Two wines from Faro, not Fara

Faro is a wine region in the extreme eastern portion of Sicily featuring the variety Nerello Mascalese and not to be confused with the Nebbiolo based wines of Fara in upper Piedmont.  The vineyards of Faro sit on a mountainous ridge overlooking the Strait of Messina.  It is here that wine has been made since the time of the Greeks.  Despite this long history, the vineyards largely disappeared after World War II.  In 1991 there were but a few people producing wine and despite a turn around, there are only 15 hectares of vines as of 2014.

Of the two wines that I tasted I prefer the 2014 Le Casematte, Faro for I found the aromas of flowers, oranges, and fruit interesting.  In the mouth, the flavors of bright tart cherry are delivered with just the right amount of wine.  It is a wine for the curious to try over the next several years.  The 2012 Cuppari, San Placido, Faro is produced from a vineyard completely replanted in 2005 and 2006.  The wine itself looks mature in color and this is indeed the case with the flavor.  I do like that it has taken on a wood box component but the finish is bitter and the structure likely to outlive the rest of the wine.  These two wines are available at MacArthur Beverages.

 

2014 Le Casematte, Faro – $34
Imported by Empson USA.  This wine is a blend of 55% Nerello Mascalese, 25% Nerello Cappuccio, 10% Nocera, and 10% Nero d’Avola sourced from vines 15-30 years old which was then aged in French oak for 6-9 months.  Alcohol 13.5%.  A difficult to describe, unique nose of floral, orange, and tart fruit aromas.  In the mouth is a slightly tart start with puckering acidity on the tongue tip.  There are tart cherry, brighter red and black fruit flavors with added minerals by the middle.  The wine has gentle weight and a subtle, fine texture.  *** Now – 2022.

 

2012 Cuppari, San Placido, Faro – $23
Alcohol 14%. This wine is a blend of 60% Nerello Mascalese, 20% Nerello Cappuccio,
10% Nocera, 5% Nero d’Avola, and 5% Sangiovese sourced from vines planted in 2005 and 2006.  The wine was aged for 12 months in French oak and chestnut.  Imported by deGrazia Imports.  The wine looks mature with its garnet and brick color.  In the mouth are maturing flavors, wood box notes, dry middle, and an interesting, almost bitter floral finish.  The structure of very fine tannins is very much evident from the middle.  ** Now but will last.

 

A modest LBV Port

I had forgotten about the bottle of 1985 Fortnum & Mason (J.W. Burmester), Late Bottled Vintage Port until a few weeks ago.  What a perfect choice then when a dinner guest asked for a glass of modest Port, it could be younger than the 1960s, he jokingly added.  After double-decanting the bottle it proved to be mature with an interesting combination of red fruit and marmalade.  With rounded body and some complexity it would deserve higher marks but for the distracting heat in the finish.  A solid glass but I would be tempted to grab a 10 year old Tawny.

1985 Fortnum & Mason (J.W. Burmester), Late Bottled Vintage Port
Bottled in 1989.  Alcohol 20%.  A not unattractive nose of sour red cherries.  In the mouth are ripe, red fruit and marmalade flavors mixed with brown sugar sweetness, wood notes, and baking spices.  It is a rounded wine with moderately sweet body.  In the finish there are tart red berries and unfortunately some distracting heat.  ** Now – 2022.

Mature Middle Mosel Riesling

A small number of old German wines recently hit the shelves of MacArthur Beverages.  The owner had passed away so the bottles were sold off.  As they were well-stored Phil picked them up and being of fine vintages, I bought a handful.  I tried two of the bottles from the middle Mosel the other evening with my brother-in-law.

The 1983 vintage is perhaps the best since 1976.  However, the old vintages of Kesten were of largely unremarkable quality except the Paulinshofberg wines which once commanded high prices.  The 1983 Weingut Jakob Wintrich, Kestener Paulinshofberg, Riesling Auslese, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer showed an attractive, weighty apricot flavor but it was generally puckering and tart.  This distracted me.

The 1976 vintage is considered outstanding for the Mosel.  My experience is limited to the 1976 Herman Freiherr von Schorlemer, Bernkasteler Badstube, Riesling Beerenauslese, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer shared by Phil a few years back.  I know not of Weingut Egon Studert but in the 1950s and 1960s Zeltinger Sonnenuhr was considered one the top vineyards amongst the expansive sea of Zeltingen.  The quality of the vintage and the vineyard come through in the 1976 Weingut Egon Studert, Zeltinger Sonnenuhr, Riesling Auslese, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer.  There is a gorgeous mature color, a nose of honey, and enjoyable flavors of honey, baking spices, smoke, and leather.  The lively acidity is worth mentioning as well.   I even drank it over two nights without any loss of pleasure.  The one weakness is that the finish is short.

1983 Weingut Jakob Wintrich, Kestener Paulinshofberg, Riesling Auslese, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
This  is a brilliant, golden yellow color with a tinge of amber.  A tart, rounded, and weighty start soon resolves to flavors of apricot with black tea.  There are wood notes too.  The acidity sharpens the wine up until the puckering, tart finish.  With air a bit of  botrytis comes out. *(*) Now.

1976 Weingut Egon Studert, Zeltinger Sonnenuhr, Riesling Auslese, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
A gorgeous, brilliant color of amber and honey. The nose also smells of honey.  In the mouth is an acidity driven start, clearly riper fruit at first then with air, it is honey flavored as well.  It mixes baking spices, smoke, and leather.  Flavors of black tea come near the finish which is shorter than desired but a fine texture is left in the aftertaste.  With air the body takes on a honied textured and a flavor of petrol comes out.  ** Now but will last.

Legendary Rioja: CVNE Viña Real and Imperial Rioja Gran Reserva from 1976-1964

Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (CVNE), founded in 1879, is one of the oldest Rioja producers. For nearly one century CVNE has produced the top brands of Viña Real and Imperial. Over this period the wines developed the reputation as consistent  both in high-quality and long-life with the particular decades of the 1940s through the 1970s considered the classic age. This month a small group of us explored the tail end of this age by tasting five vintages of both Viña Real and Imperial Gran Reservas from 1976 back to 1964.

CVNE is a unique estate in that there are only five winemakers over the course of its long history. For the vintages we tasted our focus begins with the third head winemaker Ezequiel Garcia (1930 – 2017).  He was born in Anguciana, a small town near Haro, and worked at CVNE from 1958 through 1973.

The 1920 harvest arrives at CVNE. Image provided by CVNE.

Imperial was first produced in the 1920s. It is always bottled in a Bordeaux shaped bottle and is named after the Imperial pint bottles it was once sold in. This wine is traditionally a majority of Tempranillo with a bit of Graciano, Mazuelo, and Viura largely from the Rioja Alta. The Viña Real brand name was registered in 1940 but it existed previously under different variations. The name stems from the Camino Real or Royal Road next to which many of the vineyards lie. It is bottled in the iconic Burgundy shaped bottle containing Tempranillo, Garnacha and Mazuelo largely sourced from the Rioja Alavesa.

Ezequiel Garcia produced Imperial at the CVNE winery in Haro and Viña Real at the Viña Real winery in Elciego. For each brand there were different levels of quality. From top to bottom quality, Imperial was historically sold as Gran Reserva and Reserva with the Viña Real as Reserva Especial, Reserva, and 4 año. With the new wine regulations of the 1970s Viña Real wines were renamed Gran Reserva, Reserva, and Crianza. The Imperial names did not change.

The Reserva Especial and Gran Reserva bottlings are meant to be the best quality wine possible, produced only in the best vintages using the best fruit. Such was the quality of the wines produced by Ezequiel Garcia during the 1960s and 1970s that the author and journalist Xavier Domingo nicknamed him “El Brujo” or the wizard.  It is these wines that I poured at the tasting.

A wine is only as good as the fruit that it is produced from so credit must be given to Jose Angel de Madrazo y Real de Asua, 4th generation of the founding brothers Eusebio and Raimundo Real de Asua. Jose Madrazo joined the CVNE Board of Directors in the mid-1960s soon becoming General Manager of Viña Real. CVNE sources fruit from vineyards they own but also from others under long-term contracts. One of Jose Madrazo’s responsibilities was to maintain these contracts and to seek out other grapes for all the quality levels at Viña Real. It is he who discovered the vineyards at Laserna. Such was the quality of the Laserna fruit that Ezequiel Garcia used it exclusively for the Reserva Especial and Gran Reserva. These vines at Laserna would eventually form the single-vineyard estate of Vinedos del Contino.

The Viña Real and Imperial wines were always meant to be different. They were made at different wineries with different blends sourced from different plots with different climates. During the 1940s through the 1970s, Viña Real always featured at least one-third Garnacha Tina with a typical blend of 40% Garnacha, 40% Tempranillo, and 20% other varieties including Mazuelo. Imperial never included Garnacha Tinta and featured more Mazuela and even some Graciano.

Cement tanks at El Carmen winery inaugurated in 1940. Image provided by CVNE.

Viña Real was made at a small winery in Elciego built in the 1920s. Imperial was made at the El Carmen winery in Haro.  Inaugurated in 1940, it was the first winery with concrete tanks in Rioja. Epoxy-lined concrete tanks were also installed at Viña Real. The Viña Real winery was small so the wines were vinified there then underwent barrel aging at CVNE in Haro. In 1957, the year before Ezequiel Garcia began work at CVNE, the 1941 Imperial was still in barrel. Under Garcia, the duration the Gran Reserva spent in American oak was slowly reduced to at least six years by the 1970s.

1976 Imperial Gran Reserva aging in barrel. Image provided by CVNE.

In 1973, Ezequiel Garcia left CVNE for Bodegas Olarra. He vinified the wine from the 1973 harvest but the final blend was made by the fourth CVNE winemaker Basilio Izquierdo Torres. Torres, who studied in Bordeaux, worked at CVNE from 1974 through 2004. Thus the vintages we tasted may be classified as: 1976 (Torres), 1973(Garcia/Torres), 1970 (Garcia), 1966 (Garcia), and 1964 (Garcia).

It was also in 1973, that CVNE and others, purchased the Laserna vineyards and formed Vinedos del Contino. The first Contino harvest occurred in 1974 so all of the Contino fruit from the 1973 vintage was still destined for the Viña Real Gran Reserva. It took a while for the Contino facilities to be built up so a large proportion of the excellent Contino fruit continued to be used in the Viña Real Gran Reserva. Today, Viña Real continues to use fruit from the Laserna region including plots that literally border the Contino estate.

Bottling of the 1970 Imperial Gran Reserva. Image provided by CVNE.

Across all five of the vintages we tasted, the Viña Real Reserva Especial and Gran Reserva all demonstrate deep aromas, full-bodied flavor, and extra complexity from earth and animale notes. The Imperial are brighter, more structured with noticeable acidity and more control over the flavors.  All of the bottles have aged very well with a general increase in liveliness as the wines became older.

The pair from 1976 showed good, complex flavor yet came across as fully mature.  The pair from 1973 exhibit less complexity yet are fresh and lively in the mouth.  I personally would rather drink the 1976s for the flavor but many preferred the 1973s for their condition.  Both wines from the 1970 vintage demonstrated a significant increase in complexity and energy.  The 1970 Viña Real is deep, earthy, mouth filling, and ethereal with a level of energy that made me pause.  The 1970 Imperial leans towards a core of fruit propelled by acidity, leaving a texture in the mouth.  The 1966 pair are lighter in flavor.  The 1966 Viña Real offers up more flavor than the 1966 Imperial but both wines should be drunk up.

It is a remarkably testament to the greatness of the 1964 vintage and the capable hand of Ezequiel Garcia, that the wines from 1964 are the most energetic and long-lived of all we tasted.  That is no small feat considering the 1964 Imperial was served from two half-bottles!  The aromas are to dream of, the flavors are a bit closely played but the mouthfeel is oily and luxurious.  My favorite wine of the night is the 1964 Viña Real.  It is mouth filling with complexity yet never weighs down the palate.  The interplay of flavor, texture, and acidity are remarkable.

We are fortunate in that not one of our bottles was bad allowing the personality of Viña Real and Imperial to shine through all of the vintages tasted.  If you have yet to taste mature CVNE you must set your sights on the 1964 Viña Real Reserva Especial.  If that is too expensive, the 1970 Viña Real Gran Reserva is a relative bargain.  These two wines in particular should be tried by all lovers of mature red wine.

CVNE is still run by family members including Maria Urrita Ybarra, Director of Marketing, who answered many of my questions and provided the historic images used in this post. I must also thank Jesús Madrazo, son of Jose Madrazo, 5th generation of the founding brothers, and former Technical Director of Contino, who kindly replied to all of my emails as well.  Finally, I thank my friend Mannie Berk, founder of The Rare Wine Co., whose careful acquisition of these bottles enabled this tasting to take place.

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Arrival Champagne

1984 Le Mesnil, Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs en magnum
Imported by the Rare Wine Co. A youthful yellow color with just a hint of gold. The wine greets with a good set of strong, yet finely textured bubbles. This is a surprisingly youthful with with yellow fruit, and a core of berries throughout. With extended air sweet spices come out. ***(*) Now – 2037.

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The CVNE Wines

 

1976 CVNE, Viña Real, Rioja Gran Reserva
Imported by the Rare Wine Co. The deep nose offers up dark, sweaty aromas. In the mouth the deep note is echoed in the soft entry. There is a bit of a sweet vein of fruit with some supporting structure in the end. This bottle is fully mature with good depth. With air the fine red fruit flavor takes on an old wood note. *** Now – 2020.

1976 CVNE, Imperial, Rioja Gran Reserva
Imported by the Rare Wine Co. There is a coffee-like hint on the modest nose. In the mouth is a soft, seductive start then a bright note buoyed by the watering acidity. The flavors are more linear with dry black fruit, and a subtle wood note.  *** Now – 2022.

1973 CVNE, Viña Real, Rioja Gran Reserva
Imported by the Rare Wine Co. A fine, clean nose reveals familiar deep aromas, and sweet red scents. With air it takes on floral aromas. In the mouth are cherry fruits framed by a fine structure. It offers good grip and presence with a rounded body. The cherry note continues in the finish and into the ethereal aftertaste. *** Now – 2022.

1973 CVNE, Imperial, Rioja Gran Reserva
Imported by the Rare Wine Co. There is a noticeably dark core to the color. The nose is less aromatic with hints of funk and pungency which eventually clean up. However, there is a brighter start with slightly sour flavors. The flavors are lighter weight, carried by watering acidity, and some grip in the finish. *** Now – 2022.

1970 CVNE, Viña Real, Rioja Gran Reserva
Imported by the Rare Wine Co. There are finely woven flavors of deep, sweet strawberry fruit. Complexity is gained through a subtle amount of earth and animale flavors. This is a beautiful wine, full of flavor, yet ethereally light through the long aftertaste. The energy of the wine makes you take notice as the wine will continue to drink well for a long time. ****(*) Now – 2027.

1970 CVNE, Imperial, Rioja Gran Reserva
Imported by the Rare Wine Co. Another lovely wine. The bright start takes on a gentle, sweet core of red and black fruits propelled by watering acidity. There are complex spices, animale flavors, and wood notes. This finely textured wine still has youthful grip.  **** Now – 2027.

1966 CVNE, Viña Real, Rioja Reserva Especial
Imported by the Rare Wine Co. In a way there is sweeter fruit in this wine. Though it is lighter in flavor and body there is complexity from low-lying minerals and wood notes. It offers more fruit than the Imperial. It is in a good state of life given the lesser vintage. *** Now.

1966 CVNE, Imperial, Rioja Gran Reserva
Imported by the Rare Wine Co. I found this tart with watery flavor, less weight, and dry structure. ** Now.

1964 CVNE, Viña Real, Rioja Reserva Especial
Imported by the Rare Wine Co. There are deep aromas of leather and earth. In the mouth the red fruit has youthful grip with a gorgeously fine interplay of fruit, earth, and animale notes. The wine becomes drier towards the finish. This is a beautifully focused wine with both fruit, acidity, and structure to continue its glacial evolution for years to come. If you enjoy that sweet concentration resulting from traditional winemaking and old age then look no further.  ****(*) Now – 2032.

1964 CVNE, Imperial, Rioja Gran Reserva
Imported by the Rare Wine Co. What a beautiful nose! Again this shows more focus and structure but the the vintages give the flavors extra strength and weight. Black fruited in general added mouthfeel comes out of nowhere from a luxurious oily bit. I wonder if it will open up even more? **** Now – 2027.

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Dinner Wines

NV Krug, Grande Cuvée 164 eme Edition, Champagne Brut
Imported by Moet Hennessy USA.  Alcohol 12.5%. This already smells complex with a young aroma of apple. In the mouth this is a youthful wine with assertive bubbles then a very fine mousse. The yellow fruit and gentle baking spices are of good complexity and long duration. **** Now – 2037.

1996 Fernando Remírez de Ganuza, Rioja Reserva
Imported by Tempranillo Inc.  There is a pungent nose of berries and banana foster. It is a fresh and gentle wine in the mouth back by good weight. Despite the young age, it is drinking very well showing both mature flavors and a core of covert fruit. **** Now – 2022.

1985 Torres, Grand Sangre de Torro, Penedes
This wine is a blend of 70% Garnacha and 30% Carinena.  There is a bright red fruit in the complex start. It morphs from earthy, sweet fruit in the start to dry black fruit in the finish. A ripe Garnacha character comes out with air. This is not a wine for the ages rather a solid, mature wine to drink now. *** Now – 2020.

1973 Paternina, Conde de los Andes, Rioja Gran Reserva
Imported by the Rare Wine Co. A brilliant color! The tart red fruit on the nose smells of some age due to a roasted earth note. In the mouth are lighter flavors of cranberry and red fruits which are match by the acidity driven profile. This is a clean with, slightly short in the finish, yet the aftertaste still leaves texture on the gums. *** Now but will last.

1970 Bodegas Bilbainas, Vina Pomal, Rioja Crianza
A Chambers Street Wines selection imported by T. Elenteny. Tired on the nose and in the mouth. The rounded start brings rather advanced flavors and a short finish. *(*) Drink Up.

NV Emilio Lustau, Sherry Very Rare Oloroso Emperatriz Eugenia
Imported by Europvin USA.  This is enjoyable pungent on the nose with polished wood, fresh orange citrus notes, and some deep aromas.  Noticeably less complex in the mouth with a dry, linear, saline flavors of nuts and yellow citrus wrapped up by a warm finish.  *** Now – 2027+.

NV Barbeito, Terrantez Reserve Madeira
Imported by the Rare Wine Co. There is a sweet nose of brown sugar backed by the slightest pungency. In the mouth there is still, fine sweet fruit of good weight. The sweetness is expertly balanced by the acidity. It picks up a lovely foxiness in the finish. **** Now – whenever.

Delicious and historic, the 1974 Contino, Rioja Reserva

Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (CVNE) has produced the legendary Viña Real since the 1920s.  CVNE was founded in 1879 by Eusebio and Raimundo Real de Asua and in the 1960s, 4th generation Jose Angel de Madrazo y Real de Asua became General Manager of Viña Real.

Jose Madrazo responsibilities included purchasing additional fruit for the winery.  He largely purchased fruit from Rioja Alavesa where he discovered the Laserna vineyards.  Such is the quality of these vineyards that CVNE winemaker Ezequiel García used the Laserna fruit exclusively for the top-quality Viña Real Reserva Especial.

Recognizing the importance of the vineyards, the CVNE family and others formed the society Viñedos del Contino in 1973.  By purchasing the Laserna vineyards they became the first single-vineyard estate in Rioja of which Jose Madrazo was the first General Manager.

Two years ago I was fortunate to dine with Jesús Madrazo the 5th generation of the founders and son of Jose Madrazo.  Jesús Madrazo began working at CVNE and Contino in 1995, soon becoming technical director or head winemaker in 1999.  For our dinner he brought a bottle of the first vintage produced under his father, the 1974 Vinedos del Contino, Rioja Reserva.

At the time of the 1974 vintage, Viña Real was produced at its own small winery.  It is here that the first vintages of Contino were produced and bottled. Viña Real always appears in Burgundy shaped bottles so too was this Contino when it was bottled in 1979.  Fortunate for me Jesus Madrazo’s father had the foresight to set aside some 4,000 bottles of this vintage for future tastings.

The wine itself is excellent which speaks to the quality of the vineyards and to the knowledge transferred from Viña Real to Contino.  I found it uniquely floral on the nose and in a nod to Viña Real, full-bodied with lively acidity.  This is traditional, old Rioja delivering full flavor with age-defying life.

1974 Vinedos del Contino, Rioja Reserva
Alcohol 12.6%.  This was refreshed at one point with 10-15% of the 1975 vintage.  The nose offers dried flowers, black tea, and with air such fruit as plums.  In the mouth this is a full bodied, ripe flavored, and mouth filling wine.  There is vibrant acidity and still supportive structure which will see this wine through future years.  It is in no sense fragile.  **** Now – 2025.

A Spanish dinner including a pair of 1970 Rioja

For our most recent wine dinner with Sudip we departed from 1970s Californian wines to those of Rioja.  As we were joined by Taz and his family we tasted through a few more bottles than normal.  Per usual, I provided the wines and Sudip cooked.  All of the bottles were sourced from The Rare Wine Co., which meant fun was to be had.

The NV Pol Breteuil, Champagne Brut certainly set the bar.  This is a late 1980s early 1990s release which, given the impeccable bottle condition, is only first revealed by the color of the wine.  At first I thought the wine was on the down-slope from peak maturity but with warmth, air, and an expletive from Sudip I realized I was wrong.  I can post the “delicious” part of his comment which, as a one-word tasting note, I cannot improve upon.

We tasted the red wines from youngest to oldest.  The 2015 Alegre Valganon, Rioja Tinto is a result of the young project of Oscar Alegre and Eva Valgañón.  They employ traditional techniques with their own preference of showing less oak influences.  Their blend of 75% Tempranillo and 25% Garnacha is inspired by that of CVNE Viña Real.  The result is a highly aromatic wine of articulate flavor and fine texture.  It was the favorite red wine for a few people.  Of course a bottle of 2007 CVNE, Viña Real Rioja Gran Reserva followed.  This deep flavored wine is already showing a mature edge.  It provides ample flavor and intensity yet is light in the mouth.

With dinner we tucked into a pair of Rioja from the excellent 1970 vintage.  At a recent tasting of CVNE Rioja I was impressed by the quality of the 1970 vintage compared to the legendary 1964.  First up, the 1970 Bodegas Lagunilla, Viña Herminia Rioja comes an estate founded in the 1890s.  The estate remained in the family until 1970 when it was acquired by Croft.  Lagunilla did not own any vineyards, instead they purchased wine which they matured and blended. Viña Herminia is a particular label created in 1949 in honor of the second generation owner’s wife.  This bottle has a deep, traditional nose which is much different than the bright, fresh flavors in the mouth.

We followed the Lagunilla with a bottle of 1970 Campo Viejo, Rioja Gran Reserva.  Campo Viejo was founded only in 1959.  It soon reached a production level of some 35 times that of Lagunilla!  I can only imagine that such a large operation ensured they had access to good quality fruit.  With our bottle, both the aromas and flavors complement each other.  It is immediately obvious that there is a marked increase in complexity and weight with well-defined strawberry flavors.  It is another delicious wine.

NV Pol Breteuil, Champagne Brut
Imported by The Rare Wine Co.  A golden-yellow color with bronze highlights.  There is fresh grip to the mature flavors that mix with apple orchard and toast notes.  The flavors have good depth which becomes apparent as the wine opens and improves with air.  The fine vein of strong bubbles matches the taut profile.  With air the finish becomes oily and the aftertaste racy.  Delicious! Would benefit from decanting.   ***(*) Now-2027.

2015 Alegre Valganon, Rioja Tinto
Imported by The Rare Wine Co.  This wine is a blend of 75% Tempranillo, 25% Garnacha fermented with indigenous yeast on stems then was aged 12-18 months in various French oak barrels. Highly aromatic with bright red fruit.  In the mouth is a grapey hint of red fruit then black fruit.  There is a grapey depth to the flavor, pepper hint, and an ethereal aftertaste.  *** Now – 2022.

2007 CVNE, Viña Real Rioja Gran Reserva
Imported by The Rare Wine Co.  The deep wood scents are engaging.  In the mouth are maturing flavors.  This acidity-driven wine has deep flavor and good grip yet is lighter in the mouth than expected. ***(*) Now – 2025.

1970 Bodegas Lagunilla, Viña Herminia Rioja
Imported by The Rare Wine Co.  The subtle nose reveals deep, sweaty aromas.  In the mouth is a brighter than expected start that is acidity driven.  The wine has an ethereally fresh texture and good grip.  Lovely acidity.  It improves with air and even the edges soften a touch.  *** Now but will last.

1970 Campo Viejo, Rioja Gran Reserva
Imported by The Rare Wine Co.  There is good depth on the nose and in the mouth the familiar taste of an old Rioja.  This wine is great during the first two hours.  There are sweet, sweaty flavors which bear weight and a touch of texture.  The flavors develop into strawberry with tart red and black components.  It is moved along by watering acidity into the textured finish.  **** Now but will last.

CVNE advertisements from the 1920s

CVNE advertisement from La Semena Grafica from 1923. Biblioteca Nacional de Espana.

This weekend I will be hosting a tasting of wines from the historic CVNE estate in Rioja.  We will visit paired flights of Imperial Gran Reserva and Viña Real Reserva Especial/Gran Reserva from the 1976, 1973, 1970, 1966, and 1964 vintages.  Both the Imperial and Viña Real brands originated in the early 1920s.  During the fall of 1921 the publication El Progreso Agricula y Pecuario visited the “old and well-established” winery.[1]  They found that the new, modern elements of the winery, unseen to many before, were “successfully” applied to “elaborate” the wines.  I have included two advertisements that ran quite frequently.  As you can see they are very modest.

CVNE advertisement from La Nacion, June 10, 1926. Biblioteca Nacional de Espana.

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[1] El Progreso Agricula y Pecuario. No 1219. October 22, 1921. Biblioteca Nacional de Espana.

Budget Bordeaux from 2012

Every curious to expand my selection of affordable daily drinkers I ventured into the 2012 Bordeaux section at MacArthur Beverages. This is regarded as a Merlot vintage and the four wines we tasted contain at least 70% of it.  Jenn and I preferred one of the least expensive wines 2012 Petit Paveil, Bordeaux. It is a tasty wine to be enjoyed now. Next up is the 2012 Chateau Belle Colline, Cotes de Bordeaux Blaye which require much air to shed a greenhouse aspect. It becomes a solid, almost juicy, dark-fruited wine. The 2012 Chateau Grimont, Cotes de Bordeaux is too firm to be enjoyed and I did not like the 2012 Chateau Roquet, Bordeaux.

2012 Chateau Belle Colline, Cotes de Bordeaux Blaye – $17
Imported by MacArthur Liquors. This wine is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Malbec.  Alcohol 13.5%. The nose is of greenhouse and plums. In the mouth are a fine, powdery texture of dark fruit and greenhouse flavors. The wine dramatically improves on the second night with greenhouse aspect largely gone. Instead this is a solid wine, almost juicy in flavor with dark fruit flavors, a moderate structure, and general ability to satisfy. For the short-term. ** Now – 2020.

2012 Chateau Grimont, Cotes de Bordeaux Cadillac – $17
Imported by MacArthur Liquors. This wine is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Alcohol 13%. The nose remained mute. The moderate structure is echoed in the dry, firm flavors, watering acidity and dry finish which is particularly noticeable on the tongue. Some tart red and black fruit comes out but this remains a modest, firm wine. *(*) Now – 2022.

2012 Petit Paveil, Bordeaux – $13
Imported by MacArthur Liquors. This wine is a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet.  Alcohol 13%. The nose is attractive with dark fruit. The dark fruit continues in the mouth with just a hint of greenhouse. There is some depth to the fruit that carried into the dry, black mineral finish. It is here that the dry, supporting structure is noticeable, though, there is a touch of softness too. Solid! ** Now – 2020.

2012 Chateau Roquet, Bordeaux – $13
Imported by MacArthur Liquors. This wine is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Alcohol 13.5%. I did not like this wine so after two nights I never bothered to take a note. Poor.

A pair of Italian reds, one of which is very good

From an excellent vintage the 2010 Colpetrone, Montefalco Sagrantino is a rare bargain that provides immediate drinking pleasure yet is capable of development for several years to come.  With the expected structure come robust flavors of generous dark fruit which morphs into a mineral vein that will have you revisit your glass time after time.  I recommend you pick up a few bottles for this weekend.  While the 2014 Castiglion del Bosco, Rosso di Montalcino clearly needs age, I do not foresee it improving.  Avoid.  These wines are available at MacArthur Beverages.

2010 Colpetrone, Montefalco Sagrantino- $21
Imported by Vias Imports. This wine is 100% Sagrantino which was aged for 12 months in French oak barriques. The fruit is sourced from 35 hectares of vineyards on soils of limey soil with clay deposits at 350 meters.  Alcohol 14.5%. There is a deep fruited nose. In the mouth are red fruit flavors then generally dark fruit with a prominent mineral vein. The wine is robust in a way. The move from fruit to minerality engages the palate. This would not be Sagrantino without the strong structure of very fine grained tannins. However, the weight of the fruit generally covers it. ***(*) Now – 2027.

2014 Castiglion del Bosco, Rosso di Montalcino – $19
Imported by Maisons Marques & Domaines. Alcohol 14%. The wine finally opens up on the second night revealing black fruit and licorice aromas. In the mouth the wine is upfront flavors of bright plums. There is a tangy middle and short finish. It is a clean wine in need of some age as it is not moving at this point. *(*) 2019-2027.

Ogier’s must try 2014 Le Temps est Venu, CdR

The 2014 Stephane Ogier, Les Temps est Venu, Cotes du Rhone is a wine  you must try.  When coupled with the 2015 Domaine des Pasquiers, Cote du Rhone Villages Plan de Dieu you can taste how rocking the Plan de Dieu region is!  Right now the wine offers up tense red fruit flavors with good depth behind them.  We kept revisiting the bottle until there was nothing left.  I recommend you grab several bottles from MacArthur Beverages.

2014 Stephane Ogier, Les Temps est Venu, Cotes du Rhone – $16
Imported by Robert Kacher.  This wine is a blend of mostly Grenache with Syrah, Mourvedre, and a dollop of Cinsault.  The fruit is largely sourced from Plan de Dieu, fermented in concrete vats where it is also aged for 7 months.  Alcohol 13.8%.  The nose is still tight but the wine is flavorful in the mouth.  There are deep red fruit flavors that have a dry edge and cranberry-like brightness.  The wine is tart on the tongue building depth and weight with a certain tannic structure and acidity that will let it age.  It is quite drinkable now thanks to the grapey tension from the start.  *** Now – 2022.