Urbina
Reserva Especial Rioja Tempranillo Blend
La Rioja, Spain
Ah, Urbina Gran Reserva: a special wine for me. One of my first great encounters in the world of wine, tasted as a waiter at 17. It was this, the 1996, along with the ‘94, that blew me away and kickstarted my love for Rioja. According to this app, I haven’t had this wine since 2013, which could well be true. I recall it then (less experienced, sure) as one of the nicest wines I’d ever had. I’ve held onto a bottle since, so thought I’d give it another try. To be honest, I wasn’t too hopeful - my cellar at home is superb in winter, but in summer is too hot, and the wine has spent at least four or five years there. These concerns were, it turns out, misplaced.
What a bottle! I am truly shocked by the youthfulness of this wine; it tastes more like ten years old, not 25, with sour cherry, kirsch, ripe raspberry, cedar, soggy Earth, bitter orange, dark chocolate (but white chocolate too?) and singed tobacco leaf. A whole three hours after decanting, there’s a slight hint of sweet vanilla. Ripe, supple tannins and generous acidity make this a profoundly complex, ageworthy wine that requires yet further time in bottle - or decanter, if opening now - to blossom.
Ah, Urbina Gran Reserva: a special wine for me. One of my first great encounters in the world of wine, tasted as a waiter at 17. It was this, the 1996, along with the ‘94, that blew me away and kickstarted my love for Rioja. According to this app, I haven’t had this wine since 2013, which could well be true. I recall it then (less experienced, sure) as one of the nicest wines I’d ever had. I’ve held onto a bottle since, so thought I’d give it another try. To be honest, I wasn’t too hopeful - my cellar at home is superb in winter, but in summer is too hot, and the wine has spent at least four or five years there. These concerns were, it turns out, misplaced.
What a bottle! I am truly shocked by the youthfulness of this wine; it tastes more like ten years old, not 25, with sour cherry, kirsch, ripe raspberry, cedar, soggy Earth, bitter orange, dark chocolate (but white chocolate too?) and singed tobacco leaf. A whole three hours after decanting, there’s a slight hint of sweet vanilla. Ripe, supple tannins and generous acidity make this a profoundly complex, ageworthy wine that requires yet further time in bottle - or decanter, if opening now - to blossom.
Needed about 30 minutes of air to come around. Very pretty and great value.
Needed about 30 minutes of air to come around. Very pretty and great value.
Apr 14th, 2023
Very good. Smooth, rich, & hard to believe it's more than two decades on. Still alive and a nice pairing for roast lamb.
Very good. Smooth, rich, & hard to believe it's more than two decades on. Still alive and a nice pairing for roast lamb.
May 2nd, 2020
Wow. Way better than I even hoped for.
Wow. Way better than I even hoped for.
Feb 22nd, 2020
Have to admit I’m one of those who scrunches his nose at the mention of crianzas. Well, nose straighten out by this surprisingly mature 20 yr old (crianza??). Drinks more like a moderately bodied, high priced brunello—excellent!
Have to admit I’m one of those who scrunches his nose at the mention of crianzas. Well, nose straighten out by this surprisingly mature 20 yr old (crianza??). Drinks more like a moderately bodied, high priced brunello—excellent!
Feb 21st, 2020
1994 vintage in Asador 44 Cardiff, Wales. All the table enjoyed
1994 vintage in Asador 44 Cardiff, Wales. All the table enjoyed
Feb 13th, 2020
La Rioja tur April 2017
The Best so far
La Rioja tur April 2017
The Best so far
Super with a paella cooked on our outdoor grill
Super with a paella cooked on our outdoor grill
Apr 8th, 2017