Cune Imperial Reserva 2018

Cvne is and always will be a classic bodega in essence, but it is also an avant-garde winery - it always has been and already was back in the 19th Century. Deeply rooted in tradition but with an inclination for innovation, their wines form a solid bridge between the past and the present, moving firmly forward towards the future. In general, the whole wide and varied collection consists of wines that are all-time favourites, captivating widely differing palates and enjoying extensive international acclaim, but the Imperial Reserva is the most emblematic, their most representative wine. The Imperial Reserva exemplifies the range of high expression wines - superior quality wines at reasonable prices. Alongside the Imperial Gran Reserva and the Real de Asúa, the winemaker's little gem, are the three most highly cossetted wines, veritable artisan products, with harvesting by hand, vineyards over thirty years old and grape selection on the sorting table; three wines that show great complexity, intense, accessible and well-balanced, the kind that can always be recommended. The Imperial Reserva is unmistakeably a Rioja, and a very good Rioja at that. The first aromas to be released after pouring it into the glass are like taking a step back into the region's history, when Rioja and Bordeaux were so closely linked. It displays a classic nose, with lots of ripe juicy fruit, plums and red fruit (typical of the Tempranillo, its main variety), smoky touches and notes of damp undergrowth and oiled leather which magically transport us to that French region over the border. There really is something in common between Rioja and Bordeaux, a compelling bond, linking both the characters of their wines and their histories. The wine quickly opens up to delight us with a subtle sweetness, a mineral presence and an elegant balsamic background, some eucalyptus notes which intensify with time in the glass, most attractively, and with a lovely underlay of caramel. On the palate it is very juicy, also pleasantly sweet but always in balance, showing evidence of acidity, fine body and structure – this is a meaty wine. It has a lot of personality, it is a complex entity, integrated, that leaves a sensation of cleanness on the palate and the tongue, without any bitterness or harshness. It is not a concentrated wine but definitely intense, sinewy, very versatile when teamed with food, such as fine red meats, game dishes, stews and cooked mushrooms, tripe, traditional Rioja cuisine... and, although it is a wine that leaves the winery ready to be enjoyed immediately, it has the capacity to age beautifully, so the sort of wine always to have at home, the type that never fails. NOTES: The name Imperial comes from the special bottling for the English market, known as an Imperial Pint. Cune is written with a 'u' when it refers to the wine as a brand name; with a 'v' when referring to the winery's name, the initials of the Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España, familiarly known as Cune.