Viña Albina 1981 Reserva

Wine: Viña Albina 1981 Reserva
Winery: Bodegas Riojanas (Cenicero, La Rioja)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 75% Tempranillo, 15% Mazuelo, 5% Garnacha, 2% Graciano, 3% other varieties (Viura, Malvasía Riojana).
ABV: (Not specified)

Winemaking:
Following alcoholic fermentation, the wine rested for 12 months in old 20,000-liter wooden vats to complete malolactic fermentation and stabilize before racking. It matured for 24 to 30 months in semi-neutral 225-liter American oak barrels, undergoing several manual rackings each year. The wine was partially filtered before bottling in late 1985. A minimum of 24 months of bottle aging in the winery’s subterranean cellars was required prior to its commercial release.

 

Tasting Notes

 

Appearance: Brownish-ruby color with medium-low depth; clear, limpid, and highly evolved. Featuring brilliant coppery and amber reflections. Broad brick-orange rim, showing almost no variation against the meniscus.

 

Nose: A wine that demands attention, representing the classic Riojanas style in its purest form. It is deeply marked by the winery's signature: subtle and tertiary, showcasing finely vanillic oak over a bed of withered roses, dried leaves, and cigar wrappers. It possesses the charm of rustic stable notes and a vegetal nuance of hemp and esparto grass that evokes Japanese sencha or seaweed. Nuances of leather, fruit in liqueur, and damp earth emerge to complete a quintessential bouquet.

 

Palate: Silky, slender, and caressing. It is packed with reduced, spicy red fruit nestled within old wood, bitter notes, and smoky hints. The wine remains gracefully suspended in time thanks to a perfectly integrated acidity that maintains its structural dignity.

 

Commentary:
The 1981 Viña Albina Reserva is a masterclass for devotees of the Artacho family’s winemaking legacy. While some might label it a "lesser" vintage, its aromatic precision and silky mouthfeel prove otherwise. It is an evocative, traditional Rioja that prioritizes finesse and tertiary complexity, sitting at a beautiful, albeit fragile, peak of maturity. A wine that is impossible to grow tired of.

 

Personal Score: 91
Tasting Group Average: 90