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Winery: Bodegas Remirez de Ganuza

Country / Region: Spain / DO Rioja

Date Winery was established: 1989

Grape Variety: Tempranillo, Graciano, Viura & Malvasia

Alcohol Content / Volume: 15% / 750ml

First Vintage Released: 1994

Ratings: 92 pts. Tim Atkin (2015)

Good to know: The winery only makes its Gran Reserva in exceptional years. It is a collector´s wine indeed, and probably with one of the longer life in cellar. It is made with a selection of the best grapes from the best plots in that specific great vintage. Manual harvest, grapes from vineyards of an average age of 60 years, transportation in boxes of 12 kg to thermo-regulated cooling chambers, and stored there for 24 hours before fermentation. Selection of grapes on the sorting table and separation of the bunches into shoulders and tips. This wine is elaborated from the grapes of destemmed shoulders.

The 2016 vintage of Remírez de Ganuza Gran Reserva is an exceptional and deeply complex Rioja, representing the pinnacle of the estate's production as it is only crafted during truly extraordinary years. Sourced from vineyards with an average age of 60 years, this meticulous blend of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano is vinified utilizing exclusively the sun-exposed "shoulders" of the grape bunches, ensuring only the ripest and most pristine fruit is used. Following malolactic fermentation in barrel, the 2016 release spent 39 months aging in new French oak, resulting in an incredibly structured yet profoundly elegant wine. In the glass, it reveals a bright cherry red hue and an intense, penetrating bouquet of ripe black fruit layered with sweet spices, smoky balsamic nuances, and seamlessly integrated creamy oak. On the palate, it is powerful, fleshy, and velvety, offering a masterful balance between deep fruit concentration and refined aging, culminating in a long finish accented by notes of dark fruit and cocoa. Because of its formidable depth, classic structure, and immense aging potential, this majestic Gran Reserva demands robust and savory dishes; it pairs exceptionally well with rich game, hearty red meats, and aged cured cheeses.