{"product_id":"cvne-cune-imperial-gran-reserva-doc-2009-rioja-spain","title":"CVNE Cune Imperial Gran Reserva DOC 2009 (Rioja, Spain) - [JS 95] [VM 94] [JG 93] [WA 93] [WS 93]","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003eAbout the Wine\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eOur finest Rioja Alta vineyards are destined for the production of Imperial Gran Reserva, the plots from which the grapes are harvested are located between 550 and 650 m of altitude with a climate of Atlantic and continental influence. The vines are bush trained, dry farmed and the plots are small. The soils are clay with areas of river pebbles, are low in organic matter and are situated on gentle south facing slopes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eImperial Gran Reserva is an iconic Rioja and Spanish wine. It is only made when harvests are exceptional. This wine is designed to last and improve over time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe harvest is made manually of selected vineyards, with a double selection of grapes both in the vineyard as in the winery. Cold refrigeration of whole bunches in order to improve fruit extraction and color stability. The crushed grapes were transported by gravity to small oak vats for maceration with cold temperature for a few hours. Followed by fermentation with indigenous yeasts at controlled temperature between 28 and 29ºC. Punching and delestage are carried out daily during fermentation, as well as tastings to determine the perfect moment for draining the vat. After completing the malolactic fermentation in concrete vats, the wine is aged for two years in French and American oak barrels, new and from one wine, with rackings every 8 months, followed by aging in bottle in our century-old cellars until the wine is released to the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWinemaking \u0026amp; Maturation\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvesting:\u003c\/strong\u003e 100% manual harvest in 20kg boxes with strict sorting done in the field.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrape Selection:\u003c\/strong\u003e Double selection process (first in the vineyard, followed by a second manual table selection at the winery).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFermentation: \u003c\/strong\u003eCold maceration of whole bunches, followed by gravity-fed transport to small French oak vats. Fermented with indigenous yeasts at controlled temperatures (28–29°C) with daily punch-downs.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMalolactic Fermentation: \u003c\/strong\u003eCompleted partly in concrete vats and partly in oak barrels.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBarrel Aging: \u003c\/strong\u003e24 months in a combination of new and second-passage French and American oak barrels, with manual rackings every 8 months.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBottle Aging: \u003c\/strong\u003eA minimum of 36 to 48 months in century-old underground cellars prior to market release.\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cb\u003eTasting Notes\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eThe 2009 Imperial Gran Reserva opens with a bouquet of dried cherry, plum and subtle fig, framed by cedar, tobacco and hints of vanilla from its long oak ageing. On the palate, it is medium-bodied yet complex, with fine-grained tannins that provide structure without weight. Flavours of red and black fruit mingle with earthy undertones, a touch of leather, and delicate spice. The finish is long and refined, revealing the wine’s remarkable balance and the elegance only 14+ years in bottle can bring.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cb\u003eTasting Profile\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor\u003c\/strong\u003e: Intense ruby red with subtle brick-orange hues showing signs of elegant evolution.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNose\u003c\/strong\u003e: Highly aromatic and layered. Offers a bouquet of dark cherries, blackberry, and cassis, seamlessly integrated with cedar, pipe tobacco, leather, forest floor, and roasted coffee.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePalate\u003c\/strong\u003e: Medium to full-bodied with exceptional structure, energy, and poise. A refreshing, well-balanced acid backbone carries deep flavors of plum, bitter chocolate, and warm baking spices.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTannins\u003c\/strong\u003e: Fine-grained, powdery, and velvety, offering a silken texture.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFinish\u003c\/strong\u003e: Exceedingly long, savory, and refined with a lingering balsamic nuance.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDrinking Window\u003c\/strong\u003e: Peak drinking is active now through 2035.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTechnical Specifications\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVarietals\u003c\/strong\u003e: 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo (Carignan)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAlcohol by Volume (ABV)\u003c\/strong\u003e: 13.5% – 14.0%\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eResidual Sugar:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0 g\/L (Bone Dry)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"vertical-align: inherit;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"vertical-align: inherit;\"\u003eRatings \u0026amp; Reviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e95 Points - James Suckling\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis shows plenty of fruit, with tobacco leaf, dark fruit and subtle spices with a vermouth-like nuance. Very elegant, medium- to full-bodied, leaning more toward medium, with precise fruit and powdery fine tannins. Beginning to show some evolution, elegant yet with a firm structure. Drink or hold.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e94 Points - Vinous\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Deep, bright ruby. Highly complex, expansive scents of ripe dark berries, cherry pie, mocha, pipe tobacco and vanilla, with a smoky overtone. Sweet, deep blackberry and floral pastille flavors are complicated by notes of spicecake and bitter chocolate, showing unlikely vivacity on the back half. This ripe and rich but elegant Rioja combines finishes supple, smoky and very long, with velvety tannins making a late appearance to add grip.\" (JR, 11\/2015)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e93 Points - John Gilman\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The 2009 Imperial Gran Reserva from Cuné is a young and very promising wine, which shows its warm vintage character on both the nose and palate and reminds me very, very strongly of the fine 1982 version when it too was young. The bouquet offers up a beautiful and youthful blend of black cherries, cigar smoke, lovely Rioja spices, a fine base of salty soil tones and incipient notes of the Rioja nuttiness to come with extended bottle age. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and quite plush on the attack, with a rock solid core of fruit, moderate tannins and very good length and grip on the very well-balanced finish. This needs at least a few years of time in the cellar to truly blossom and start to drink with more complexity, but its true apogee is probably twenty years down the road. Fine juice.\" (01\/2017)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e93 Points - Wine Advocate\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The 2009 Imperial Gran Reserva, the textbook blend of Tempranillo with 15% Graciano and Mazuelo, is fermented in oak vats with malo in barrels (part did it in cement) where it matured for two years and the bottles rested in their caves for no less than three years before being released. In this ripe and approachable vintage the wine is soft and round, showing the classical aromas inherited for the American oak along with very balsamic notes of incense, cigar ash, old furniture and good, ripe black fruit in the background. The palate shows more abundant tannins, slightly grainy in nature and an ending that is quite dry. I would wait on this one, but it should develop nicely in bottle.\" (LG, 04\/2015)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e93 Points - Wine Spectator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Plum and currant flavors mingle with notes of espresso, tobacco, dried herb and spice in this solid red. Firm tannins and orange peel acidity give this structure and balance. Lovely fruit and floral accents linger. Drink now through 2024.\" (TM, 08\/2015)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e92 Points - Wine Enthusiast\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Blackberry, cassis, coffee and charred aromas make for a smoky, healthy, attractive bouquet. This is dense, deep, tannic and a bit rubbery and bouncy in feel. Tea, herb, chocolate and baked blackberry flavors end with cocoa and herbal, earthy notes.\" (MS, 08\/2015)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Serendipity Wines","offers":[{"title":"750 mL","offer_id":53672671052141,"sku":null,"price":129.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0481\/8940\/7391\/files\/qw4kos9pjxbz4oiddypm.jpg?v=1786137858","url":"https:\/\/artisan.wine\/products\/cvne-cune-imperial-gran-reserva-doc-2009-rioja-spain","provider":"Artisan W\u0026S","version":"1.0","type":"link"}