Rioja Imperial Gran Reserva, Compañia Vinicola del Norte de España (CVNE) 2017

very structured and gorgeous Rioja with blackberry, cherry, cedar and spice aromas and flavors. Hints of toasted oak underneath. Granite, too. Medium-bodied, yet the structure builds on the palate, giving superb length and power. Give it three to five years to come together, and beyond.”

Even disregarding that this is a vintage with a difficult reputation, this is a beautiful wine. Terracotta dust on the nose. And jasmine. Heady and dusty like a hot still day in summer. Orange blossom and orange peel, kumquat, citrus-pith bitterness and a bit of black olive but lots of dark-red tannic sweetness in the mid palate. Tannins like heavy tapestry: complex, tightly woven, dense but lustrous with beauty. Robust but pulsing with openness and warmth. So already welcoming that I would want to buy two cases, to drink a bottle every year from now until my dotage. Drink 2025-2055.