. Bufff!!!!
Inunda el paladar, sabroso, lleno de tostados y notas achocolatadas, con una acidez de vértigo y unos taninos firmes. Mucha estructura y elegancia, persistente, lleno de fruta en confitura, cítricos dulces, especias, largo, amplio, redondo, armónico, aposentado. Lo tiene todo y en grandes cantidades: igual de serio como de accesible.
Otro gran vino del 73 que sigue mostrando su capacidad para concebir bombas de relojería que como éste explotan 40 años más tarde. Al nivel de las mejores añadas de Imperial GR.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -E-L-S - 1-2 - G-O-L-A-F-R-E-S - W-I-N-E - T-A-S-T-I-N-G - G-R-O-U-P - - - - - - - - - - Wine Info - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 75% tempranillo, 15% graciano, 10% mazuelo - 13% vol. Permanece durante 12 meses en depósitos para finalizar la fermentación maloláctica y reposar antes de pasar a criarse en madera. El vino madura durante 36 meses en barricas semi-nuevas de 225 litros, 70% de roble americano y 30% francés. Según la cosecha se deja descansar entre 36 y 60 meses en los botelleros de los calados de la bodega antes de ser comercializado a principios de los años 80. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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At Roberson's Old Rioja Night. I score this much lower than previous CT users so bottle may have been suspect. Some power and fruit on the open but a very short and dissapointing finish with too much acidity. Probably bottle variation or this bottle is past it's prime.
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Light cranberry color with some browning. Nose is ethereal: floral, spice notes, tea. Like aged Burgundy, maybe Chambolle, to me. Could have kept my nose in the glass all night. Palate is a bit drier than I'd ideally like, but the wine has a beautiful weight, texture, and integration. Soft and feminine with hints of sweet dark fruits. These Cune GRs are terrific wines that can age gracefully.
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My 40th at The Ledbury (The Ledbury, London): Slightly fuller, deeper garnet than the Vina Real. Denser with darker fruit and more of a coffee cream nose. Denser on the palate too, slightly drier on the finish too. With air this starts to move towards the VR, but whilst opening and showing very flattering, supple fruit, it doesn't quite match the ethereal lift of the VR. Very very good wine though and showing brightly wi dark briars fruit, coffee cream and some orange rind character and a fine velvety rather than silky texture across the long finish ****1/2
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Really lovely at first with a range of complex developed flavours; black tea, rose petals and orange over lighter cranberry and other red fruited flavours. Plenty of acidity underneath with resolved tannins, very gentle and elegant though as the night went on this faded a little and started to feel a little tired with the fruit and other flavours losing intensity and some caramelized elements emerging.
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Delicious. First sensation is standard old Rioja wininess, but once you toss it around your mouth it practically billows into something both fleshy and sweet with an almost cookie-dough character adding to its enticement. Still a little tannic, but beautiful stuff.
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12 Old Rioja: 1925-1981 (Tia Pol): Smells a little dirtier than the ’70, with more earth notes, a touch of Brett and more of a lifted note. While younger on the palate, there’s not as much stuffing as in the ’70. It’s also less integrated and coarser with more of a leather and earth personality. Not as complex or layered as the ’70, but I’m making it seem a little worse than it is. It’s just that it’s no ’70. Solid B+.
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1/13/2023 - SimonG wrote: 93 Points
My 50th at the Ledbury (The Ledbury, London): Deep garnet, denser than the other two. Classic Imperial nose, coffee, mocha, leather and dark red fruit. Finely velvety texture. Nicely rich, though lightens over a few hours after an early double decant. ****
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3/27/2022 - FEDEVIDAL Likes this wine: 94 Points
Está claro que abrir una botella de 49 años es siempre una lotería, pero en esta ocasión he sido afortunado. El tapón salió entero aunque mojado, no hubo decantación previa aunque durante el consumo sí que decanté media botella aproximadamente. Presenta un color totalmente atejado y claro. En la parte embotellada el aroma es leve, y en la decantada más intenso, (esta es la única diferencia entre ambas partes), no hay ningún tipo de suciedad, el aroma es de difícil definición aunque podría decirse que hay cenizas o mejor dicho madera quemada, balsámicos, mueble viejo o sacristía con apuntes de mandarina, el aroma va evolucionando hacia tabaco de pipa y café torrefacto.
Evidentemente en boca el vino es una suavidad y redondez extraordinaria, tiene cuerpo medio-bajo, acidez suficiente, sabor difícil de definir sería como confitura de cereza o higos, el final es medianamente largo. Da sensaciones excelentes
A pesar de que en condiciones normales este vino se debería calificar con un 92, creo que es necesario valorar la capacidad de resistencia y por eso le doy un 94. No creo que ningún Imperial ni de este siglo ni de finales de la anterior sea capaz de aguantar casi 50 años
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12/8/2020 - WhinyWiner Likes this wine: 92 Points
Brett or some funky flavor showed up right away, but after a couple hours he either left the party or I didn't notice him anymore. The wine opened up very nicely and tasted only 20 years old instead of 47 after 1.5-2 hours in a wide bottom decanter. Very nice fruit, decent complexity. The cork was completely wet, but the wine didn't care. Nice bottle, but give it 90min before you start.
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2/25/2019 - vinojones wrote: 92 Points
decanted 90 minutes-brick red with brown edge; raspberry nose, surprisingly primary; palate fruit not as strong as on the nose but a lovely silky texture and long finish. relatively light fruit makes me think the time is now, but the weight on the palate suggests an elegant, slow fade to OTH.
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10/6/2018 - petitblanc wrote: flawed
Yet Another Dinner with José (Biaggi's Naperville): Low fill, sepage, dead.
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11/10/2017 - SimonG wrote: 92 Points
Mature Rioja @ Medlar (Medlar, London): The second bottle is far better but still not at the heights this wine can achieve. A little darker and richer than the VR on the nose, but also brighter acidity than usual for Imperial. Lovely match to the VR but doesn't quite match on complexity, intensity of length. 'Merely' very good. ****
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11/10/2017 - SimonG wrote: flawed
Mature Rioja @ Medlar (Medlar, London): Haven't had the 73 Imperial GR for almost five years but the first bottle of this is clearly substandard. A bit pinched with excess volatility and a touch of mud. The colour is a little browner too and there's a fine sediment haze.
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4/20/2015 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 91 Points
Rich nose of dark fruit, dusty earth, leather, light smoke, musty notes with mineral and stony elements. However, on the palate the remaining fruit is overpowered by backpalate acidity. Virtually no noticeable residual tannin. Not one of the better bottles that I have had, and on balance does not live up to the recent experiences of other commentators.
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12/15/2014 - Vinomane wrote: 92 Points
At Six Decade Rioja Tasting, 12/14/14. 2 hour Audouze, 2 hour decant. In the glass, ethereal tertiary nose of everything from violet to saddle-leather. On the palate, pure and refined, class in a glass. Best wine on the table (of 7 traditional Riojas) for the first hour, then started moving backward as the the beautifully balanced 1953 Bilbainas Reserva Especial came on strong, then overshadowed when a perfect bottle of the rich, ripe, round, still-too-young 1964 Campo Viejo was poured and fairly jumped out of the glass.
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10/7/2014 - lolo66 wrote: 92 Points
Aged Rioja's and a Ribera (NYC): this was drinking nicely. Of the first 5 - which all didn't show too well, this was great and began to show what older rioja's can do. The wines that followed though were spectacular.
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11/25/2013 - Los 12 Glotones Likes this wine: 96 Points
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Els12golafres Wine Tasting Group: http://vinosclasicos.blogspot.com.es/2013/06/imperial-1973-gran-reserva.html
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De color rubí marronoso de medio cuerpo, reflejos cobrizos y anaranjados, limpio, borde amplio, atejado.
Nariz generosa, abierto, totalmente entregado, elegante, de una madurez y accesibilidad impresionante. Un Imperial en estado de gracia que nos reconcilia con los grandes Rioja de toda la vida. Potente, expresivo, con una ráfaga de notas notas de cacao recién tostado, café aromático, fruta negra en compota (ciruelas maceradas, pasas, algarroba, higos), cremosos, vainilla, bombón en licor, y un deje de mermelada, de guindas, fruta roja madura, confitura de cítricos, piel de naranja. No se acaba... Al respirar comienza a sacar todo tipo de aromas terrosos, maderas nobles, humus, hojarasca, pimientas, especias, cava de puro, tabaco de pipa. Bufff!!!!
Inunda el paladar, sabroso, lleno de tostados y notas achocolatadas, con una acidez de vértigo y unos taninos firmes. Mucha estructura y elegancia, persistente, lleno de fruta en confitura, cítricos dulces, especias, largo, amplio, redondo, armónico, aposentado. Lo tiene todo y en grandes cantidades: igual de serio como de accesible.
Otro gran vino del 73 que sigue mostrando su capacidad para concebir bombas de relojería que como éste explotan 40 años más tarde. Al nivel de las mejores añadas de Imperial GR.
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-E-L-S - 1-2 - G-O-L-A-F-R-E-S - W-I-N-E - T-A-S-T-I-N-G - G-R-O-U-P - - - - - - -
- - - Wine Info - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
75% tempranillo, 15% graciano, 10% mazuelo - 13% vol.
Permanece durante 12 meses en depósitos para finalizar la fermentación maloláctica y reposar antes de pasar a criarse en madera. El vino madura durante 36 meses en barricas semi-nuevas de 225 litros, 70% de roble americano y 30% francés. Según la cosecha se deja descansar entre 36 y 60 meses en los botelleros de los calados de la bodega antes de ser comercializado a principios de los años 80.
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10/25/2013 - Lord of the Bottles wrote:
At Roberson's Old Rioja Night. I score this much lower than previous CT users so bottle may have been suspect. Some power and fruit on the open but a very short and dissapointing finish with too much acidity. Probably bottle variation or this bottle is past it's prime.
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10/13/2013 - decaturwinedude Likes this wine: 93 Points
Light cranberry color with some browning. Nose is ethereal: floral, spice notes, tea. Like aged Burgundy, maybe Chambolle, to me. Could have kept my nose in the glass all night. Palate is a bit drier than I'd ideally like, but the wine has a beautiful weight, texture, and integration. Soft and feminine with hints of sweet dark fruits. These Cune GRs are terrific wines that can age gracefully.
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5/23/2013 - JLeader wrote: 92 Points
Complex nose of coffee, spices, and leather; deep and plush palate; richly fruited; long finish.
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5/9/2013 - awilliamson4 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Another winner from Rioja...a little drier than the Lopez but really great with some dark fruit and a bit more sweetness.
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1/4/2013 - SimonG wrote: 94 Points
My 40th at The Ledbury (The Ledbury, London): Slightly fuller, deeper garnet than the Vina Real. Denser with darker fruit and more of a coffee cream nose. Denser on the palate too, slightly drier on the finish too. With air this starts to move towards the VR, but whilst opening and showing very flattering, supple fruit, it doesn't quite match the ethereal lift of the VR. Very very good wine though and showing brightly wi dark briars fruit, coffee cream and some orange rind character and a fine velvety rather than silky texture across the long finish ****1/2
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11/24/2009 - salil wrote: 90 Points
Really lovely at first with a range of complex developed flavours; black tea, rose petals and orange over lighter cranberry and other red fruited flavours. Plenty of acidity underneath with resolved tannins, very gentle and elegant though as the night went on this faded a little and started to feel a little tired with the fruit and other flavours losing intensity and some caramelized elements emerging.
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7/5/2009 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 93 Points
Delicious. First sensation is standard old Rioja wininess, but once you toss it around your mouth it practically billows into something both fleshy and sweet with an almost cookie-dough character adding to its enticement. Still a little tannic, but beautiful stuff.
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2/25/2009 - BradKNYC wrote:
12 Old Rioja: 1925-1981 (Tia Pol): Smells a little dirtier than the ’70, with more earth notes, a touch of Brett and more of a lifted note. While younger on the palate, there’s not as much stuffing as in the ’70. It’s also less integrated and coarser with more of a leather and earth personality. Not as complex or layered as the ’70, but I’m making it seem a little worse than it is. It’s just that it’s no ’70. Solid B+.
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