Monte Real 1965 Reserva

Wine: Monte Real 1965 Reserva
Winery: Bodegas Riojanas (Cenicero, La Rioja)
Appellation / Region: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 75% Tempranillo, 15% Mazuelo, 5% Garnacha, 2% Graciano, 3% others (Viura, Malvasía Riojana)
ABV: [Not specified]
Winemaking

The wine settled for 18 months in old 20,000-liter oak vats to complete malolactic fermentation and stabilize before wood aging. It was matured for 30 to 36 months in seasoned 225-liter American oak barrels. Partially filtered. Bottled in mid-1970. It remained in the winery’s underground cellars for a minimum of 24 months prior to its commercial release.

 

Tasting Notes
 

Appearance: Beautiful orange-ruby with medium-low depth; very clear, pristine, and bright—fully tawny (tile-red). There is a slight sediment at the base of the bottle. The rim is broad, showing no distinction from the meniscus.

 

Nose: It possesses an aged character, though free of excessive reduction or off-odors, with a strong influence from its barrel aging (wine-soaked staves, solera nuances, nuts, and soft oxidative hints). There is a core of sweet spices, vanilla, English tobacco, and smoky notes, alongside a touch of orange marmalade and pastry. It improves with aeration, becoming increasingly refined and revealing candied fruit over a slightly wild background (sage, licorice, star anise).

 

Palate: Remarkably smooth, light-bodied, and earthy, sustained by a delicate acidity that breathes life into the ensemble, and classic bitter nuances that remind us we are drinking a Riojanas. Recognizable, reduced, fragile, and beautiful. It is a delight to drink. In the world of Rioja, there are few things more unusual than tasting a wine from such a "peculiar" (raruna) vintage as this 1965 MR. It offers another clue as to how things were done in the past. These old Monte Real bottlings possess an ironclad reliability.

 

Personal Score: 90
Tasting Group Score: 90