RARE 50 YEAR OLD Wine Tasting
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 19 июл 2023
- In this video, Bob Paulinski, Master of Wine will taste and evaluate a 50 year old (1973) CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva, one of the top wines in my cellar and one of the great, iconic wines from Spain.
While its very unlikely you’ll find this exact wine, but it’ll give you some indication of what a top-notch, well cellared Gran Reserva can offer. Keep in mind, a wine labeled Gran Reserva pertains to meeting aging requirements, its not necessarily a testament to quality, as that will vary by producer.
Gran Reservas Riojas that are worth searching out with approx SRP (US). At present time look for the 2015 or 2016. My preference is to the 2016, but just by the slightest bit. posted below are the standout that I've recently tasted:
2016 CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva $85
2016 Marques de Riscal Gran Reserva $45
2016 El Coto Coto de Imaz Gran Reserva $34 (good value!)
2016 Campo Viejo Gran Reserva $23 (not as complex as the others, but a great value, relatively easy to find)
2015 Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva $90
2015 Marques Murietta Gran Reserva $79
2015 Contino Gran Reserva $69
Located in Haro, in the heart of Rioja, CVNE has been owned by the same family for over 100 years, This is one of the older Riojas that I’ve tasted, maybe the oldest. I like to cellar away wines and usually know how I acquired the wine, along with the original cost. With this one, I’m not sure. I don’t have the original price and there is no import sticker on the bottle.
In terms of the vintage, ‘73 is a mixed bag for the region. About 10% of the Rioja from that year was made into Gran Reserva that year, which is higher than the norm. Based on that alone, there were plenty of very good examples from that year.
This fruit is sourced from the prime region of the Rioja Alta, old vines, low yields, bush pruned and dry farmed. Mostly Tempranillo, with a small amount of Graciano and Mazuelo. Graciano brings structure, Mazuelo, same as Carignan, adds acidity, weight and some spiciness. This wine was aged in oak for 2 years, then a minimum of 3 years in bottle prior to release.
With old wines, there are a few recommendations prior to opening the bottle. Here’s a few pointers on what to check prior to opening an old bottle of wine
1) Stand the bottle upright for a day or two prior to allow any sediment to settle into the base.
2) Check the fill level. The wine level will drop with aging, ideally the fill level should be in the neck of the bottle. This one is in the lower part of it. Quite amazing for being 50 years old.
3) The cork should feel firm, showing no sign of leaking.
4) Point a bright light up into the base of the bottle to gauge the amount of sediment.
To open the bottle, I’m going to use a two-prong (ah=so) cork extractor. Sometimes with older wines, the cork can be soft and crumbly. The two prong is the safest option. Wipe the lip of the bottle with a damp cloth, I use a bit of lemon juice as well, something acidic helps to clear any residue. Decades ago, it was common that the capsule would contain some lead. In the 1980's the use was banned and phased out.
#winetasting #winelife #rioja #wset #redwine #redwinelover #masterofwine #bobpaulinski
What a presentation of Rioja!
Guide , how to taste old wine.
Last few years, had a chance to drink Rioja(suggestion from JCB).
Tempranillo needs 5 years of aging. To me Crianza performs better in low to medium price range, than Reserva or Grand Reaerva.
Of course, I'm talking about wine that can be bought from a store.
Thank you Bob!
Thanks for the nice comment. Crianza Rioja can be a great bargain. I’m thinking about doing a video on the best Crianza deals. Maybe later this year.
Wow what a treat to taste a fine old bottle of Spanish Rioja. Professor Bob, thank you for sharing your MW expertise and experience with this special bottle. I'm currently searching for good value for Spanish & Portuguese wines and am finding there are many good choices. I like that many are from families that have produced wine for generations just like the one you highlighted today.
Thanks for the nice comment. All things being equal, I’ll support the family owned wineries every time. Cheers. 🍷
I’m a huge Rioja fan. The La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza Reserva 2012 got me into wine. A local wine shop still has bottled of it and I want to get a few. I almost took the Spanish Wine Scholar because of Rioja a few years ago when it was offered by the Napa Valley Wine Academy. Completely forgot about it and went with the WSET back in 2020.
Wow, you really are a huge fan! The WSET is a good program too. I’m currently helping a couple people with the WSET studies. What level are you currently working on? 🍷
To me Bob is a PhD in Wine. Not only is he amazing academically, but he's got such a wealth of hands-on experience that really separates him apart from other MWs I've seen. And yet, he's so humble. Gosh, I wish he would've started his channel sooner. But hey, he is so committed to his channel that I'm sure he will succeed. And what we can do on our part is to make sure that we share his videos with our friends on social media platforms, etc. Bob's videos deserve wider audience. Simply put, he rocks. Please note, I have no affiliation with Bob. I'm just his huge fan. Cheers, everybody!
Thank you very much. Your message is greatly appreciated. For the early days, the channel is performing well, thanks to the support from a lot of good people. Cheers. 🍷
It's great to know that we agree on the tertiary descriptors! I have used 'dried orange peel' and 'old church' a couple of times with old Rioja -last time it was 1976 Viña Tondonia-. It's definitely not easy to hone one's aromatic descriptions unless someone else more experienced! Cheers prof!
We’re aligned on this one! This specific old wine had a tremendous amount of aromatic range. Cheers. 🍷
Thanks again for the great video and content Bob!
Hi Felipe, your comment means a lot. Thank you. 🍷
Great video. Enjoyed the ride. Laughed at the church bit, too. 😂
i always keep Keep Rioja. Especially Tondonia, Ygay and Contino gran reservas. But not 50 years. Just had a beautiful 1898 tondonia whute. And 2001 red. Otherwise i still have a crate if Ygay granvreserva especial 200. Looking forward to drinking it.
Sorry, that should be 1999 not 1898!!!😮
Thanks for the good word. You have a treasure trove of Rioja! The church bit just popped into my head, had to leave it in the final cut. Cheers. 🍷
Opened a 46 year old bottle of Rioja Gran Reserva for Easter this past year, and it was a lot of fun. My particular bottle was past its prime, but I still loved the experience and we killed the bottle in a hurry. The cork, over...that thing haunts me. Lol
I've been watching your videos right from the start and really do appreciate you and your work. Keep 'em coming!
Old wines can be a lot of fun, even those a bit over the hill. Thank you for the good word, it’s much appreciated. 🍷
...'It's been a while since I have been in the church and maybe I need to revisit that..' you made me laugh so hard! 😂😂😂😂
Serious question: You mentioned dencanting (not needed in this case). What are your thoughts on this subject? I read an article on Decanter today, from a wine critic (Kerin O'Keefe) who basically completely killed, the practice of decanting. For her is the worst thing you could do to wine, above all old ones (..'aged wines are fragile and after years of being under cork the sudden explosion of oxygen creates the worst possible shock'..)
What are your thoughts on it? Many thanks 😊
I wondered if someone would comment on the church bit. 😂 As for your question, I avoid decanting, except for two situations. One, if the wine is youthful and would benefit from aeration to bring out the aroma and flavors. Two, if the sediment level is very high. Other than that it’s not needed and it may actually diminish the wines potential, especially with fragile old bottles.
Thanks for the great video content again Mr. Paulinski. I wonder what it would have tasted like back in 73’ then every ten years after that. There’s nothing better than church wine! Thanks again!
Kind words, thank you. This ‘73 was a one off, the only bottle I had of it. My guess is it drank well for decades. Church wine! People seem to be getting a kick out of that comment. 😂
Back when I was in college, late 80s/early 90s, I was at a big CVNE tasting; I believe it was hosted by a local chapter of Les Amis du Vin in NY- I could be mistaken on that point, however. The tasting included a vertical of réserva and GR wines, back to the 60s. So there’s a fair chance I’ve had that wine! Any notes I took, however, are loooong gone
Cool story. I drank more of the ‘73 the day after shooting the video. It held up remarkably well. CVNE is on my shortlist of favorite wineries. 🍷
Very interesting. I'd love to get my hands on an old bottle like this. Thanks for providing that list of Riojas, that's really helpful.
I’m glad you enjoyed it. Years ago, I tucked away cases of age worthy wine. Most have held up well. The ‘16 from Rioja are very good! 🍷
Another producer I have enjoyed is Lopez de Heredia; haven’t had a gran riserva, but the riserva 2011 I had recently was a good value
That’s a good source, but I haven’t had that one in a long while. 🍷
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine7234 a distributor locally was able to get it for around 42 dollars which seemed like a decent price
Great timing for the video. I’m about to purchase the 2016 vintage of this exact wine that you were tasting. Looking forward to seeing how it tastes.
That is great timing! Cheers! 🍷
Thanks for all the tips on enjoying an old wine. A buddy gave me a 1978 Niebaum-Coppola Rubicon that I opened the other day. Somehow my ah-so has gone missing, and I mangled the cork. The wine had turned, unfortunately, but I need to replace that ah-so. Do you think the durand is worth the price?
Thanks for the nice comment. Too bad on the Rubicon. I’ve had a good number of old wines have been disappointing, but when they hit, it can be a rare treat. As for the Durand, I don’t own one, never had the need. If you open a lot of old wines it’s probably worth it. For me, I find the cheapy ah-so works well. 🍷
I tend to pick up the church smell from many Chianti Reserva wines. Interesting that it was found here.
Rob, thanks for the comment. It’s always interesting to get other’s take on aroma. Two persons can detect the same thing, yet describe it differently. Bottom line for me, this old wine was drinking well. With a Chianti Classico Res. Do you pick up the church smell in aged Reserva only or is it across the board?
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine7234 Great point. In this instance, the unique smell of each of our places of worship also plays a factor! I only get the church incense smell on Chianti Classico Riserva wines with some age. Though the recent release of Basilica Solatio Chianti Classico Riserva also exudes this characteristic. It's a pretty affordable wine for anyone interested in comparing notes!
Very nice choice in your selection in the description. I advice to try the reserva ones, cheaper and more ready to drink. Give a try to Roda also : their ribera del duero is very good too. What is your opinion on 2017 vintage in Rioja ?
Thanks. Good feedback. As for the ‘17, I haven’t had many yet, but the alcohol levels do seem on the high side, which can lead to unbalanced wines. I suggest doing your research before buying.
I tasted many 2017 reserva, the murrieta is very good but the imperial is less complex than the awesome 2016. I have both in my cellar and I will forget the imperial at least for 5 more years.@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine7234
Great video! As with your bottle, I've found that old Rioja usually doesn't have much sediment, as opposed to many other old reds like Bordeaux blends and Nebbiolo. Maybe bc of the long elevage? Also I love that old church smell, which I've gotten in old Barolo as well. Keep up the great work!
Thanks for the good word, much appreciated. I agree, the elevage plays a role in reducing the sediment level. Old church smell👍
Had a Bodegas Corral 78 this past fall that I picked up from an online club-type retailer. I believe it was not in bottle the whole time-Only recently bottled. Is this possible? The cork seemed like it was 5 years old, not 45, and the wine had very little sediment. There was some age, but surprisingly fresh with very little oxidative/pruning character. It was really good. But a little suspicious?
It’s possible, but it should’ve had an obvious oxidative note. I would expect considerable fade at the rim of the glass and slightly reddish core. The lack of sediment is often found with Rioja that spends a long time in oak.
1964 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva was one of the best bottles of wine I have ever tried in my life. Exceptional year with fact that the bottle was 1 step from the producer.
Absolutely out of this world complexity. (Tasted 2019) it held together like a charm.
Have you tasted plenty ‘64 Rioja?
Yours is a top source for Rioja. I’ve tasted only one ‘64. BTW, the ‘73 CVNE held together well hours after being opened.
The "normal" reserva is one of my favorit bang for the bug's. Not had the grand reserva yet. But its on the bucket list.
@@henriklindhansen6456 it is like a reserva but rounder and significantly more complex.
It is definitely worth giving a shot and for $200-$300 for decently aged wine with phenomenal history and complexity, instead of another current release of average quality Bourgogne 🤷🏼♂️
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine7234 wow, well next time I am in US I’ll make sure to pass by your house with great ‘64 and some charcuterie!
CVNE has never disappointed but Tondonia from early 2000s is just a fav (for no particular reason).
@@henriklindhansen6456 That's a good one as well!
How much was this?
I don’t know, can’t find the original cost. I found the ‘73 with a few retailers in SE Asia for around $200. That seems much too cheap. The current vintage sells for just under $100 in the US.
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine7234 Oh, my apologies, I meant the cost for you. It's okay. I waas guessing at least $300 for that kind of age + that pristine condition. Thanks for sharing! Awesome vid as always.