Wine: Viña Real 1981 Gran Reserva
Winery: CVNE - Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (Haro, La Rioja)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 80% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, Mazuelo, Graciano, and Viura.
ABV: 13% vol.
Winery: CVNE - Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (Haro, La Rioja)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 80% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, Mazuelo, Graciano, and Viura.
ABV: 13% vol.
Winemaking:
The wine remained in tanks for 12 months to complete malolactic fermentation and stabilize before racking. It matured for 36 months in semi-neutral 225-liter oak barrels (70% American and 30% French). It was bottled without filtration. Depending on the vintage, the wine rested for 48 to 100 months in the winery’s subterranean cellars prior to its commercial release.
The wine remained in tanks for 12 months to complete malolactic fermentation and stabilize before racking. It matured for 36 months in semi-neutral 225-liter oak barrels (70% American and 30% French). It was bottled without filtration. Depending on the vintage, the wine rested for 48 to 100 months in the winery’s subterranean cellars prior to its commercial release.
Tasting Notes
Appearance:
Garnet-cherry color with medium-high depth; opaque and more extracted
than other contemporary vintages. Limpid, brilliant, and radiant, with
no trace of sediment. It shows reddish and coppery reflections. Strong
sense of viscosity with dense, persistent legs.
Nose: A true heavyweight: potent, expansive, and brimming with candied red fruit and orange zest. A distinct sensation of Grand Marnier
liqueur melds with a wild background of laurel stems, sage, and sloes.
Complex and expressive, it is a magnificent example of the classical
Burgundian Rioja style typical of the finest Viña Real
vintages. With aeration, it gains subtlety and detail, revealing pipe
tobacco, cedar, earthy notes, hints of musk, and aromatic coffee.
Palate:
The generous legs confirmed on the glass translate into a fatty,
mature, and lustrous mouthfeel. It is concentrated, savory, and broad,
filled with the sweet fruit profile of high-quality Garnacha,
masterfully balanced by acidity. A sensation of roundness and
uninhibited beauty dominates the palate, lingering almost indefinitely.
It is a profoundly honest, redundant, and spontaneous wine.
Commentary:
The 1981 Viña Real Gran Reserva is an essential red that bridges the past and the future of the brand. While perhaps not "perfect" in a technical sense, it overwhelms with its raw truth and energy. It is a wine that stands as a living myth, capturing the essence of the Alavesa sub-zone with extraordinary vigor and generosity. A monumental bottle in its peak of plenitude.
The 1981 Viña Real Gran Reserva is an essential red that bridges the past and the future of the brand. While perhaps not "perfect" in a technical sense, it overwhelms with its raw truth and energy. It is a wine that stands as a living myth, capturing the essence of the Alavesa sub-zone with extraordinary vigor and generosity. A monumental bottle in its peak of plenitude.
Personal Score: 98
Tasting Group Average: 96
Tasting Group Average: 96
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