1978 López de Heredia - Viña Bosconia Gran Reserva (96 pts)

1978 López de Heredia - Viña Bosconia Gran Reserva (96 pts) @lopezdeherediaoficial · 🙋‍♂️ Do you know why some Producers use different shape bottles for their Rioja wines❓· ℹ️ This wine is from Rioja, Spain. It is 80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, and the remaining 5% Mazuelo (aka Carignan) and Graciano. This is a single vineyard wine from the El Bosque vineyard. El Bosque consists of 15 ha, 11 of which are Tempranillo, 2 ha of red Garnacha, 1 ha of Mazuelo and 1 ha of Graciano. Viña Bosconia was inspired by the wines of Burgundy and is put into a Burgundy bottle as it is more elegant and plush. The Gran Reserva is only made in top vintages ranging from 5k-15k bottles when produced. They age in barrel for a minimum of 8 years to a maximum of 10. After being fined with egg white directly in the barrel, they are both bottled and corked by hand, and finally waxed so that the cork is protected when they lie in our underground cellars for another 10 years before being released to the market· 👁 Medium- garnet color with a pale mahogany rim· 👃 Medium intensity on the nose. Aromas of dried cherry, dried cranberry, dried red currant, sweet tobacco, menthol, tarragon, celery, cedar, cigar box, leather, and dried leaves· 👄 The wine is dry, medium acidity, Medium- resolved tannins, medium alcohol, and medium+ body. Surprisingly weighty on the palate. A medium+ length finish of dried red fruit and dried herbs· 🔔 This bottle showed as good if not better than the other bottle that I picked up at auction. Absolutely stunning, great concentration, a wide array of aromas, good texture on the palate, and fresh acidity. I would say they don't make wines like this anymore, but I can't because López de Heredia still makes them this way. Old Rioja that has been stored properly always delivers so well. Amazing job!