Imperial Gran Reserva
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 15 to 35 years from the vintage release, though exceptional vintages can easily cellar for half a century.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Classic roast lamb, slow-cooked game meats such as venison, and aged Manchego cheese.
✨ wine.spec_sheet
First created in the 1920s and named after a special bottling for the English market in 'Imperial pint' measures, CVNE's Imperial Gran Reserva is a legendary benchmark of traditional Rioja. Sourced from estate-owned vineyards in Rioja Alta, particularly around Villalba and Haro, the wine is a classic blend dominated by Tempranillo, complemented by Graciano and Mazuelo. The grapes are harvested by hand and fermented in French oak vats before undergoing an extensive aging regimen of at least two years in French and American oak casks, followed by several years of refinement in the bottle. This painstaking process yields a wine of immense complexity, characterized by notes of dried forest fruits, leather, sweet spices, and tobacco, supported by a seamless, velvety structure.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Founded in 1879 by the Real de Asúa brothers in the historic Barrio de la Estación of Haro, Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (CVNE) is a cornerstone of Rioja winemaking. Still family-controlled today, the estate is celebrated for its harmonious blend of traditional craftsmanship and architectural innovation, featuring a legendary cellar designed by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel's studio. CVNE's philosophy centers on meticulous vineyard management across Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, producing elegant, structurally complex wines aged in fine oak casks. The winery is globally renowned for its iconic labels, including the historic Imperial Gran Reserva, the fruit-forward Viña Real, and the single-estate expression Contino, which collectively define the pinnacle of classic Spanish Tempranillo.