Imperial 1987 Gran Reserva

Wine: Imperial 1987 Gran Reserva
Winery: Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (Haro, La Rioja)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 75% Tempranillo, 15% Graciano, 10% Mazuelo.
ABV: 12.5% vol.

Winemaking

The wine remained for 12 months in vats to complete malolactic fermentation and settle before wood aging. It matured for 36 months in semi-new 225-liter oak barrels (70% American and 30% French). Depending on the vintage, it rested between 36 and 60 months in the winery’s underground bottle racks before its commercial release in the mid-1990s. Recorked every 20 years. 

 

Tasting Notes

 

Appearance: Garnet-ruby color with medium depth; slightly grainy with a very fine sediment at the base of the bottle. Brilliant, amber reflections. Wide, tawny/brick-colored rim.

 

Nose: Very powerful on the nose, open, clean, and direct. Initially without the typical reductive notes found in other Imperials from the same era. There is a clear predominance of liqueur-like red fruit and candied cherries, alongside a fine vanilla backdrop that does not overshadow the toasted cocoa and a slight balsamic hint of green coffee beans. It thins out gradually but without losing a shred of elegance. Discreet notes of cigar box, Russian leather, damp earth, and high-quality smoke emerge.

 

Palate: Robust, concentrated, dry, and dense; remarkably well-built. It is gifted with a stony structure and strong acidity. Powerful and devoid of artifice, it follows the classical lineage of the old Imperials that combined finesse with solidity. It does not yield an inch; it remains defiant and hieratic, never lowering its guard. A heavyweight with a serious punch that is taking the passage of time like a champion.

 

Commentary

The 1987 Gran Reserva is, in its style, one of the finest wines tasted in a long time. It is a pleasure to see that Rioja remains Rioja and that CVNE is still capable of surprising us by unearthing these unpolished diamonds from its soil. A sturdy, "stony" red that captures the essence of the house’s golden standards, showing a structural integrity that promises even more decades of life.

 

Personal Score: 95
Tasting Group Average: 92