Marqués de Villamagna 1982 Gran Reserva

Wine: Marqués de Villamagna 1982 Gran Reserva
Winery: Bodegas Campo Viejo (Logroño, La Rioja)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 90% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha, Mazuelo, and Graciano.
ABV: 12.5% vol.

Winemaking

Grapes selected from the oldest vineyards owned by Bodegas Campo Viejo (former owner of the Marqués de Villamagna brand) in Navarrete, Rioja Alta. Each varietal was vinified separately. The wine remained for 18 months in large 5,000-liter oak vats to complete fermentation and stabilize before racking. Final blending of the varieties preceded aging. Matured for 36 months in 225-liter split-stave French oak barrels. Bottled in late 1987. A minimum of 4 years of bottle aging in the winery’s cellars before its commercial release between 1991 and 1994.

 

Tasting Notes

 

Appearance: Brownish-ruby color with medium-low depth; slightly grainy with a fine sediment at the base of the bottle. It shows coppery and orange reflections with subdued brilliance. The rim is wide and tawny/brick-colored.

 

Nose: Good intensity; open and vanillic, featuring an array of creamy oak sensations and wilted flowers. It flows effortlessly, flashing between reductive notes of leaf litter, humus, and walnut bark, alongside an increasingly present backdrop of aromatic herbs: rock tea, sage, and lavender. Well-resolved and very much alive.

 

Palate: Initially as light and fragile as it is nervous, bearing the typical hallmark of the 1982 vintage: not fully integrated, with some acidic edges and still-noticeable tannins. Temperature control is crucial, as a marked sense of ripeness can make it somewhat tiresome. Once this minor hurdle is cleared, it proves to be a reliable Marqués de Villamagna, albeit of "shorter stature." It bears little resemblance to the heights it once reached.

 

Commentary

This wine reflects the ambition of Campo Viejo in the mid-70s to compete with Rioja’s elite and move beyond its "supermarket winery" reputation. While the legendary 1973 and 1975 vintages remain as unrepeatable memories, this 1982 demonstrates that "he who had, retained." It is a decent effort that, while lacking the grandeur of its predecessors, still holds its own with dignity and life.

 

Personal Score: 89
Tasting Group Average: 89