2009 Imperial Gran Reserva
Buying options
Tasting notes
This is a very serious Imperial now at a lovely stage of maturity – with savoury undergrowth and spicy notes sitting alongside the vibrant dark berry fruit. The palate is intense yet with a softness to it, despite the chewy framework of tannins. It’s juicy and expressive, with smoky, spicy, tobacco notes playing on the finish, and just the slightest hint of leather starting to appear. Fermented in oak, 13.8% alcohol and bottled January 2013.
Still very much on the youthful side but starting to show more of the maturity and sweetness of those extra six years over the 2015. Still impressive depth to the colour and plenty of youthful black cherry, there is just the hint of wood smoke and tobacco here on the finish. Tannins are integrating very nicely now with the natural Tempranillo sweetness starting to come through on the palate. Still needs time.
Critic scores
Average Score
Josh Raynolds, Vinous
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
2009 was another hot year and had a reputation for being alcoholic and powerful. Victor Urrutia says that it is still quite tannic by IGR standards and we should really taste it again in 20 years. Pursed. Tense, intense and then fragrant. It pushes against you and then suddenly relents, filling every corner with dark-red fruit and kohl-pencil contours. Dark flowers – peonies, I think. But then the wine flits away from me, taking it's flowers and fenny splash, leaving a trail of pebbles. Then it comes back, with kisses and urgency. Then it drifts into shadow. This is a beauty, but it resists. Indigo finish. I loved this much more than most people's favourite, the 2004. Despite, or perhaps because of, the heat of the year, it tastes to me as if it is a wine that has sought shadows, under-mountain caverns, deep-forest glades for its stories. (TC)
Deep, bright ruby. Highly complex, expansive scents of ripe dark berries, cherry pie, mocha, pipe tobacco and vanilla, with a smoky overtone. Sweet, deep blackberry and floral pastille flavors are complicated by notes of spicecake and bitter chocolate, showing unlikely vivacity on the back half. This ripe and rich but elegant Rioja combines finishes supple, smoky and very long, with velvety tannins making a late appearance to add grip.
This is very ripe with dried fruits and dried flowers. Exuberant aromas. Full body, round and silky, chewy tannins. Bright and exciting. Wonderful fruit. Shows tension and beauty. Needs time to soften and little. So gorgeous. Decant two hours in advance.
About the producer
CVNE, or Compañía Vinicola del Norte de España (the Northern Spanish Wine Company), is one of Rioja’s leading names. With its various brands – Cune, Viña Real, Contino and Imperial – CVNE produces both large volumes and high quality, with its Imperial Gran Reserva one of the region’s finest wines.