Viña Real 1976 Gran Reserva

Wine: Viña Real 1976 Gran Reserva

Winery: CVNE - Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (Haro, La Rioja)
Appellation / Region: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 80% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha.
ABV: 13% 

Winemaking
The wine spent 12 months in vats to complete malolactic fermentation and stabilize before wood aging. It was subsequently matured for 36 months in semi-new 225-liter barriques (70% American oak, 30% French oak). Unfiltered. Depending on the vintage, it rested between 48 and 100 months in the winery’s subterranean cellars (calados) prior to its commercial release in the mid-1980s. 

 

Tasting Notes

 

Appearance: Highly unusual color intensity for a 1975 bottling; medium-high depth with reddish glints. It shows a greasy texture with permanent legs. Broad, orange-tinted rim with a spectacular distinction between the meniscus and the edge. 

 

Nose: Open and expressive, showing a profile reminiscent of the Imperial 1973 GR due to its sweet and caramelized notes. It is refined, chocolatey, and liqueur-like, offering an array of red fruit in liqueur, cherries, and a balsamic "after-eight" lift with sage. Pastry-like nuances bring sweet spices—vanilla, nutmeg—alongside toffee, dulce de leche, and marron glacé. These gourmand elements do not detract from its delicacy but provide a joyful and direct personality. It finishes with scents of aromatic coffee, roasted cocoa, pipe tobacco, and aged leather. 

 

Palate: Rounded and slightly warm on the entry; candied, mature, and toasted. It features ultra-fine tannins and a persistent acidity throughout. The reduced fruit is seamlessly interwoven with a soft veil of creamy toasts and sweet citrus. A seductive and extroverted Viña Real that offers immense drinking pleasure. While perhaps not the most complex vintage, it compensates with total generosity from start to finish. Outstanding!

 

Personal Score: 92
Tasting Group Score: 92

 Anuncio de CVNE, julio de 1939.