Rioja 1964 question

Hi,

Been offered 3 bottles of Bodegas Bilbainas Rioja Clarete Fino Cosecha 1964 for sensible money.

Simple questions, are these still drinking ok ??
Levels good / storage has been good for last 10 years plus.

Leave or buy ??

I'd be worried about it being way over the hill. If I recall my Rioja nomenclature correctly, "clarete" is vinified to be drunk young. If it were a "reserva" or "gran reserva" there would be better prospects.

-Paul W.

Paul,

Hi, sorry they are Gran Reserva.

Richard, Hi...

Good thing you made the distinction. Rioja wines categorized as clarete are best categorized as rosé or blush wines, meant to be consumed with two perhaps three years from vintage at most.

Although I have not tasted the gran reserva in question the very best of those Rioja wines were all well on the way out by 1999. A few made it to 2002 but not beyond. In general it is safe to say that Bodegas Bilbainas is a reliable but not exciting winery and the chance that their 1964 gran reserva has made it through until now, even if held under ideal cellaring conditions since its release, are close to nil.

Best
Rogov

Hi,

Confused are you saying this producers wines from the 1960`s will not of held up ??

I thought 64 was the best vintage for decades ??
Found this note searching, 1964 is arguably the greatest vintage of the 20th century in Rioja.

Richard, Hi....

Indeed, I am saying that even though 1964 was a great year, 47 years is a long time for a wine to cellar, even from a great year. From my own tasting experience the Rioja Gran Reserva wines of 1964 are now well past their peak. More than that, even the best of the Bodegas Bilbainas only rarely hold for twenty years.

Best
Rogov

Don't know Bilbainas, but both LdH red GRs (Tondonia and Bosconia) as well as the Monte Real from Riojanas can be stellar still from 1964, at least for my tastes. Heard the Tondonia white is great, too.

Dale, Hi...

As happens from time to time, we disagree one with the other. As Sly Stone and later Ms. Joplin put it so nicely - "different strokes for different folks".

Best
Rogov

As Sly Stone and later Ms. Joplin put it so nicely - "different strokes for different folks".

I apologize for the NWR post here, but just a quick question for Daniel.
Ms. (J?) Joplin covered "Everyday People"?

I do not think she did the song but she frequently used the expression.

Best
Rogov

Don't know Bilbainas, but both LdH red GRs (Tondonia and Bosconia) as well as the Monte Real from Riojanas can be stellar still from 1964, at least for my tastes. Heard the Tondonia white is great, too.

+1
You can add Cune Imperial and Vina Real GR, Rioja Alta GR 904 and 890 (drank for Easter). BTW, I paid less than 10€ for the Vina Real in the mid 90s...

As Sly Stone and later Ms. Joplin put it so nicely - "different strokes for different folks".

I apologize for the NWR post here, but just a quick question for Daniel.
Ms. (J?) Joplin covered "Everyday People"?

I was going to ask the same thing. That phrase is just so associated with Sly Stone and that great song.

Now I have to get some alcohol into my blood stream to get rid of the image of DR dancing to the music.

[quote="ChaimShraga]
Now I have to get some alcohol into my blood stream to get rid of the image of DR dancing to the music.

[/quote]


No fear, Chaim.....I don't dance to it....just enjoy the listening.

I thought of this when I saw notes on another board of an old Rioja tasting, I'd never heard of Bilbainas before this thread. Brad Kane posted this on a surprisingly lively '55 Bilbainas (not a GR)

1955 Bodegas Bilbainas Rioja Vendimia Especial - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
I bought this because I really loved the label. It's one of my favorite wine labels of all time. Just so classic looking. I honestly wasn't expecting much from the wine, but it showed very nicely. It's a beautiful youthful red color with intense aromas of freshly brewed coffee. With air some red fruit, meat and leather came up. On the palate, initially it was rather sharp. Just strongly acidic with not much fruit to support it. But, as is the case with many older Rioja, it pulls a phoenix act as airing saw this wine come together nicely with the structure harmonizing and become nicely elegant. Plummy red fruit came to the forefront and sweetened up. The wine than seemed to go into a shell again before opening up yet again. Lovely. B+/A-.

Monte Real 64 Reserva was still going strong - very strong - a few years ago. And I speak as someone who readily pronounces a wine OTH while others are ecstatic over it. IIRC this wine was kept at the bodega and rebottled.

But it seems strange that this wine is both "clarete" and "gran reserva" doesn't it? From what people have said this seems like a contradiction.

I've no idea what you consider to be sensible money Richard, but I could be tempted if the price was right.

Don't know Bilbainas, but both LdH red GRs (Tondonia and Bosconia) as well as the Monte Real from Riojanas can be stellar still from 1964, at least for my tastes. Heard the Tondonia white is great, too.

+1
You can add Cune Imperial and Vina Real GR, Rioja Alta GR 904 and 890 (drank for Easter). BTW, I paid less than 10€ for the Vina Real in the mid 90s...

What Eric said. Though I haven't had the Rioja Alta wines, I've had all the others within a few years, and they were quite good.

That said, I can't vouch for Bilbainas of any significant age.

CVNE 1964 Rioja Gran Reserva was spectacular in the late 1980s, which was the last time I had the pleasure to taste any.

-Paul W.