Wine: Imperial 1968 Gran Reserva
Winery: CVNE - Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (Haro, La Rioja)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 70% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, 10% Mazuelo and Graciano, 5% Viura.
ABV: 13% vol.
Winery: CVNE - Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (Haro, La Rioja)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 70% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, 10% Mazuelo and Graciano, 5% Viura.
ABV: 13% vol.
Winemaking:
The wine remained for 12 months in large wooden vats to complete malolactic fermentation and stabilize before racking. It matured for approximately 10 years in semi-neutral 225-liter oak barrels (70% American and 30% French). Depending on the vintage, it rested for 36 to 60 months in the winery’s subterranean cellars before its commercial release in the early 1980s.
The wine remained for 12 months in large wooden vats to complete malolactic fermentation and stabilize before racking. It matured for approximately 10 years in semi-neutral 225-liter oak barrels (70% American and 30% French). Depending on the vintage, it rested for 36 to 60 months in the winery’s subterranean cellars before its commercial release in the early 1980s.
Tasting Notes
Appearance:
Reddish-ruby color with medium-high depth; well-extracted, opaque, and
highly luminous. Featuring vibrant garnet and coppery reflections with
notable brilliance. Impeccably limpid despite a trace of sediment at the
base. Very broad orange rim, showing a sharp contrast against the
meniscus.
Nose:
A powerhouse of a wine. It offers high-intensity aromas—potent,
profound, and vital. It leads with exceptionally fine toasted nuances
and coffee beans, followed by an endless list of exotic woods:
granadilla, sandalwood chips, cedar, thuja, and linseed oils. It
possesses a "stately" and palatial character, reminiscent of noble
rooms, smoking lounges, cigar boxes, ash, and old leather portfolios. It
eventually allows for a glimpse of candied red fruit, slightly
spirituous, with spiced notes of dried orange peel, cloves, and black
pepper.
Palate:
Brimming with energy. It is intense, firm, and concentrated, with a
strong initial impact. Acidic, clean, and fresh, it offers an expansive
mouthfeel. The wine is in absolute plenitude, revealing a massive
"backbone" of granitic solidity that does not detract from its
smoothness or brilliance. Deeply spiced, savory, and full of "punch."
Commentary:
The 1968 Imperial Gran Reserva is a "gravedigger" wine—built with the structural integrity to outlast generations. Together with the 1970 vintage, it forms an unsurpassed duo of Imperial labels, displaying even more energy than their Viña Real counterparts from the same years. A monumental Rioja that stands as a pinnacle of Haro’s classical winemaking, radiating power and light in equal measure.
The 1968 Imperial Gran Reserva is a "gravedigger" wine—built with the structural integrity to outlast generations. Together with the 1970 vintage, it forms an unsurpassed duo of Imperial labels, displaying even more energy than their Viña Real counterparts from the same years. A monumental Rioja that stands as a pinnacle of Haro’s classical winemaking, radiating power and light in equal measure.
Personal Score: 98
Tasting Group Average: 98
Tasting Group Average: 98
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