CVNE Cune Rioja Gran Reserva 2018

Tasting notes & pairs with

Dark, dried fruit (plum, blackberry) with clove, vanilla and a trace of coconut and cocoa from the oak, closing on a faintly balsamic note. Silky tannins, balanced by fresh acidity, with real length on the finish.

Pairs with: roast lamb, grilled red meat, game, or a well-aged Manchego.

The estate

CVNE, Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España, was founded in 1879 in Haro’s Barrio de la Estación, Rioja Alta’s historic wine quarter, and has stayed in the same family’s hands ever since.

Cune is the company’s founding, original brand, distinct from Imperial, the more limited single-selection Gran Reserva. That sits above it in the CVNE range; this bottle carries the Cune name. Though it’s still made to full Gran Reserva standard. Learn more about CVNE.

How it tastes

• Nose: ripe dark fruit, plum and blackberry, layered with vanilla, clove and a trace of coconut and cocoa from the oak.
• Palate: silky tannins carried by fresh acidity, weight without heaviness.
• Finish: long, closing on a faintly balsamic, savoury note.

How to use it

Decant it 30 to 60 minutes before serving to let the aromas open up, and pour at cool room temperature, around 16 to 18°C, rather than straight from a cold cellar. It’s built for the table more than for sipping alone: roast lamb, a grilled steak, or a well-aged Manchego are its natural partners.

Why this one

It’s already had three years resolving in bottle, a year longer than DOCa Rioja requires for the Gran Reserva designation. So it’s genuinely ready to drink now rather than needing more time to soften.

At the same time, the structure from its Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo blend means it will hold. It is likely to keep developing, for further years if you’d rather wait for an occasion. At 14% ABV and this level of concentration, it’s the kind of bottle worth building a dinner around rather than opening as an afterthought.

Keeping it well

Store bottles lying flat, away from light and vibration, at a steady temperature around 12 to 14°C rather than one that swings with the seasons. It’s ready to drink now, but there’s no need to rush. Expect it to hold, and likely improve further, for another five to ten years if you’d rather cellar it. Once opened, recork and keep upright, and finish within two to three days.

FAQ

What does “Gran Reserva” mean on a Rioja label? It’s a legally regulated aging category under DOCa Rioja, reserved for wines from good vintages, requiring at least 5 years’ total aging with a minimum of 2 years in oak barrel and 2 years in bottle before release. This wine exceeds the bottle-aging minimum, with 3 years in bottle rather than 2.

What grapes are in this wine? 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo, all from Rioja Alta vineyards.

Is this the same as CVNE’s Imperial Gran Reserva? No. Imperial is CVNE’s more limited, single-selection Gran Reserva and sits above this wine in the range. This bottle carries the Cune name, the company’s founding, wider-produced brand, though it’s still aged to full Gran Reserva standard.

How should I serve and store it? Decant 30 to 60 minutes before serving, at 16 to 18°C. Store bottles flat, away from light, at a steady 12 to 14°C; see “Keeping it well” above for more detail.

Is it ready to drink now, or should I hold it? Ready now, it’s already had three years in bottle, but it has the structure to hold and likely improve for another five to ten years if you’d rather cellar it.