1964 was historical banner year in Rioja - perhaps the vintage of the

1964 was historical banner year in Rioja - perhaps the vintage of the century. This wine was aged for 6 to 8 years in oak and the remaining decades the in bottle at the bodega, and was released from its library a few months ago. This is the prototypical old Rioja. It possessed a bit a red berries along with delicate elements of cedar, muskiness and earth. The spine of this wine was still firmly intact, with good acid and a bit of tannins. Like all classic Riojas, it seemed at first to tip the balance of acidity until we began to drink it with food - then it transformed into something creamy and elegant. In this case, it paired very nicely with both a duck and seared faux gras risotto and a venison dish. A very good history lesson.