With more than a century’s history, CUNE 's Viña Real Gran Reserva is one of Spanish wine’s most enduring icons. Coming solely from vineyards within Rioja Alavesa, Viña Real Gran Reserva exemplifies the sub-region’s sheltered limestone slopes, delivering a rich, powerful and long-lived wine that rightfully deserves its heroic status.  

Today, CUNE’s legacy is carried on by 5th-generation owner Victor Urrutia, who has brought CUNE to new heights while—in John Gilman’s words—doing “an absolutely admirable job of maintaining CUNE’s great traditions.” Under Victor, there has been a surge in quality across the board, and his 2016s are clear evidence of that. 

Victor took advantage of a 2016 growing season that was a throwback to the past. Thanks to a long and steady growing season, thorough ripeness was achieved at alcohol levels that are remarkably low by modern standards. In fact, Rioja's consejo reports average alcohol levels throughout Rioja in 2016 at 13.44%, a number not often seen these days. 

Balanced, perfumed and structured, 2016 is a vintage for those who appreciate the fundamental greatness of classic Rioja from the 1960s and the 1970s. 

Thanks to our longstanding relationship with CUNE, we can offer the great 2016 Viña Real Gran Reserva direct from CUNE's cellar. For the opportunity to own this legend-in-the-making with such perfect provenance, our price of $59.95 a bottle and $345 a 6-pack is nothing less than a gift.

Tradition Meets Innovation
To assure that Viña Real Gran Reserva would maintain its stature as an icon of Rioja, Urrutia built a new bodega dedicated to its production. With gravity-only movement of wine and natural caves for bottle aging, the new winery is designed for one purpose only: to create the purest Viña Real possible. 

The unique character of that fruit—primarily Tempranillo augmented by a small percentage of Graciano—is a seamless marriage of richness, elegance and long life, courtesy of the region’s limestone-ladened terroir.

In vintage after vintage, Viña Real Gran Reserva remains a touchstone for those who appreciate traditionally made Rioja. And the 2016—with its extended aging potential yet short-term drinkability—is certainly a high watermark.

There are few wines made anywhere that can compete with the history, ageability and pedigree of Viña Real Gran Reserva. And certainly not at a price like this.