Conde de los Andes 1983 Gran Reserva

Wine: Conde de los Andes 1983 Gran Reserva

Winery: Federico Paternina (Ollauri, La Rioja)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 80% Tempranillo, 10% Mazuelo, 10% Graciano.
ABV: 12% vol.

Winemaking

The wine remained for 12 months in large centennial wooden vats to complete malolactic fermentation and settle before racking. It matured for 4 to 5 years in semi-new 225-liter American oak barrels. Depending on the vintage, it rested between 10 and 15 years in the bottle racks of the Ollauri cellars prior to its commercial release.

 

Tasting Notes

 

Appearance: Brilliant ruby color with medium body; clear and clean. It displays reddish and amber reflections. Wide, tawny/brick-colored rim, showing almost no distinction from the meniscus.

 

Nose: Less intense and vivid than the 1981 and 1982 vintages, though with the same dosage of old oak and vanilla. Very classical, mature, and smoky; filled with red fruit in liqueur, sloes, and candied fruit that continuously gain presence alongside a note of dried leaves and soft menthol. Soft and creamy, it is free of flaws but lacks greater depth.

 

Palate: Full-bodied and ample on the palate, with the expected hint of sweetness and the characteristic fine tannins of the house. Elegant and easy to drink, well-woven and seamless; it is reliable and willing, though it sits far from the emotions of former times. It must be consumed without delay, as it begins to decline alarmingly after less than an hour of aeration.

 

Commentary

The 1983 Gran Reserva performed decently for its vintage, though it is inevitably penalized by the shadow of the legendary Conde de los Andes of two decades prior. It shows no signs of a long future; it is a wine to be finished now before it begins to fade into a "corpse." More than a Count (Conde), this wine seems to hide (esconde) its past.

 

Personal Score: 88
Tasting Group Average: 87