WTN: 30 year old Rioja

Light ruby red with brownish bricking at the edge. Nose of old leather, pencil lead and old cedar. Midpalate of old leather and smoky notes, fresh acidity and light tannins. Finish is medium length and has nice acidity and old tobacco notes. Definitely an old world taste profile. I think it needs food to be its best.

This wine is still quite nice for its age, with most of the fruit gone but nice secondary notes showing nicely. Probably somewhat past peak since the tannins are starting to fade.

With food, especially tomatos, this wine improves quite a bit with some brighter fruit notes showing up.

Wine: Beronia Gran Reserva Rioja 1980.

With food, especially tomatos, this wine improves quite a bit with some brighter fruit notes showing up.

Wine: Beronia Gran Reserva Rioja 1980.

I'm surprised about the tomato match. Ever since I found a clash between crushed tomatoes in a lamb dish and a 20 year old Imperial Gran Reserva, I have avoided tomatoes with Rioja. Maybe the concentration of acidity in the crushed tomatoes did the harm but, IMHO, higher acidity wines, particularly Italian and above all Chianti, are a safer choice.

With food, especially tomatos, this wine improves quite a bit with some brighter fruit notes showing up.

Wine: Beronia Gran Reserva Rioja 1980.

I'm surprised about the tomato match. Ever since I found a clash between crushed tomatoes in a lamb dish and a 20 year old Imperial Gran Reserva, I have avoided tomatoes with Rioja. Maybe the concentration of acidity in the crushed tomatoes did the harm but, IMHO, higher acidity wines, particularly Italian and above all Chianti, are a safer choice.

Hi Ron,

This was a cooked tomato appetizer that seemed to have just enough acidity (not a lot) to match up with the wine's acidity (which was still quite strong) to let some of the fruit tastes be revealed. I am not talking about a lot of fruit here, just some fruit tastes as opposed to virtually none without the food.

Thanks for notes. I passed on some wellpriced bottles (and mags) of this (and the '81)till it was too late. Damn!
Tim, you think of traditional Rioja as low acid?

Tim, you think of traditional Rioja as low acid?

Certainly lower than most of the Chianti which I drink.

OK, I'd agree with less than Chianti. But I was just clarifying, as most of the Rioja I drink (Lopez de Heredia, La Rioja Alta, etc) tends to have higher than average (for red wine) acidity.