Monte Real 1964 Blanco Reserva Semidulce

Wine: Monte Real 1964 Blanco Reserva Semidulce
Winery: Bodegas Riojanas (Cenicero, La Rioja)
Appellation / Region: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 100% Viura
ABV: [Not specified]
Winemaking

The wine spent 12 months in old 20,000-liter oak vats for alcoholic fermentation and settling before racking. Subsequently, it matured for 24 to 30 months (depending on the vintage) in seasoned 225-liter American oak barrels. Bottled in mid-1968. A minimum of 24 months of bottle aging was completed in the winery’s underground cellars prior to its commercial release.

 

Tasting Notes
 

Appearance: Luminous old-gold color. It shows vibrant, bright golden and amber highlights. Marked sense of density (grosor) with thick legs (tears).

 

Nose: Fully expressive on the nose, high in intensity; stewed and very mature. Dominant notes of candied fruit, quince, acacia honey, and wild flowers are complemented by a fine mentholated touch of sage and ivy. It features a classic aging background of wax, fine cabinetry, old soleras, and wet oak vats. We allowed it to rest for a couple of hours to observe its evolution. It gains significantly in complexity and depth, revealing sweet citrus, Mediterranean scrubland, garrigue, white pepper, and a very curious, flickering hint of botrytis in the background.

 

Palate: Fleshy (carnoso) and slightly off-dry (abocado). Perfectly integrated, harmonious, and round, driven by a brilliant acidity that counterbalances the sweet sensations. Polished by the years yet remarkably youthful. Orderly, savory, and candied, with an exceptionally long finish. This is an excellent example of those great traditional sweet, semi-sweet, and off-dry wines that were once emblems of Rioja and have unfortunately fallen into oblivion. A worthy predecessor to the current Viña Albina Semidulce Reserva. A delight to drink.

 

Personal Score: 94
Tasting Group Score: 95