Faustino I 1968 Gran Reserva

Wine: Faustino I 1968 Gran Reserva

Winery: Bodegas Faustino Martínez (Oyón, La Rioja)
Appellation / Region: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo
ABV: [Not specified]
Winemaking

The wine spent 16 months in concrete vats to complete malolactic fermentation and stabilize. It was matured for 24 to 30 months in 225-liter barrels (90% American oak, 10% French and Yugoslavian) with an average age of 15 to 16 years. Bottled in its iconic frosted glass container. Aged in the bottle for a minimum of 36 months in the winery’s underground cellars prior to release.

 

Tasting Notes
 

Appearance: Bright, very clear brownish-ruby with medium-low depth (capa); pristine with a fine sediment at the base. It shows reddish and orange highlights. The rim is broad and fully tawny (tile-red), merging indistinguishably with the meniscus.

 

Nose: Medium intensity upon opening. It reveals aromas of extensive aging: aged leather, beeswax, and a background of wine-soaked oak with solera nuances. Everything that emerges is subtle, well-integrated, and round—imbued with that textbook Rioja classicism that Faustino delivers in every bottle. It is as predictable as Christmas. There is virtually no trace of fruit, save for a very timid spiciness and a faint liqueur-like hint of raisins that never quite takes off. It gains presence and intensity with aeration, unveiling earthy notes and an elegant touch of leaf litter, nut shells, chestnuts, and black truffle.

 

Palate: One might say it is beginning to show fatigue if one weren't familiar with the specific profile of these bottle-aged Faustinos. It is light, incredibly polished, and medium-bodied, featuring velvety tannins and a trace of seasoned wood. A fine acidity remains, providing life to the ensemble. More of the same: another Gran Reserva that continues to showcase both the virtues and, depending on your perspective, the habitual "shortcomings" of that excessive classicism so characteristic of Bodegas Faustino Martínez. It is a wine that will not disappoint its followers but fails to offer anything new—then again, it doesn't even intend to. A beacon for lovers of that somber-eyed gentleman in a hat known as Rembrandt. There are still plenty of Faustinos left to drink, but for now, there is "nothing new on the western front."

 

Personal Score: 88
Tasting Group Score: 90

Retrato de Nicolaes van Bambeeck, por Rembrandt (1641). Preferimos seguir pensando que es el propio Rembrandt en persona quien aparece en las etiquetas de Faustino I.