Tasting Notes

95
Robert Parker Wine Advocate Luis Gutierrez - 14 Jul 22
The classical 2016 Imperial Gran Reserva was produced with a blend of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo from grapes that were picked between October 10 and 25 with good ripeness, delivering a wine with 14.5% alcohol after fermenting in small oak vats followed by malolactic in concrete and two years in barrel and three in bottle. I was quite surprised, because the wine was quite closed and needed energetic swirling and time in the glass to reveal its true colors. It has more stuffing and finesse than the reserva. 2016 was a very good vintage, with freshness and balance to develop nicely in bottle. The tannins are very fine, and the wine is tasty and long. 50,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2019.
Drinking Date: 2022 - 2035
Spain Vineyard Fine Wine

Spain

Spain, a leading wine producer, offers diverse wines from its varied regions. In Rioja, Tempranillo produces elegant, age-worthy reds, with top producers like Bodegas Marqués de Riscal and Bodegas Muga. Ribera del Duero also excels with Tempranillo, featuring esteemed estates like Vega Sicilia and Dominio de Pingus. Priorat is known for bold red blends from Garnacha and Cariñena, with top wineries like Alvaro Palacios. In Galicia, Albariño shines in Rías Baixas, while Penedès is famed for Cava from houses like Freixenet.