Wine: Marqués de Villamagna 1970 Gran ReservaWinery: Bodegas Campo Viejo (Logroño, La Rioja)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 85% Tempranillo, 7.5% Graciano, 7.5% Mazuelo.
ABV: 12.5% vol.
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 85% Tempranillo, 7.5% Graciano, 7.5% Mazuelo.
ABV: 12.5% vol.
Winemaking:
A selection of grapes from the oldest vineyards owned by Bodegas Campo Viejo (the original proprietor of the Marqués de Villamagna brand) in Navarrete. Each variety was vinified separately and spent 24 months in large 5,000-liter oak vats for fermentation and stabilization. The varieties were then blended in 10,000-liter vats before being transferred to neutral 225-liter American oak barrels for an aging period exceeding 60 months in the Logroño cellars. Bottled in late 1977, it rested for a minimum of 2 years in the winery's cellars to achieve final rounding before its release in 1980.
A selection of grapes from the oldest vineyards owned by Bodegas Campo Viejo (the original proprietor of the Marqués de Villamagna brand) in Navarrete. Each variety was vinified separately and spent 24 months in large 5,000-liter oak vats for fermentation and stabilization. The varieties were then blended in 10,000-liter vats before being transferred to neutral 225-liter American oak barrels for an aging period exceeding 60 months in the Logroño cellars. Bottled in late 1977, it rested for a minimum of 2 years in the winery's cellars to achieve final rounding before its release in 1980.
Tasting Notes
Appearance:
Spectacular reddish-ruby color with medium depth; impeccably clean and
brilliant. Featuring radiant garnet and orange reflections, without a
trace of sediment—it shines like a gemstone. Broad brick-orange rim,
showing minimal variation against the meniscus.
Nose:
It unfolds with immense elegance—open and fragrant. It reveals hints of
the finest reduction: varnished wood, dehydrated mushrooms, leaf
litter, moss, and a distinct autumnal sensation of chestnuts in their
husks. It possesses the air of a truly great, perfumed wine, showing
notes of petals, cloves, leather, lavender, sage, and laurel. A layer of
creamy and toasted nuances eventually emerges, accompanied by vegetal
hints of tobacco leaf, blond tobacco threads, and musk.
Palate:
The definition of smoothness. It is rounded and savory, filled with
juicy, fresh, and reduced red fruit, supported by a perfectly judged
acidity. The maturity and reduction detected on the nose give way to a
surprising youthful energy on the palate. The tannins are plush and
silky, of outstanding quality.
Commentary:
The 1970 Marqués de Villamagna is one of the great, overlooked references of early 1970s Rioja. It is a small-production Gran Reserva that represents, by a significant margin, the pinnacle of Campo Viejo’s winemaking history. It proves that despite the challenges of the decade, certain houses maintained an unyielding commitment to quality. A radiant and sophisticated wine that deserves far more recognition than it has historically received.
The 1970 Marqués de Villamagna is one of the great, overlooked references of early 1970s Rioja. It is a small-production Gran Reserva that represents, by a significant margin, the pinnacle of Campo Viejo’s winemaking history. It proves that despite the challenges of the decade, certain houses maintained an unyielding commitment to quality. A radiant and sophisticated wine that deserves far more recognition than it has historically received.
Personal Score: 93
Tasting Group Average: 94
Tasting Group Average: 94
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