Wine: Viña Real 2001 Gran Reserva
Winery: CVNE - Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (Haro, Rioja Alta)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 95% Tempranillo, 5% Graciano
ABV: 13%
Winery: CVNE - Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (Haro, Rioja Alta)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 95% Tempranillo, 5% Graciano
ABV: 13%
Winemaking:
Grapes sourced entirely from vineyards located in Rioja Alavesa. Cold alcoholic fermentation was followed by malolactic fermentation in new French and American oak barrels. Manual rackings were performed every three months to stabilize and clarify the wine naturally. It underwent 24 months of aging in second-year 225-liter oak barrels with periodic manual rackings. Traditionally fined with fresh egg whites. Aged for a minimum of three years in the winery’s underground cellars before release.
Grapes sourced entirely from vineyards located in Rioja Alavesa. Cold alcoholic fermentation was followed by malolactic fermentation in new French and American oak barrels. Manual rackings were performed every three months to stabilize and clarify the wine naturally. It underwent 24 months of aging in second-year 225-liter oak barrels with periodic manual rackings. Traditionally fined with fresh egg whites. Aged for a minimum of three years in the winery’s underground cellars before release.
Tasting Notes
Appearance:
Garnet-cherry with medium-high depth; highly extracted and opaque.
Clean and brilliant with reddish and orange reflections. Subtle sense of
viscosity with very fine, persistent legs. Narrow, tawny (atejado) rim.
Nose:
Powerful, direct, and open, yet brimming with a disjointed array of
descriptors. It features liqueur-like fruit, sour cherries, and prunes,
alongside a heavy oak presence: burnt coffee, toasted notes, and creamy
registers. Faint reductive hints of old leather and earth emerge, but
the profile remains cluttered and lacks a clear narrative. It feels
unsettled—a waste of energy that currently leads nowhere. The only
solution is significant further bottle aging to allow its components to
integrate. Raw and unformed.
Palate:
A true heavyweight on the palate: immense vigor, marked tannins, tons
of fruit, a formidable structure, and galloping acidity. While the
quality of the raw material is evident, it is far from being ready for
immediate consumption. It displays a more modern style than expected for
a Viña Real Gran Reserva, still heavily influenced by its time in wood.
A wine with many loose ends that demands patience.
Commentary:
The era of "tailor-made" (sastrería) Viña Real seems to have been left behind in this vintage. This 2001 is a powerhouse that lacks current cohesion; only time will tell if it can achieve the balance and elegance of its legendary predecessors. Not ready for evaluation in its present state.
The era of "tailor-made" (sastrería) Viña Real seems to have been left behind in this vintage. This 2001 is a powerhouse that lacks current cohesion; only time will tell if it can achieve the balance and elegance of its legendary predecessors. Not ready for evaluation in its present state.
Personal Score: N/A
Tasting Group Average: N/A
Tasting Group Average: N/A
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