Score: 90/100
The CVNE or Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España commercializes most of their wines under the Cune label.
These include several white Rioja wines and a rosé.
As for the reds, the Reserva we’re reviewing here sit in between the Joven (simply called Tempranillo) and the higher-end Gran Reserva
Winemaking
This 2011 Cune Reserva wine is a blend of 85% Tempranillo with 15% Garnacha (Grenache), Graciano and Mazuelo. Grapes came from our vineyards in La Rioja Alta sub-region.
Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures. The malolactic fermentation was done in escrow before the wine was aged in American oak barrels for a year. Further aging in cask for 18 months, then 24 months maturation in bottle before the wine wass released on the market.
So how good is this 2011 Cune Reserva?
The answer is in the tasting notes:
The color is dark, red on the rim, black on the center of the glass.
First impression: the wine smells rich, ripe berries aromas, oaky and meaty.
But let’s decompose. The overall feel of the nose is warm and filled with ripe berry notes. Blackerries warmed in the sun, dark cherry aromas are complemented with typical oaky notes of vanilla, clove, and licorice.
There’s more to it though. Some meaty savory smell. In fact, it’s irony which gives the wine the distinctive ‘old world’ feel because it’s not all about fruit and oak, but also about some kind of obscure minerality.
Put the wine in your mouth, and this impression is confirmed on the palate.
It’s modern in style as the wine is driven by a ripe upfront fruit character. It’s also relatively full-bodied and smooth, the oak tannins rounding up the feel for a corpulent silky texture.
But there’s more to it. Some earthiness places the wine back into its European origin. The irony feel is confirmed on the palate and will make wonders for pairing the wine with grilled tasty herby meats.
Enjoy 🙂
Please let me know your thoughts