1973 Valoria Tinto

The 1973 Vina Valoria is my pick of two mature vintages that I tasted. (The bodegas apparently has abundant stocks of older wines.) It is a blend of 80% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano and 10% Mazuelo. It continues to offer a surprisingly rich bouquet of red berry fruit, sloes, molasses and cigar box that benefits from an hour’s worth of decanting, during which it attains great harmony. The palate is well-balanced and sweet, with honey-tinged red fruit, fresh dates, raisin and a touch of toffee. Again, the palate seems to thrive with aeration and what is initially a slightly cloying finish, ends up well-delineated and refined. This little gem is certainly worth seeking out and it certainly appears to have the substance to continue its glacial evolution. Drink now-2020+ Vina Valoria is one of the region’s stalwarts founded by the Perez Foncea family in Fuenmayor. They source grapes from Rioja Alta that are raised in American oak. Importer: Quintessential, New York, NY; tel: (646) 484-6411