2017 CVNE Viña Real Gran Reserva Rioja 'Especial'
This morning, CVNE, a benchmark name in Rioja, has released the latest 2017 vintage of 'Vina Real', one of the best value Gran Reservas from any of the famous bodegas. The 2017 is rated an 'Especial' by CVNE, a term reserved for the best vintages. Scoring 95 points from Suckling, at under £22 per bottle in bond, it is around half the price of their 'Imperial' Gran Reserva. Vina Real is also available in magnums, double magnums, and jeroboams.
CVNE was established in the famous 'Barrio de la Estación' (Station District) of Haro in Rioja Alta in 1879, just a few hundred metres from the bodega of La Rioja Alta. Short for Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España, the labels for the inaugural vintage were mis-spelt 'CUNE' and the bodega's name has been pronounced 'Coo-nay' ever since.
Vina Real is a blend of 95% Tempranillo and 5% Garnacha, aged for 24 months in French and American oak barrels. In contrast to CVNE's Imperial Gran Reserva, the style is more traditional and 'oaky', but with a similar intensity and quality of underlying fruit, one of many ways in which Vina Real over-delivers relative to its price.
The growing season in Rioja 2017 saw a severe frost at the end of April, leading to a smaller harvest compared to 2016. A dry summer led to an unsually early harvest, with high concentration and slightly more ripeness than normal, leading to CVNE's 'Especial' declaration.
We re-tasted the 2017 over lunch yesterday at a trade event. Served from magnum, it was a model of combined power and restraint, already drinking well, but with many more years of development ahead of it. The large formats are in limited availability, so please let us know as soon as possible if you would like to add some to your cellar.
Please simply e-mail us to place your order.
Offered pre-landing, available from bond December 2024.
| RED | 2017 | CVNE - Viña Real Gran Reserva Rioja | 75cl | £260 per case of 12 | CVNE Viña Real Gran Reserva Rioja 2017 / / 75cl £260 per case of 12 |
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Tasting Notes“The 2017 Viña Real Gran Reserva is a classical Rioja Alavesa blend of 95% Tempranillo with 5% Graciano from their own vineyards. It matured in new and used barrels for two years and was racked every four months and no less than three in bottle. It has 13.95% alcohol, a pH of 3.54 and six grams of acidity. This is a textbook Gran Reserva; perhaps this year it shows a faster evolution, with notes of olives, with hints of mint, ripe but with acidity. It has a polished palate with fine-grained tannins and a very pleasant tactile sensation. It's ready but should also last. 30,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2020. 94 points." Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate, Feb '24------“Complex and pretty profound nose with tapenade, savory mussels, dark mineral and a fine twist of spiciness and piquancy to the dark cherries here. Just a hint of vanilla. Medium- to full-bodied on the palate, showing excellent intensity, juiciness and firmness. Long, ripe and really balanced. Drink or hold. 95 points". Zekun Shuai, Jamessuckling.com, August 2023 |
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| RED | 2017 | CVNE - Viña Real Gran Reserva Rioja | Magnum | £300 per case of 6 | CVNE Viña Real Gran Reserva Rioja 2017 / / Magnum £300 per case of 6 |
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