Faustino I 1999 Gran Reserva

Wine: Faustino I 1999 Gran Reserva
Winery: Bodegas Faustino Martínez (Oyón, La Rioja)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo.
ABV: 13% vol.

Winemaking

The wine matured for 28 months in 225-liter oak barrels (80% American oak from West Virginia, 20% French oak from the Vosges). Bottled in the estate's signature frosted glass bottle. Total production of 237,240 bottles (75 cl). It underwent a minimum of 36 months of bottle aging in the winery’s cellars prior to its commercial release.

 

Tasting Notes

 

Appearance: Reddish-ruby color with medium depth; clean. It displays vivid, brilliant orange reflections. The rim is wide and entirely tawny/brick-colored.

 

Nose: Soft, vanillic, and mature; hyper-classical and instantly recognizable. Another vintage of absolute classicism, featuring notes of wine-soaked staves, liqueur-like fruits, stable, aromatic coffee, cocoa butter, and old leather. Everything is perfectly measured, with no single element out of context.

 

Palate: More resolved and settled than the 1998 vintage. Light, silky, and slender; fresh with a fine citric edge riding alongside an army of creamy oak nuances and a high-quality hint of sweetness. Round, elegant tannins. For the friends of Mr. Van Bambeeck—that quiet man in the black hat watching us from the supermarket shelves.

 

Commentary

The consistency of Faustino Martínez defies explanation. Year after year, they manage to bottle essentially the same wine, maintaining a stylistic line established over 50 years ago without deviation. It takes immense winemaking knowledge to achieve such regularity. The 1999 Gran Reserva is a reliable, tireless classic that offers a familiar and comforting embrace to any Rioja lover. We will keep drinking more and more of this.

 

Personal Score: 88
Tasting Group Average: 90