Cune Rioja Crianza
Wine: Cune Rioja Crianza
Grape: Tempranillo
Region: Rioja, Central Spain
Vintage: 2006
Price: $9.99
In the glass: Cune Crianza is a deep garnet-red color with a semi-opaque core going out into a fine, slightly tinged rim definition with high viscosity.
On the nose: There is attractive bright red cherry fruit, jarred morrello cherries, stewed red currants, phenolic compounds, herbs de Provence, dusty minerals, cranberry liqueur and hints of American oak, materializing in sweet vanilla bean stalk, with just a touch of pepper and underlying spice box.
On the palate: There is good, classic ripe-red fruit with typical Rioja character, meaning wild cherry, cranberry, red currant, with hints of herbs, minerals and slightly dryish tannins through the midpalate. The finish is quite lively with yet more red fruits, and the wine altogether seems very clean on the palate, giving off a fruit-driven characteristic that is pleasing when paired with food.
Odds and ends: Cune is one of the most legendary wineries in all of Spain, known for its marvelous CVNE. Cune itself is classically made by the same team and family now running this fabled property in the fifth generation. It is an utterly delicious wine for everyday drinking, while maintaining an almost uncanny ability to age for a long time. This version of Cune is the Crianza, made by the same outfit that creates the big CVNE, but this is much more approachable when young and the price is modest. The grape of choice here again, is a classic Rioja variety called tempranillo, or sometimes tinto rojo. Especially when aged in American oak alone, it can tend toward the weedy edge, but this is rounder and aged for one year in a combination of American and French oak. It is a superb wine for the money and worth stocking up on by the case, especially for this time of the year. Drink it with a chorizo paella or similar hearty food. It will age perfectly for at least five to seven years.
Gil Lempert-Schwarz's wine column appears Wednesdays. Write him at P.O. Box 50749, Henderson, NV 89106-0749, or email him at gil@winevegas.com.
