CVNE (Cune) Rioja Gran Reserva Imperial 1976

Name: CVNE (Cune) Rioja Gran Reserva Imperial 1976
Brand: WineWise [WIS]
SKU: SF-4-WIS--081826-40
Price: 449.99 USD
Availability: InStock

$449⁹⁹

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A fifty-year-old Rioja, bought from a private collection, that is ready to drink tonight. Imperial is CVNE's Rioja Alta flagship, first made in the 1920s and bottled as a Gran Reserva only in vintages the house rates as exceptional. In the 1970s that meant an extraordinarily long apprenticeship: under winemaker Ezequiel García the Gran Reservas spent at least six years in American oak barrels, racked by hand, before years more resting in the company's cool, century-old cellars in Haro. That combination — high-acid Tempranillo grown on clay-and-pebble slopes, patient American-oak crianza, and a cold, still bodega — is why traditional Rioja from this era survives and even improves while most wines of the period have long since faded. This one is fully mature, the fruit dried and darkened into savory tobacco-and-leather territory, held together by acidity rather than tannin. Stand the bottle upright for a day or two, decant gently off the sediment, and drink it that evening.

Shipping

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Returns & Exchanges

We stand behind every bottle we sell.

If the wine is less than 10 years old and it is corked, you may return it to us for a full refund or exchange within 60 days of purchase. You must show us proof of purchase. We understand that you may not live near a shop and that it is difficult to ship open bottles of wine to us, so if there's any problem feel free to Contact Us and we'll work it out.
For wines older than 10 years, the consumer bears the risk of a faulty cork, but we accept returns of older bottles if the wine is faulty as a result of improper storage. Please come by the store or Contact Us if there is a problem.
We may, at our discretion and to the extent permitted by law, accept returns of unopened wines within 30 days of purchase if they were properly stored by the purchaser, subject to a 15% re-stocking fee.

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Jancis Robinson

19 points

"Dark crimson. There still seems to be some oak on the nose here! But not in a bad way. Very firm and confident and beautifully balanced in savoury mode. Spreads right across the palate. Great delicacy. Majestic wine in the St-Julien idiom of beautiful balance. Masses of ripe fruit but all contained in a great corset. Seems indomitable."

More about CVNE

CVNE – that’s “Compañia Vinicola del Norte de Espańa”, but nobody calls it that, is one of the original seven producers to invent the Rioja wine at the end of the 19th century, when they all set up their bodegas in Haro for easy access to the train. The others include legends like Lopez de Heredia, La Rioja Alta, and Muga. All of these producers, once pioneers, are now conservators of a very special heritage: the production of wine from the Tempranillo grape, grown in calcareous/clay soils, and aging it in vessels produced from (mostly) American oak casks.

Wine Details

Grape Variety

Red Blend , Tempranillo
Vintage

1976
Size

750ml
Farming Practice

Sustainable
Style

Earthy
Sweetness

Dry
Body

Medium Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Roast lamb, jamón ibérico, or grilled chops with white beans. Aged Manchego and a bowl of marcona almonds is honestly enough.

Tasting Profile

Pale and brick-edged. Dried cherry and fig with tobacco, leather, the coconut note of old American oak, and forest floor. Light- to medium-bodied, tannins long since resolved, with bright acidity carrying a long, savory finish.