2004 Real de Asua
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Tasting notes
This region is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean's climate, and the vineyards grow on soils that are rich in iron, limestone, clay, and other nutrients deposited in the region by the tributaries of the Ebro River. The grapes for this wine were sourced from vineyards located in Villalba and Haro. During harvest a first selection of grapes was made in the vineyard, and a second at the winery. Following the selection process a five week controlled temperature fermentation took place in oak vats, with carefully monitored pumping over and submersion of the cap. The wine was then transferred to French oak barrels, where malolactic fermentation took place. The wine was left to age in barrel for 18 months before bottling. Dark blackish crimson. Tight and bound up but with blackberry fruit and definite sweetness. Should be exciting eventually. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Jay S Miller, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
(100% tempranillo): Bright, saturated ruby. Exotic, highly aromatic bouquet of black fruits, cherry compote, incense and licorice. Sappy and expansive, offering deeply pitched, spicy black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors, silky texture and ripe, harmonious tannins. A floral quality builds on the long, very sweet finish, which strongly repeats the cherry and spice flavors. This shows impressive freshness and energy for a vintage that produced many ripe and massive but rather inelegant wines.
The 2004 Real De Asua Gran Reserva is 100% Tempranillo exhibiting a deep purple color along with superb aromatics including violets, spice box, cinnamon, cassis, and black cherry. It conceals enough structure to evolve for another 6-8 years and will proffer a drinking window extending from 2016 to 2029. Compania Vinicola del Norte de Espana (C.V.N.E.) is known colloquially to most Spanish wine drinkers as Cune. The company was founded in 1879 by the Real de Asua brothers and still remains in control of their direct descendants. In the 1920s ownership started Vina Real and in 2004 a new winery was built in Laguardia. In 1973 Contino was created to further the concept of the single estate winery and has since been one of the principal leaders in the resurrection of the nearly extinct Graciano grape. The Contino wines are made exclusively from the estate’s 253 acres located in Laserna near the town of Laguardia. The Reserva bottling is the mainstay of the Contino lineup produced from vines ranging in age from 25 to 60 years. The Contino Vina Del Olivo is the product of a dry farmed single vineyard of the same name planted in 1980. The blend is 90% Tempranillo with the balance Graciano and Carinena aged in new oak for 18 months. The Imperial label is affixed at C.V.N.E. only in the top vintages. Importer: Christopher Cannan, Europvin, www.europvin.com
100% Tempranillo Very dark crimson. Thick and sweet with real life going on here. It's expensive but it is undoubtedly a very fine wine with great energy in there. Very fine and tingly and exciting. (JR)
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.