Viña Real 1970 Gran Reserva

Wine: Viña Real 1970 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 oak vats to complete malolactic fermentation and stabilize before racking. Maturation took place over 36 months in seasoned 225-liter barrels (70% American oak and 30% French oak). Bottled in March 1975. Depending on the vintage, it remained in the winery’s underground cellars for 48 to 100 months before its release in the late 1970s.

 

Tasting Notes
 

Appearance: Reddish-ruby of medium-high depth; remarkably stable. It displays reddish and garnet highlights—bright and pristine. It features a broad, tawny (tile-red) rim that stands in high contrast to the core.

 

Nose: High-powered and expressive—direct and frank—exhibiting minimal initial reduction and a profound sense of vitality. It opens with notes of macerated plums, quince paste, glacé fruit, and smoked spices, alongside cherries in brandy and a backdrop of exotic woods and cocoa powder, complemented by balsamic hints of ivy and sage. As it aerates, it becomes increasingly refined and vigorous, revealing descriptors synonymous with the historic Viña Real classics: bitter orange marmalade, English tobacco, Russian leather, horsehair, and oils of tung and linseed. Impeccable.

 

Palate: The tannins are ethereal and marvelous, possessing a velvety texture that balances the wine’s overall vigor and sinewy vitality. Full-bodied, well-structured, and powerful; it is bursting with life and a striking acidity that sustains layers of concentrated red fruit, spicy nuances, and noble bitters, all finished with a high-quality hint of sweetness. Fully intact and in peak condition—spicy, exceptionally long, and leaving a candied sensation on the finish. A Viña Real built for the long haul. It mirrors the 1970 Viña Real Reserva in almost every aspect, though perhaps slightly less brilliant.

 

Personal Score: 92
Tasting Group Score: 92