Coto de Imaz 1973 Reserva

Wine: Coto de Imaz 1973 Reserva

Winery: Bodegas El Coto (Oyón, Álava)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 100% Tempranillo.
ABV: — (Not specified) 

Winemaking

The wine remained for 12 months in large tanks to complete fermentation and settle before racking. It matured for 24 months in used 225-liter American oak barrels. Fined with fresh egg whites. It underwent between 24 and 36 months of bottle aging prior to its commercial release. 

 

Tasting Notes

 

Appearance: Brownish-ruby color with medium depth; very clear and limpid, with very little sense of extraction. It recalls an old clarete or a 3º año more than a Reserva red. Effulgent, with coppery and amber reflections. Wide rim, showing almost no distinction between the meniscus and the edge. After a brief discussion about whether to open it, the minority was proven right: a complete success.

 

Nose: This is a Coto de Imaz that has reached its absolute peak. It exhales a sense of fullness. Open and soft, it leads with initial notes of wilted petals and old leather, orange peel, ground black pepper, cherries in liqueur, and vanilla. It gains in ripeness, showing expressions of overripe fruit, candied quince, and figs, over a backdrop of vanilla and creamy oak. Highly pleasant.

 

Palate: Completely integrated on the palate, remarkably round and seamless. A wine of immense pleasure that delivers from the very first moment. Above all, there is a "ton" of highly reduced red fruit, fine wood, various toasted nuances, and high-quality bitter notes that join further spices to create a spectacular finish.

 

Commentary

The 1973 Reserva is a delightful surprise that vindicates the quality of El Coto’s early vintages. Despite its pale, almost translucent appearance, the wine possesses a vibrant heart and a perfect balance between its tertiary development and a concentrated core of fruit. It stands as yet another magnificent example of the 1973 vintage in Rioja, proving that elegance and drinkability can be found in the most unexpected bottles. 

 

Personal Score: 91
Tasting Group Average: 89