Rioja Focus: CVNE’s Imperial Vision

The first vintage of CVNE’s flagship wine, Imperial, was made in 1917 by the company’s founders, the Real de Asua brothers, as a superior expression of their vineyards in Haro. The name comes from a special bottling they made for the English market – a 568-milliliter “Imperial Pint”  In many ways, the evolution of Imperial reflects the transformation of Rioja over the past century.

The grapes for the Imperial have always been grown in Rioja Alta, but the composition of the wine and the aging process have evolved over time. “The idea of my great-grandfathers was to make the purest expression of Rioja Alta, which, in those days, was the limit of the appellation,” said CVNE’s current owner and CEO, Víctor Urrutia.

Early on, that pursuit of quality meant long aging in 400-liter American oak barrels, sometimes for as long as a decade. The formal Rioja classification came later. Since 1980, Gran Reserva wines must spend at least five years aging, including a minimum of two years in oak. But the philosophy behind Imperial predates regulation.

Long aging had already become a symbol of quality among the region’s leading producers. “The longer the better” was a guiding principle in the mid-20th century,  Urrutia explained.

Today, the approach is more measured. Imperial spends around two years in oak, roughly 70 percent French and 30 percent American, with about 10 percent new, followed by three years in bottle. The blend has also shifted over time. Where it once included white varieties and larger proportions of garnacha, tempranillo now dominates, making up about 85 percent, with graciano and mazuelo (carignan) adding freshness.

The vineyards have expanded beyond Haro. Today, fruit comes from three key areas: Villalba, Torremontalbo and Briones. Villalba, just north of Haro at the edge of the appellation, is cooler, with sandy, limestone-rich soils that tend to produce more vibrant, tightly structured wines. Torremontalbo, across the Ebro, brings depth and structure from its clay and alluvial soils. Briones sits between the two, balancing both profiles. All vineyards are estate-owned, head-pruned and at least 40 years old.

A recent retrospective tasting of Imperial Gran Reserva, spanning 2009 to 2019 (with 2013 not produced), offered a clear view of how the wine has responded to particular vintage conditions.

The 2009, shaped by a warm, dry growing season, is more concentrated, yet still retains the balance that defines the wine. The 2010, on the other hand, is from a cooler and longer cycle, and it shows a more ethereal sense of fruit, with more precise tannins and a greater sense of definition.

The 2011 also qualifies as excellent. The vintage was characterized by a mild summer but higher temperatures at the end of August and into September, which, coupled with lower yields, resulted in wines with more concentration and a firmer structure than both 2009 and 2010.

The 2012 follows a similar line to 2010 but with more build, technical director María Larrea explained. The wine shows firmer tannins, complemented by more abundant, voluminous fruit. Even at 12 years of age, it still requires more time in bottle.

The 2013 vintage was not bottled as Imperial, and 2014 was a complicated year, with uneven flowering and a very rainy late May and June, which led to mildew and oidium outbreaks, according to Larrea. Although no characteristic overtly stands out, it is composed and cohesive, with a fine balance between chalky tannins, brightness and a clean, delineated thread of dark fruit. It’s a charming wine in its own discreet way.

The 2015, by contrast, is a more generous, Mediterranean vintage, with firmer, more ample tannins that still need some time, if not for the broad, dark fruit expression that supports them.

The 2016 stands out as one of our favorites. After a rainy spring and very dry summer, it shows clarity and structure, with refined fruit and a bright, precise profile. It can be approached now but will evolve well. The 2017, marked by frost and very low yields, is more concentrated – darker in tone, with firmer, more imposing tannins. This will need more time in bottle.

The 2018 was another favorite, with pure aromatics reminiscent of violets and fresh blackberries. It’s a very absorbing wine with a focused profile, showing nerve but also an approachable, friendly, almost ethereal fruit. The climate that year was gentle, with a rainy spring and a mild summer and September. Finally, the 2019 returns to a more structured style, broader and more assertive, with a sense of contained richness that reflects the vintage.

The Imperial Gran Reserva, in the context of this series of Rioja verticals, offers a very precise interpretation of vintage, showing vintage character with clarity. Vintages such as 2016 and 2018 show two sides of the wine, and how well it performs in both warmer and cooler years. These were the two favorites – on one hand, a more expressive yet balanced wine, and on the other, a more subdued, ethereal and fresher style. Both share an extremely important quality: they can be enjoyed now yet will age as a classic Rioja invariably does.

– Jacobo García Andrade, Senior Editor

The list of wines below is comprised of bottles tasted and rated by the JamesSuckling.com tasting team. You can sort the wines by vintage and score. You can also search for specific wines in the search bar.