WTN: Rioja 1938 through 1987

I had a miserable day and was pretty exhausted by time I got to Txikito Tuesday night , but good company and good Rioja pulled me out of a funk. Perfect connections on subway got me there on time, and Ben passed around the 2004 Ruinart “Dom Ruinart” Champagne. I think this could have used a little more chill but it was tasty- lemon, dough, floral. B+/B

First couple courses were croquettes and canapes of boquerones with pepper. Diane passed a Equipo Navasos #31 ( I think someone said Amontillado but not sure) - nutty, burnt toffee, quite saline. Sherry folks loved, I’m just not a sherry guy so not going to rate.

A delicious octopus carpaccio made an appearance

1938 Marques de Riscal Reserva
I think this is the oldest Rioja I’ve had, but not old at all. Sweet delicate fruit with a pleasant burnt sugar edge, elegant but with some stuffing. A-

An arugula salad w/fried silverfish, plus pork ribs

1954 Marques de Murrieta “Ygay” Rioja Reserva
Bright acids, red fruits, meat, quite complete. A-/B+

1955 Bilbainas “Vina Pomal” Rioja Reserva Especial
So at first I didn’t care for this at all. Less acid on the palate than the 54 Murrieta, but a lifted/VA nose with a strange shoe polish note. But that seemed to settle down it glass and it picked up fruit and leather notes. I wrote down B. But a while later I absentmindedly finished this to make room for next flight, and thought (without any real reflection) this had continued to improve.

I’d say the most controversial course (I liked more than some) was squid cut into fine ribbons with a pinenut sauce

My favorite flight followed (once I figured out what the wines were)
1975 CVNE “ Vina Real” Rioja Gran Reserva
Complex, complete, red fruit with meat and herb notes. I really liked this, my surprise WOTN. A-

1973 CVNE” Imperial” Gran Reserva
.Red and black cherry, earth, spice (a hint of dill but not distracting). A-/B+

1975 CVNE “Imperial” Rioja Gran Reserva
Lively, good fruit, dirt, just a little drying on finish. B+

Nice suckling pig with fries
1964 Bodegas Bilbainas Rioja Reserva Especial
A bit poopy. The only wine I explicitly noted brett (though “meat” in others might indicate) but well within my tolerance level. Improves with air (true of almost every wine). B+

1981 R. Lopez de Heredia “Vina Bosconia” Gran Rioja Reserva
I’ve really enjoyed this in past, this seemed a bit closed and flat compared to other wines this night, though again it opened towards end. You can sense some power underneath. B

1987 CVNE “ Vina Real” Rioja Gran Reserva
Young, a bit tight, opens after a while, more fruity than the LdH. B

1973 Marques de Riscal Rioja Reserva
A bit of stink on the nose, red fruits, not as deep as some tonight, but once again improvement in glass. By end B/B+

Tthere was also a cheese course (Roncal or something similar). Fun night, great people. The big takeaway was how much even the oldest wines improved with air.

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice.Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

[David M. Bueker]

Seems like it should have been better.

Great tasting. Thanks for the excellent notes, Dale. Some of the best traditional Riojas seem capable of going on for ever. I wonder how many of the modern 100 pointer Riojas will be drinkable after year 20, if they ever are for my palate . Victor de la Serna claims that the modern and traditional converge in style after some ageing but have we enough track record to be sure of that?

It is moving to remember that your lovely 1938 Riscal was being made at the height of the Spanish civil war. I think that the Rioja area was "safely" in the Franco zone but there must have been considerable problems in obtaining supplies and labour.

Thanks for the notes. I remember being very impressed by the CVNE 1973 and 1975 reserva and gran reserva wines back about 30 years ago. It's good to hear that they're still going strong.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

What a great tasting. The best old Riojas I've ever had were from '75, not surprised that was your favorite flight.

It's also a surprise to see how the 1938 Marques de Riscal Reserva did. The current vintages are very low priced for a Rioja reserva.

-Paul W.

Tim, indeed it is moving to think about what was happening as the wines were made. Did you read "Wine and War"? I think of it every time I get an opportunity to taste an old Huet.
We got off on a real tangent due to that - reflecting on the civil war turned into discussion of "Guernica." Somehow that turned into a discussion of Walter de Maria's "Lightning Field" and land art - now I'm supposed to go to the new Heizer show at Gagosian. I'm confused!
I have my doubts about the new wave Rioja, despite Victor's expertise. I think I'm not alone- while LdH prices soar, I've noticed a bunch of the mid90s modern Rioja that certain critics gushed over (like Sierra Cantabria) are going for very low auction prices.

Paul, not sure how much recent Riscals have to do with older methods. Brad was saying Tuesday that he thought 1970 was the last great Riscal vintage.

Jenise, the 2 vintages I've had the most great experiences with are '64 and '73. But I also tend to prefer Vina Real to Imperial.

just realized I left off the lone white Rioja, a 81 Tondonia GR, that I really enjoyed once it got enough air, but somehow it didn't end up in my notes (or I somehow just left off - physical notes are gone now). Good white Rioja can be a marvel.