CVNE Rioja Gran Reserva 2012 750 ML

It has a textbook serious Haro nose, with dark spices, ripe fruit, something balsamic and a round, full-bodied palate within the straight and serious style of the wine. This has fine, slightly grainy tannins with good grip.
Producer Information
Compañia Vinicola del Norte de España (or CVNE, or Cune) is a historic wine producer in the Rioja region of Spain. It has gained international acclaim for numerous wines within its large portfolio, which encompasses everything from easy-drinking table wines to top cuvées that are capable of long cellaring. One particular highlight was the 2004 Imperial Gran Reserva. This was named the top wine in the 2013 edition of Wine Spectator’s Top 100. The CVNE range also includes Crianza and Reserva red wines, Blanco and Blanco Reserva, a Rosado and a white Rioja Semidulce (semi-sweet). From beyond Rioja there is also a white from the nearby Rueda region and a Ribera del Duero red. Imperial is a separate, independently functioning winery within the CVNE compound. It is supplied by its own 28ha (70 acres) of vineyards in the Rioja Alta zone, and all the wines are fermented and aged in French oak vats.The range comprises traditionally-styled Reserva and Gran Reserva red wines, plus the ‘Real de Asúa’ cuvée made from the best plots of vines. The Imperial label began in 1920 as an export brand for the UK, and is named for its initial bottling in Imperial pints.