CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva 2015 launch
C.V.N.E. Short for Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España, but pronounced ‘cune’, this is one of the world’s most famous Spanish wineries. They have a 140 year history and have produced some groundbreaking wines in that time, including Spain’s oldest white wine, Monopole, and the first Spanish wine to be named Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator. That wine was Imperial - and it’s the reason for this blog.
Imperial celebrated its 100 year anniversary last year. First made in the 1920s, it is a bonafide Rioja Classic and it’s one of the great wines of Spain. It was called Imperial after the “imperial pint” measure, a special bottling for the English market at that time.
Last week, I was invited to a fantastic lunch at Hispania to mark the launch of Imperial Gran Reserva 2015. We were welcomed with a glass of Roger Goulart Gran Reserva 2015, a fine Cava, to pair with crunchy cheese canapés. Then, once at the table, we were served a glass of Monopole Clasico Blanco Gran Reserva 2015 with the first course, monkfish and prawn cocktail salad. Ever since its first production a century ago, sherry has been added to raise the alcohol in the wine. You can taste the saltiness, mingled with honey and almond of the Manzanilla, which makes it a really intriguing wine. It’s not the only thing that hasn’t changed in a hundred years: the label hasn’t either.
Cochinillo de Segovia with three vintages of CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva
The main course was a traditional Spanish dish: Cochinillo de Segovia (suckling pig), accompanied by, not one, but three different vintages of Imperial Gran Reserva - the 2015, the 2007 and the 2001.
We start with whose party it is: the 2015. CVNE CEO, Victor Urrutia, tells us that 2015 was a good year. With its alluring dusky fruits, spice and concentration, the wine is ready to drink now but promises great things if it is kept to age, too.
When we taste the ‘07, Victor comments: “You can see the maturity start to land”. Although it was a hot year, the fruit is still fresh and intense, but you also get tertiary notes of leather, earth and mushroom. But the ‘01 really hits the spot. “This wine shows the beauty of Imperial as it ages,” says Victor. It’s rich and haunting and everything we would hope for the 2015 in 14 years’ time.
The treats weren’t over yet. With our cheeseboard, we were poured a glass of Imperial Gran Reserva 1976. “The fruit is gone and we are left with tertiary and complexity,” says Victor. ‘76 experienced a cold, dry winter and you can still taste the freshness in this wine”.
CVNE has much to celebrate, not least their commitment to producing quality, artisanal and traditional wines and their unwavering longevity, but also their widespread appeal. In 90 countries around the world, we can pick up a glass of CVNE and celebrate with them.