1994 Vina Real Gran Reserva
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Tasting notes
I was really looking forward to seeing how the 1994 Viña Real Gran Reserva had aged, as those were really hard times for classical Rioja and Gran Reserva categories, as the vintage marked the start of the "new age Rioja" or "modern Rioja," which unfortunately went to excesses until the mid- to early 2000s. Kurt Cobain, Nirvana's singer and songwriter who was born in 1967, committed suicide on April 5. In the U.S., Bill Clinton was president and in Russia, Boris Yeltsin was president. And it might not be relevant to you, but I married my lovely wife Claudia on a very cold but clear morning in February of that year. It was also the year of the Northridge earthquake in Los Angeles. Bruce Springsteen was at the top with “Streets of Philadelphia," while the musketeers Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting hit the spot with the cheesy, “All for Love." As mentioned, this bottle was unfortunately corked and we didn't have a backup. Damn!
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Excellent vintage. Opulent velvety very rich and round. Sweet and slightly animal. Jagged, quite Unknit acidity. Fruit doesn’t follow through; it’s drying out a bit. (JR)
Dark red. Strawberry, smoke, earth, spice cake and chocolate on the nose. Very sweet and dense, with lush but somewhat clenched fruit. Powerfully structured wine, with very strong acids and tannic spine. In an awkward stage today, and still quite youthfully unevolved.
About the producer
CVNE, or Compañía Vinicola del Norte de España (the Northern Spanish Wine Company), is one of Rioja’s leading names. With its various brands – Cune, Viña Real, Contino and Imperial – CVNE produces both large volumes and high quality, with its Imperial Gran Reserva one of the region’s finest wines.