Gran Coronas Etiqueta Negra 1964 Gran Reserva

Wine: Gran Coronas Etiqueta Negra 1964 Gran Reserva

Winery: Miguel Torres (Vilafranca del Penedés, Barcelona)
Appellation / Region: D.O. Penedès
Varietals: 80% Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo), 20% Monastrell.
ABV: 12.65% 

Winemaking
Grapes sourced exclusively from a single vineyard. Fermentation was conducted in stainless steel vats under temperature control. The wine was initially aged in new French and American oak barriques for 6 months. Following racking, the élevage continued in second and third-fill barrels until bottling at the end of 1966. Limited production of 48,122 bottles (75 cl). 

 

Tasting Notes

 

Appearance: Garnet-ruby of medium depth; remarkably more extraction than expected for its age. It displays amber and garnet glints with a broad, tawny (tile-red) rim and a significant transition to the meniscus.

 

Nose: Balsamic and powerful, initially somewhat aggressive and untamed upon opening. It reveals Mediterranean scrub (sage, mountain tea, fragrant broom, dogwood, fenugreek) followed by a series of reductive notes: leather, varnish, animal hints, beeswax, black licorice (regaliz Zara), and mentholated eucalyptus and resin. After one hour of decanting, the profile softens, unveiling finely etched vanilla, creamy toasts, coffee beans, black pepper, and clove over vinous staves and a trace of liqueur-like red fruit. 

 

Palate: Maintains a very correct acidity, freshness, and solid structure despite its age; some edges are still to be polished. Savory and spicy with mature tannins, it is packed with fine bitter nuances, raw cocoa, burnt coffee, and licorice. It exudes a slight rustic charm that contrasts with the modern image of Mas La Plana. An honest, lean and straightforward red that offers great drinkability. While it remains very much alive, it lacks the extraordinary finesse of the legendary 1981 vintage.

 

Personal Score: 87
Tasting Group Score: 90

Historical Context & Legacy

• The Bordeaux Paradigm: For the Torres family, Bordeaux represented the pinnacle of fine wine. This vision led to the 1965–1966 planting of Cabernet Sauvignon at the Mas La Plana estate, aiming to redefine their flagship Etiqueta Negra.
• A Historic Triumph: The subsequent 1970 vintage made history at the 1979 Wine Olympics in Paris (organized by Gault & Millau). It famously outranked iconic estates such as Château Latour 1970, Château Pichon-Lalande 1964, and the legendary Château La Mission Haut Brion 1961, marking the first time a foreign wine surpassed the Médoc elite.
• Style Evolution: In the mid-1980s, the wine was rebranded as Torres Mas La Plana, transitioning to a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon varietal. This shift prompted the removal of traditional Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo), Cariñena, and Cabernet Franc from the final assemblage.

Vintage Notes: 1964

• D.O. Penedès Rating: Officially rated as Exceptional (E) for white wines and Very Good (MB) for reds.
• Significance: While the 1964 vintage in Rioja is legendary, in Penedès it also allowed for wines of great concentration and structural integrity, as evidenced by the extraction levels in this bottling.