Description
CVNE, “Viña Real” Gran Reserva
Yes, I know I said that our direct-import Bordeaux wines cannot be surpassed when it comes to value-for-dollar, but I forgot about blue-chip Rioja like today’s elegant beauty from the iconic CVNE winery. As in Bordeaux, there are economies of scale at play here, enabling benchmark producers like CVNE, La Rioja Alta, and others to hold wines in their cellars for many, many years before releasing those “pre-aged” gems at shockingly low prices. Today’s wine, from CVNE’s “Viña Real” line, carries the top-of-the-line Gran Reserva designation, having spent some six years in barrel and bottle before arriving in the market.
It might go without saying, but this 2014 is just getting started, offering an elegant—dare I say “Burgundian”—testament to the cool, vibrant fruit of the most northern part of Rioja, the Alavesa. Supple, polished, and savory, it’s hard to find a more generous, complete, or expressive wine in Rioja, let alone one that really allows great terruño to shine. And at this price? This is a bonafide “cellar selection” for those who actually visit their cellars regularly for great wines to drink. It’s delicious now and has at least a decade more in the tank for sure!
You simply can’t talk about great Rioja without including CVNE, or “Cune,” in the conversation. Throughout its storied history, Cune has proved itself to be one of the most innovative and over-performing houses in the region, and is still continuing its stratospheric rise today. It began with brothers Eusebio and Raimundo Real de Asúa, who settled in the hamlet of Haro, roughly 40 miles northwest of the city of Rioja. They established Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España in 1879. Their stated goal was to make the best wines in Spain, and to have their top bottlings—like Viña Real—become worldwide standard-bearers. Today, direct descendants of the founding brothers remain in control of the winery and continue their exacting work, building on their initiatives which have since come to define the entire region of Rioja. They were among the first to turn away from a négociant model and instead source only from estate vineyards—including focusing on a single vineyard in the Alavesa subzone for the introduction of Viña Real in the 1920s. Their pioneering work extended to the cellar, where they introduced fermentation and blending in large wooden tanks, as well as extended barrel aging prior to release. Today, these are all hallmarks of classic, top-quality Rioja, but they started with forward-thinking Cune.
Cune’s Rioja lineup is now spread over five main brands, each with their own dedicated production facility, and each with its own flag bearer. For the Viña Real line, that means the Gran Reserva bottling. Historically, it is the most sumptuous of the top wines, even in more austere vintages, with concentrated fruit that belies the complexity and structure. The comparisons aren’t quite analogous, but under the Cune umbrella, the “Imperial” bottlings are more Bordelais and the Viña Real wines more Burgundian, with approachable fruit building to a structured crescendo. Since 2004, they have been produced at the firm’s bodega in Laguardia. This allows the Alavesa fruit to arrive quickly after harvest for processing, preserving the freshness and delicacy of Tempranillo. Most of the sites in the Subzone are south-facing, to benefit ripening in the cool, wet left bank of the Ebro river.
For the Viña Real Gran Reserva, fruit comes from higher elevation sites, between 500-650 meters. Vines are largely bush-trained in the traditional manner, which allows for dappled sunlight and good ventilation, and keeps the alcohols in check (just 13.75% ABV here). Soils are mostly friable calcareous clay, with some sandy spots. Grapes were hand harvested starting in late September, crushed and vatted into steel for primary fermentation, with frequent “rack-and-returns” for gentle extraction of color and tannins. Once barreled down for aging, the final blend of Tempranillo (95%) and Graciano (5%) spent over 30 months in new and one-year-old French and American oak. After bottling, the wine spends a minimum of three years at the bodega before release. It’s a lot of precise and detailed handiwork for such a modestly priced wine, but the winery understands its quality and reputation, and that aficionados might drink their Viña Real Gran Reserva at any stage between young and old.
The 2014 is already drinking very well, especially after a 30-60 minute decant. Poured into large Burgundy stems, it displays a bright and clear crimson robe, with a classic nose of red plums and berries, coffee, tobacco leaf, and olive. On the palate, the wine is bursting with rich, round, mouthfilling red fruits, chocolatey oak, and silky, ripe tannins. Firm acidity balances the open, fine-grained texture, hinting at licorice, graphite, and leather, all leading to a long, elegant finish. It’s harmonious and delicious, and will be stunning for years to come. Lamb would be a classic match, but if you really want to eat like a Riojana, make any occasion special with the attached recipe for Menestra de Verduras, an incredibly rich and sustaining vegetable stew, fortified, like a lot of Spanish cuisine, with ham. Perfecto! Enjoy!
