Monte Real 1973 Gran Reserva

Wine: Monte Real 1973 Gran Reserva

Winery: Bodegas Riojanas (Cenicero, La Rioja)
Appellation: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 75% Tempranillo, 15% Mazuelo, 5% Garnacha, 2% Graciano, 3% others (Viura, Malvasía Riojana)
ABV: 12.5%

Winemaking
Initial fermentation and a 12-month settling period in legacy 20,000-liter wooden vats, where the wine completed malolactic fermentation and stabilized. Subsequently, it aged for 72 months in seasoned 225-liter American oak barrels, with regular rackings performed every 8 months. The wine was blended in tanks and stabilized for an additional 6 to 12 months. It rested for a minimum of 6 years in the bottle within the winery’s subterranean cellars (calados) prior to its commercial release.

 

Tasting Notes

 

Appearance: Brownish-ruby of medium depth, displaying more color stability than most wines of the same age. Clean and bright, showing saffron and amber highlights with a broad orange rim.

 

Nose: Overwhelming in its depth and purity, displaying the breadth of a "great wine" from the moment the cork is pulled. An extraordinary Monte Real that showcases the hallmark virtues of Bodegas Riojanas: classicism and authenticity. It reveals a succession of wild, nearly balsamic aromas (sage, nettle, moss), followed by humus, shaded forest floor, resin, pine, walnut bark, truffle, and leaf litter. An additional layer of "aristocratic" reduction unfolds (smoke, English tobacco, assorted peppercorns, withered flowers, brine) over an ethereal and subtle backdrop of creamy toast, candied notes, exotic woods, fine cabinetry, gunpowder, and an intense mineral accent. Portentous and mature; persistent red fruit in liqueur (sloes, sour cherries, redcurrants) gradually emerges to dominate the profile, underpinned by balsamic, toasted, and spicy notes. Spectacular.

 

Palate: Immediate and possessing immense poise. Orderly, compact, rounded, and boasting tremendous structure. To the touch, it is silken, with tannins that are lively and firm yet caressing and warm. Forty years have not diminished its initial acidity, nor its freshness, agility, and deceptive lightness that saturates the palate. A gigantic and beautiful wine that elevates the great 1973 vintage to the highest level. It shines with a nervous energy, jolting and moving the taster with every small sip. Among the finest ever tasted.

 

Personal Score: 98
Tasting Group Score: 98

Tasting Notes (2012-04-16)

 

Appearance: Dark ruby of medium depth with reddish and orange highlights. Broad, brick-colored rim, showing almost no variation in nuances between the meniscus and the edge.

 

Nose: Initial aromas of medium intensity but immense complexity. Deep and remarkably pure. Initially, it offers abundant olive brine, wild hints (nettle, mint), and leaf litter, followed by black truffle, smoked pepper, and morels. It gains power with aeration, becoming finer, more spiced, and elegant. Perfumed and earthy-mineral, without a single trace of negative reduction. A myriad of nuances emerges: blueberry jam, bitter orange, candied fruit, and sour cherry in liqueur.

 

Palate: Velvety, light, dry, and polished. Extraordinary vivacity—it is truly sparkling. It makes the mouth water, jolting the palate with its sharp, bracing acidity. Structured, expressive, and complex; perfectly spherical despite lively and slightly pronounced tannins. Fresh and light, yet brimming with life. It demands further bottle aging, showing immense cellaring potential. Bodegas Riojanas achieved perfection with the old Viña Albina and Monte Real labels, even in vintages initially considered "lesser," such as 1973. Truly great wines, and a stark contrast to those being produced today.

 

Personal Score: 96
Tasting Group Score: 96