Levi Dalton
Levi Dalton
Awhile back I was in Haro for a few days and a couple of individuals were kind enough to share with me some older Rioja over successive evenings.
1978 Contino "Reserva" Rioja:
This was in oak for 2 years before release. This would have been in French as well as used American oak. It would have had some Viura and Garnacha Blanco in the blend.
Powerful, developed, but still has a ways to go. Cedar on the nose. Fine grained on the palate. A touch of olive branch green. This has the character of a warm vintage, it fleshes out in the back of the palate. Sandalwood hints, and this is also a touch spicy, like a chile spice. Lemon verbena and thyme oil. This has an intense depth and grip, and comes off as a meaty fist of a wine.
NV R. Lopez de Heredia "5 Ano" Bosconia Rioja:
Perhaps from the 1960s or 1970s.
A very detailed nose, but a touch simple on the palate. The Bosconia character and style is evident, but ultimately this is a little light on the palate. I could have used more depth, as well as more nuance.
1964 CVNE Viña Real "Reserva Especial" Rioja:
This was probably 1/3 Garnacha with a touch of white grapes as well.
A phenomenal nose, which is still fresh. A soft red fruit that I associate with Viña Real. And then that softness hardens and moves to a more compact wine for awhile. A slight tinny aspect sets in for a moment, then disappears. This eventually opens back up. The finish is impressive: refined and noble. There is somewhat allusive of a Margaux for me in its dimensions.
* 1959 CVNE Viña Real "Gran Reserva" Rioja: [note, there was no legal basis to Gran Reserva until 1964]
This was out of the winery cellar.
SMOKING GOOD!!! This is on the Top 10 list of the Greatest Spanish reds of my entire life.
Would have been 30% Garnacha and 5-10% Viura.
Moves into multiple stages, all of them amazing. The delineation and detail are excellent. On the level of a Grand Cru Burgundy in terms of the detail. Moves into a floral stage redolent of violets that is totally ravishing.
on another evening:
1942 R. Lopez de Heredia "Tondonia" Blanco:
Moving into sherry aromatics in a savory nose exhibiting diesel, penicillin, and honey. There is an allusion of brown sugar on the palate, but this is not sweet at all. Completely dry.
1947 R. Lopez de Heredia "Tondonia" Blanco:
This was in a blue colored glass bottle.
Very developed color. Miso, sesame oil, and potato chips hints. One taster says this smells like halva, and that is correct. Super high acid: this is really, really dry.
1942 R. Lopez de Heredia "Tondonia" Rioja Rojo:
This is very evolved, and a bit of an odd experience. The nose is expressive, with miso, soy, ginger. The palate shows more roundness, and is plush, rich. Smoke and plum accents. Gingerbread. Oil smoke. Green hints. Still has some freshness.
* 1947 R. Lopez de Heredia "Tonodnia" Rioja Rojo:
SO AWESOME
SO SPECTACULAR
SO LOPEZ!!
The structural line of Lopez on the palate, and very identifiable as a Lopez wine. Sesame oil, black halva, sandalwood and balsa wood. Black hints. Orange hints. Dense but not overwhelmingly so.
1950 Marques de Murrieta "Reserva" Rioja (white label):
Lots of orange peel and orange segments. Noticeable sandalwood on the nose. Somewhat volatile in a glue way. Bright finish, though.
1962 Marques de Murrieta Rioja (white label):
Porcini dust. Wild strawberry and roses. Orange zest. A lighter color than you might expect. A more rose coloration than others in the lineup.
* 1952 Bodegas Bilbainas "Viña Pomal" Reserva Especial Rioja:
Detailed nose of bamboo, soy sauce, tobacco leaf and oil. Solid on the palate. There is a gravitas on the finish.
1964 R. Lopez de Heredia "Tondonia" Rioja Rojo:
Meaty sausage and mushrooms. One taster says this smells of bay leaf, and I agree. Has a density to it. Some gravelly pebble notes come out on the finish.
1964 R. Lopez de Heredia "Bosconia" Rioja Rojo:
There is a menthol aspect to the nose, which is a bit mute. The palate is wonderful. The finish is a bit sharp, however. I find this better paired with a bit of food than on its own.
on another night:
* 1970 CVNE Imperial "Gran Reserva" Rioja:
Smells great. Fine detail on the nose at the start. This is immediately appealing on the palate, but turns a bit brutish with more air.
1970 CVNE Viña Real "Gran Reserva" Rioja:
Texturally a little thin at the beginning, but with time this is more appealing and garners more interest. Very bright, and almost a youngish fruit profile. Eventually develops a nice depth, and some textural interest. However the fruit remains rather simple and straightforward.
1970 Muga Rioja:
Begins a little simple, but then the nose moves into some very complex jasmine notes, with a menthol aspect. But that takes considerable time to develop. At the beginning this shows a funk reminiscent of old fish. The fruit is light, and this is not a deep wine.
1976 CVNE Imperial "Gran Reserva" Rioja:
Tasty. Still has some zip, as well as a youthful color. The texture becomes tighter with time open. This ends up being a vibrant, if not super complex wine. Very drinkable now, but you could imagine it evolving further in the bottle with age as well.
1978 Contino "Reserva" Rioja:
This was in oak for 2 years before release. This would have been in French as well as used American oak. It would have had some Viura and Garnacha Blanco in the blend.
Powerful, developed, but still has a ways to go. Cedar on the nose. Fine grained on the palate. A touch of olive branch green. This has the character of a warm vintage, it fleshes out in the back of the palate. Sandalwood hints, and this is also a touch spicy, like a chile spice. Lemon verbena and thyme oil. This has an intense depth and grip, and comes off as a meaty fist of a wine.
NV R. Lopez de Heredia "5 Ano" Bosconia Rioja:
Perhaps from the 1960s or 1970s.
A very detailed nose, but a touch simple on the palate. The Bosconia character and style is evident, but ultimately this is a little light on the palate. I could have used more depth, as well as more nuance.
1964 CVNE Viña Real "Reserva Especial" Rioja:
This was probably 1/3 Garnacha with a touch of white grapes as well.
A phenomenal nose, which is still fresh. A soft red fruit that I associate with Viña Real. And then that softness hardens and moves to a more compact wine for awhile. A slight tinny aspect sets in for a moment, then disappears. This eventually opens back up. The finish is impressive: refined and noble. There is somewhat allusive of a Margaux for me in its dimensions.
* 1959 CVNE Viña Real "Gran Reserva" Rioja: [note, there was no legal basis to Gran Reserva until 1964]
This was out of the winery cellar.
SMOKING GOOD!!! This is on the Top 10 list of the Greatest Spanish reds of my entire life.
Would have been 30% Garnacha and 5-10% Viura.
Moves into multiple stages, all of them amazing. The delineation and detail are excellent. On the level of a Grand Cru Burgundy in terms of the detail. Moves into a floral stage redolent of violets that is totally ravishing.
on another evening:
1942 R. Lopez de Heredia "Tondonia" Blanco:
Moving into sherry aromatics in a savory nose exhibiting diesel, penicillin, and honey. There is an allusion of brown sugar on the palate, but this is not sweet at all. Completely dry.
1947 R. Lopez de Heredia "Tondonia" Blanco:
This was in a blue colored glass bottle.
Very developed color. Miso, sesame oil, and potato chips hints. One taster says this smells like halva, and that is correct. Super high acid: this is really, really dry.
1942 R. Lopez de Heredia "Tondonia" Rioja Rojo:
This is very evolved, and a bit of an odd experience. The nose is expressive, with miso, soy, ginger. The palate shows more roundness, and is plush, rich. Smoke and plum accents. Gingerbread. Oil smoke. Green hints. Still has some freshness.
* 1947 R. Lopez de Heredia "Tonodnia" Rioja Rojo:
SO AWESOME
SO SPECTACULAR
SO LOPEZ!!
The structural line of Lopez on the palate, and very identifiable as a Lopez wine. Sesame oil, black halva, sandalwood and balsa wood. Black hints. Orange hints. Dense but not overwhelmingly so.
1950 Marques de Murrieta "Reserva" Rioja (white label):
Lots of orange peel and orange segments. Noticeable sandalwood on the nose. Somewhat volatile in a glue way. Bright finish, though.
1962 Marques de Murrieta Rioja (white label):
Porcini dust. Wild strawberry and roses. Orange zest. A lighter color than you might expect. A more rose coloration than others in the lineup.
* 1952 Bodegas Bilbainas "Viña Pomal" Reserva Especial Rioja:
Detailed nose of bamboo, soy sauce, tobacco leaf and oil. Solid on the palate. There is a gravitas on the finish.
1964 R. Lopez de Heredia "Tondonia" Rioja Rojo:
Meaty sausage and mushrooms. One taster says this smells of bay leaf, and I agree. Has a density to it. Some gravelly pebble notes come out on the finish.
1964 R. Lopez de Heredia "Bosconia" Rioja Rojo:
There is a menthol aspect to the nose, which is a bit mute. The palate is wonderful. The finish is a bit sharp, however. I find this better paired with a bit of food than on its own.
on another night:
* 1970 CVNE Imperial "Gran Reserva" Rioja:
Smells great. Fine detail on the nose at the start. This is immediately appealing on the palate, but turns a bit brutish with more air.
1970 CVNE Viña Real "Gran Reserva" Rioja:
Texturally a little thin at the beginning, but with time this is more appealing and garners more interest. Very bright, and almost a youngish fruit profile. Eventually develops a nice depth, and some textural interest. However the fruit remains rather simple and straightforward.
1970 Muga Rioja:
Begins a little simple, but then the nose moves into some very complex jasmine notes, with a menthol aspect. But that takes considerable time to develop. At the beginning this shows a funk reminiscent of old fish. The fruit is light, and this is not a deep wine.
1976 CVNE Imperial "Gran Reserva" Rioja:
Tasty. Still has some zip, as well as a youthful color. The texture becomes tighter with time open. This ends up being a vibrant, if not super complex wine. Very drinkable now, but you could imagine it evolving further in the bottle with age as well.