Description
El Coto, “Coto de Imaz” Rioja Reserva
Last year, between May and July, we rolled out three perfectly preserved Riojas: a savory 1964 Gran Reserva; an ethereal 1976 Crianza; and a terroir-loaded 1988 Reserva. Each old parcel disappeared in an instant, and came with the following notice: “If more exists on the horizon, we are currently unaware of it.” Ever since that final bottle sold out, we’ve been working diligently to uncover more of these jaw-dropping Spanish antiques, and now, six months later, we have a new cellar-direct trove at our fingertips.
Today, we’re starting strong with what must exist as one of the great mature wine values of the world: A 1994 Reserva from El Coto, among the most influential and universally known Rioja producers of contemporary times. With its wonderful elegance, complex tertiary flavors, and savory/woodsy perfumes, this Tempranillo antiquity is in a sublime (and perfect) drinking window. It probably goes without saying, but the opportunity to acquire a deeply traditional Rioja with perfect provenance and substantial age shrinks with each passing day. In other words: Do not miss out on this $49 masterpiece!
NOTE: We also secured 18 magnums from the same vintage, available here for $109 each.
Although Bodega El Coto was only founded in 1970, their presence today is truly staggering: They’re the leading brand for Crianza and Reserva categories, they own eight farms, and they’re responsible for the cultivation of hundreds of hectares throughout Rioja. Those culled to craft today’s “Coto de Imaz” Reserva come specifically from their best-performing vines in the famed sub-zones of Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa.
Despite a massive annual production, El Coto produces resolutely classic Riojas, ones built for decades of evolution, as evidenced by today’s 1994 Reserva. It’s 100% Tempranillo that aged in new and used American oak for no less than 18 months before bottling. Afterward, the wine rested another six months prior to its initial commercial release. This specific parcel was stashed away in a cold Riojan cellar for the next 20+ years before it was packed up in November of 2021 and shipped our way.
We’re always thrilled to uncork old, cellar-stored beauties from Rioja. Upon arrival of this ’94 Reserva, we opened a bottle to see how it held up on its transatlantic journey and it had us swooning. These wines appear to be under their original corks so I strongly recommend using a two-pronged ah-so. If opening with a standard wine key, please gently drive the corkscrew all the way in and pull out as slowly and uniformly as possible.
Before dipping your nose in, serve this around 65 degrees and allow several minutes for it to open up in a Bordeaux stem. Then, give it a few light swirls and prepare yourself for a sublime and nuanced display of dried cherry, green strawberry, sous bois, plum skin, mushroom stock, coconut husk, sandalwood, redcurrant, damp herbs, and hints of vanilla. The wine is medium-bodied and impossibly graceful, with each layer gliding across the palate without a hard/angular tannin in sight. We enjoyed our bottle over the course of three hours and the last ounce still showed substantial vigor. Meaning, buy more than one! I anticipate this drinking beautifully over the next 5-7 years. Cheers!
