Deep red-violet in the glass, this wine has a bouquet of cherry, black currant and juniper. Durable tannins coat the palate, bearing flavors of cassis, dark plums, dark chocolate and violet that lead into the spice-filled finish (MD)

The classical 2016 Imperial Gran Reserva was produced with a blend of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo from grapes that were picked between October 10 and 25 with good ripeness, delivering a wine with 14.5% alcohol after fermenting in small oak vats followed by malolactic in concrete and two years in barrel and three in bottle. I was quite surprised, because the wine was quite closed and needed energetic swirling and time in the glass to reveal its true colors. It has more stuffing and finesse than the reserva. 2016 was a very good vintage, with freshness and balance to develop nicely in bottle. The tannins are very fine, and the wine is tasty and long. 50,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2019. (LG)

94+ points "The 2016 Rioja “Imperial” Gran Reserva from C.V.N.E. is fairly ripe in this vintage, coming in at an even fourteen percent octane. The wine shows beautiful depth and complexity in its aromatic constellation of sweet cassis, black cherries, Rioja spice tones, cigar smoke, a fine base of dark soil and a framing of cedary oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a superb core of fruit, fine soil signature, firm, buried tannins, lovely balance and a long, ripe and classy finish. Even though this wine is already eight years of age, it could still do with at least a few more years in the cellar to soften up its backend tannins a bit more before it will enter its period of primetime drinking. It is an outstanding wine in the making and will be very long-lived. 2028-2075+"