Bodegas Riojanas Viña Albina Gran Reserva 1975 Magnum

Grape: Tempranillo (80%), Mazuelo (15%), Graciano (5%)
Vintage: 1975
Type: Red

This red is a library release: a 1975 Rioja Alta gran reserva held at the bodega and not released until 2021. The blend runs 80% tempranillo, 15% mazuelo, and 5% graciano, fermented in large upright wooden tinas and aged in American oak casks, the traditional Rioja method Bodegas Riojanas has never moved away from. At 12% alcohol it comes from an era when Rioja was picked for freshness and built to last decades rather than the first 5 years. The 46 years before release were the bodega's decision, not the market's.

It displays a pale brick color with a wide orange rim, opening with aromas of dried fig, tobacco leaf, cedar, and old leather. On the palate, the light-bodied frame has shed nearly all its primary fruit, leaving dried cherry, walnut skin, and a sweet-savory note in its place. Tannins have resolved completely into a fine, silky texture, and the magnum has kept the whole thing moving slower than a 750 would have. Acidity is still firm and holds the wine together. It finishes long and gentle, more savory than fruited, fading slowly rather than dropping off.