98 points James Suckling: "Polished and structured with firm, very fine tannins. Lots going on here, with layers of black fruit, dried spices, graphite, coconut and cracked pepper. Full-bodied and so intense. Keeps going. Long. The tannins are so fine and so numerous. One of the greatest modern gran reservas. 85% tempranillo, 10% graciano and 5% mazuelo. Try in 2025. (6/8/22)"
95 points Pedro Ballesteros Torres, MW (Decanter): "CVNE reinvented their Imperial wines several times. This new version is probably one of my favourites, because it puts together lots of ripe fruit intensity, French oak influence and shorter oak ageing periods with classic balance and Rioja's sumptuosity, built with excellent Tempranillo and Graciano fruit. Powerful, marked by oak ageing but not oxidative, juicy, open. Very serious, I am certain that it will continue to develop positively bet for its positive development over many years in bottle. Drinking Window: 2022-2051. (Mar 2023)"
94+ points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): "The 2016 Rioja “Imperial” Gran Reserva from C.V.N.E. is fairly ripe in this vintage, coming in at an even fourteen percent octane. The wine shows beautiful depth and complexity in its aromatic constellation of sweet cassis, black cherries, Rioja spice tones, cigar smoke, a fine base of dark soil and a framing of cedary oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a superb core of fruit, fine soil signature, firm, buried tannins, lovely balance and a long, ripe and classy finish. Even though this wine is already eight years of age, it could still do with at least a few more years in the cellar to soften up its backend tannins a bit more before it will enter its period of primetime drinking. It is an outstanding wine in the making and will be very long-lived. 2028-2075+. (Nov/Dec 2025)"
93 points Wine Spectator: "[$98 list] This dense, concentrated red maintains a sense of grace and style throughout, with sculpted tannins married to a generous, finely knit range of black currant and plum fruit, showing hints of cedar, Earl Grey tea leaf, smoke and spice that echo on the finish. Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo. Drink now through 2036. (2022)"
95 points Pedro Ballesteros Torres, MW (Decanter): "CVNE reinvented their Imperial wines several times. This new version is probably one of my favourites, because it puts together lots of ripe fruit intensity, French oak influence and shorter oak ageing periods with classic balance and Rioja's sumptuosity, built with excellent Tempranillo and Graciano fruit. Powerful, marked by oak ageing but not oxidative, juicy, open. Very serious, I am certain that it will continue to develop positively bet for its positive development over many years in bottle. Drinking Window: 2022-2051. (Mar 2023)"
94+ points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): "The 2016 Rioja “Imperial” Gran Reserva from C.V.N.E. is fairly ripe in this vintage, coming in at an even fourteen percent octane. The wine shows beautiful depth and complexity in its aromatic constellation of sweet cassis, black cherries, Rioja spice tones, cigar smoke, a fine base of dark soil and a framing of cedary oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a superb core of fruit, fine soil signature, firm, buried tannins, lovely balance and a long, ripe and classy finish. Even though this wine is already eight years of age, it could still do with at least a few more years in the cellar to soften up its backend tannins a bit more before it will enter its period of primetime drinking. It is an outstanding wine in the making and will be very long-lived. 2028-2075+. (Nov/Dec 2025)"
93 points Wine Spectator: "[$98 list] This dense, concentrated red maintains a sense of grace and style throughout, with sculpted tannins married to a generous, finely knit range of black currant and plum fruit, showing hints of cedar, Earl Grey tea leaf, smoke and spice that echo on the finish. Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo. Drink now through 2036. (2022)"
| Product SKU | 343318 |
| Producer | Cune |
| Country | Spain |
| Region | Rioja |
| Varietal | Tempranillo/Tinto Fino |
| Designation | Gran Reserva |
| Vintage | 2016 |
| Size | 750ml |
| Color | Red |
| Blend | 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo |
| Ships To |
