CVNE Imperial Rioja Reserva 2018
Deep cherry red in color with reddish hints. On the nose there is a perfect balance between wild berries such as blackberries, raspberries, currants, blueberries and aromas from the barrels, balsamic, licorice, pepper, cocoa and light sweet toffee notes. The palate reveals a wine characterized by its elegance, depth of flavor and fine, velvety tannins. The finish is long and complex.
Perfect for pairing with all types of meat and cured cheese and to be enjoyed on its own.
Critical Acclaim
94 Wine Enthusiast
This deeply hued wine offers a bouquet of dark plum, black currant and aniseed. It is spicy at first sip, with flavors of clove, anisette, blackberry and cassis. Polished tannins make their presence known and then drift off into a cherry and violet finish
94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The red 2018 Imperial Reserva keeps the brand profile of finesse, precision and power, produced with grapes that were picked between October 8th and 26th in a year like in the past—cold, rain and snow followed by a warm summer. It's a blend of Tempranillo and 15% Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha that were put through optical sorting and fermented in oak vats with a 20-day maceration. It matured in barrel for 24 months. It's 14% alcohol and has a pH of 3.57. It's a textbook Reserva from Haro, fine-tuning the grapes they use here trying to control the power of this cuvée, which has to be powerful but keeping the freshness. This is quite young and lively, quite impressive, really very good, getting close to the complexity of a Gran Reserva but with the extra oomph of its youth.
91 Wine Spectator
An elegant version, with hints of pencil shaving and star anise lacing the pretty notes of ripe black cherry and currant fruit, jasmine and mocha. Fine tannins firm the finish. This isn't a powerhouse, but more of a fresh, crowd-pleaser. Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha. Drink now through 2028
