Cune Imperial Gran Reserva Rioja 2012
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Winemaker Notes
The wine is deep cherry red in color with gentle evolution of the color at the rim. The nose is intensely aromatic and shows a perfect balance of balsamic notes and sweet spices from the barrel ageing process with forest fruits, berries and licorice that are reminiscent of the Mediterranean. The palate is velvety and dense marked by soft, fine tannins and by a ling and fruity finish, revealing the elegance of a traditional wine. Roundness and balance make this wine perfect for pairing with cheese, red meat, game and oily fish.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Glorious and typical fine oak, raspberry and cherry charm on the nose. Bright in the palate, definitely showing signs of its maturity, with softer tannins and refined leather notes. Long finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The wine that represents the traditional and serious reds from Haro, the 2012 Imperial Gran Reserva is a classical blend of Tempranillo with 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo that matured in barrel for two years. 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. 2012 was a warm year, but the wines are fresher than those from 2011. This has fine, slightly grainy tannins with good grip. A textbook Imperial Gran Reserva. 50,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2015.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The current release, the 2012 Imperial Gran Reserva checks in as a blend of 85% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano. Classic Rioja notes of blackcurrants, tobacco, toasted spices, balsamic, and lead pencil give way to a full-bodied, beautifully textured 2012 with ripe, supple tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. It's beautifully done and just a joy to drink, although I have no doubt that it has another 15 years of longevity. It's not a powerhouse, but I love its elegance and finesse-driven style.
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of baked blueberry and prune on the nose reflect the hot, dry vintage. The solid palate brings dense berry and plum flavors that show a touch of raisin prior to a fruit-laden finish. Drink through 2026
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Wine Spectator
Loamy earth and forest floor notes frame cherry and currant flavors in this round red. Well-integrated tannins and fresh acidity keep this focused. Shows a nice balance of fruity and savory characteristics.
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Cvne, is situated in Rioja in the traditional neighborhood of the station, where the oldest wineries of Rioja Alta established themselves, for the main reason of transporting their goods to the port of Bilbao.
In 1879, two brothers decided to set up a business in the recently flourishing trade of the wine business. C.V.N.E., Compañía Vinicola del Norte de España (The Northern Spanish Wine Company) or la Cuné, as it is commonly known in Haro, was created. This cellar still reflects the origins of the company and is kept in the traditional neighborhood of the Haro station.
The Cune winery in Haro, is made up of a group of buildings, mostly from the 19th century and arranged around a courtyard surrounded by pavilions for the purpose of wine production, aging, and bottling.
Hailed as the star red variety in Spain’s most celebrated wine region, Tempranillo from Rioja, or simply labeled, “Rioja,” produces elegant wines with complex notes of red and black fruit, crushed rock, leather, toast and tobacco, whose best examples are fully capable of decades of improvement in the cellar.
Rioja wines are typically a blend of fruit from its three sub-regions: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental, although specific sub-region (zonas), village (municipios) and vineyard (viñedo singular) wines can now be labeled. Rioja Alta and Alavesa, at the highest elevations, are considered to be the source of the brightest, most elegant fruit, while grapes from the warmer and drier, Rioja Oriental, produce wines with deep color, great body and richness.