Commemorative Wine

• IMAZ Gran Reserva 2019, from Bodegas El Coto de Rioja, was selected by a professional panel in a blind tasting held at the Regulatory Council, from more than 101 entries submitted.
• The limited edition of 500 bottles of this commemorative wine will be used as a gift for guests attending the events celebrating Rioja’s anniversary.
• Additionally, the eight institutional wines chosen last Monday to represent the Regulatory Council and the DOCa at meetings and events will feature special labeling this year, referencing Rioja’s Centenary.

The commemorative wine for Rioja’s Centenary already has a winner: IMAZ Gran Reserva 2019, from Bodegas El Coto de Rioja, has triumphed in the competition organized by the Regulatory Council of the Rioja DOCa to select a special wine to be used as a gift at some of the most significant events taking place this year to celebrate the Anniversary, including the grand institutional event scheduled for next week, June 5, for which more details will soon be revealed.

A panel of technical and commercial experts, led by the Regulatory Council’s technical director, Pablo Franco, selected it from more than 101 entries submitted to the contest during a blind tasting held at the Council. The panel especially valued the way this wine masterfully combines the most traditional with the most current keys of the Denomination in a single blend.

“For those of us on this committee, besides the great responsibility involved, the exercise carried a strong emotional charge, as the selection included outstanding wines that marked both the history and character of Rioja. After that wonderful journey through the Denomination that the tasting represented, the panel was clear that this wine was the one that most clearly represented those attributes,” explains Franco.

This wine comes from a specific vineyard plot, with intense fruit character, powerful and concentrated, complemented by the style of a fantastic Rioja Gran Reserva. The result is a potent and full-bodied wine, yet silky on the palate, with enormous aging potential, designed to endure over time—perfect attributes for a commemorative wine like this, which many will want to preserve.

Made entirely from 100% Tempranillo grapes, with an intense ruby color and high aromatic intensity, it is described by the winery as an “elegant, delicate, and modern” red wine. Thanks to careful production, it achieves a balance between the expression of fruit and terroir, resting in bottle for a minimum of 36 months to develop its characteristic complexity, elegance, and finesse. The limited edition—around 500 bottles—will feature a distinctive and eye-catching label celebrating the Centenary of Spain’s first Denomination of Origin.

Additionally, the eight institutional wines announced after the plenary session of the Rioja DOCa Regulatory Council last Monday complement the institutional representation at events and meetings throughout this year, where the celebration of Rioja’s 100th Anniversary is the cornerstone. These wines will also feature special labeling referencing the Centenary.