Drink: Cune Gran Reserva Rioja Alta 2009
It isn't often you get to taste one of the great Spanish producers from Rioja at a generous discount, so I jumped at the chance to buy this Cune Gran Reserva 2009 when I saw it on sale at just below $20 in Pennsylvania. Cune, alternately known by its acro
It isn't often you get to taste one of the great Spanish producers from Rioja at a generous discount, so I jumped at the chance to buy this Cune Gran Reserva 2009 when I saw it on sale at just below $20 in Pennsylvania. Cune, alternately known by its acronym CVNE (Compañía Vinícola del Norte del España) is considered one of the standard-bearers of Rioja's classic supple style, and it's a survivor, dating to 1879, with a steel-trussed cellar designed by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (of tower fame). This bottle doesn't exactly taste old-fashioned at first, with a deep core of dark fruit framed by tobacco and woody tannin. But then it opens up and shows real finesse, with aromatic spice and a bright acidity that makes it ideal for a good stew - like the wild boar ragu with gnocchi at A Mano, where it landed like a bull's-eye. The major wine press considered this a good value at the list price of $33. At $19.99, it's a real bargain.
- Craig LaBan
Cune Gran Reserva Rioja Alta 2009, $19.99 (code 78005)