Rioja Bordón 1982 Gran Reserva

Wine: Rioja Bordón 1982 Gran Reserva
Winery: Bodegas Franco-Españolas (Logroño, La Rioja)
Appellation / Region: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 60% Tempranillo, 30% Garnacha, 10% Mazuelo and Graciano
ABV: 12.5%
Winemaking

The wine spent 12 months in large vats to complete malolactic fermentation and stabilize before being racked. It underwent an aging period of 36 to 42 months (depending on the vintage) in seasoned 225-liter American oak barrels. A minimum of 24 months of bottle aging was completed prior to release.

 

Tasting Notes
 

Appearance: Very pale brownish-ruby with medium-low depth (capa); noticeably evolved with tawny and amber highlights. There is a very fine, suspended sediment that does not fully settle at the base. The rim is broad and orange-toned, showing almost no distinction from the meniscus. It appears significantly older than its actual age, resembling a wine from the 1960s.

 

Nose: Well-defined and expressive, with a strong oak influence. It follows a traditional profile that links back to the historic Royal Reserva and Gran Reserva labels from Franco-Españolas. Toasted notes, vanilla, and creamy nuances abound, alongside noble woods, cedar, and cabinetry oils (tung, linseed), with a background of aromatic coffee providing complexity. Refined, elegant, and recognizable—very much in line with the winery's historic house style. As it aerates, notes of red fruit, liqueur, and candied cherries move to the forefront. Charming and successful.

 

Palate: Velvety, polished, generous, and settled. It maintains a striking acidity—where the clear hallmark of the 1982 vintage is most evident—upon which reduced red fruit and layers of seasoned oak are built. A happy reunion with one of those reliable and sturdy wines that this winery consistently delivered for decades. This Gran Reserva differs in almost every aspect from the Crianza of the same vintage: it is finer and more serious, without such a dominant Garnacha presence, and is currently in an excellent drinking window. It possesses the structure to be cellared for many years. It is perhaps the best wine we have tasted from the "limbo" period when the Rumasa group cast its long and somber shadow over the winery (1973–1985).

 

Personal Score: 91
Tasting Group Score: 90