Benchmark Rioja on a Budget – CUNE Reserva Is Back

A True Rioja Classic

If you’ve ever asked me for a classic, excellent bottle of red under $25, chances are you’ve heard us say one word: CUNE. The 2018 CUNE Rioja Reserva is not just a staff favorite—it’s a textbook example of what traditional Rioja is all about, and it’s back on the Flash. Wonderfully rustic and showing earthy, mushroomy goodness, this is everything that Rioja should be. Here’s Josh Raynolds on CUNE:

‘One of Rioja’s most well-known, oldest and largest bodegas, CVNE was founded in 1879 in Haro. Today the property owns over 500 hectares of vines. Over the past decade the quality of these traditionally made wines has been on a steady rise. Today I would count CVNE among the region’s top producers, up and down the range. The entry-level Cune bottlings deliver excellent value in quantity. The top-end Imperial bottlings are made from a 28-hectare vineyard in Rioja Alta. These wines have established an enviable track record for long aging.’ – Josh Raynolds

This wine delivers the elegance and structure that make Rioja a global benchmark for value, and the 2018 vintage is firing on all cylinders. Aged in oak and bottle to develop the signature notes of red cherry, dried tobacco, leather, and warm spice, this Reserva is ready to drink now, but has the bones to age beautifully if you can resist it.

We’ve featured this wine regularly at Gordon’s because it’s a rare combination: authentic, cellar-worthy, and affordable. It's the kind of bottle you can pull for a weeknight roast or bring to dinner with wine-loving friends and still get a nod of respect. It’s also the kind of bottle that disappears quickly once word gets out that you’ve opened it.

Whether you’re stocking up for the season or just looking for the kind of red that overdelivers at every sip, the 2018 CUNE Reserva is one of the smartest buys at Gordon’s.

93 Points, James Suckling
"I like the smoked-meat, bark and berry aromas that follow through to a medium body with ultra-fine tannins and a long, creamy finish. Tangy and delicious. Hints of burnt orange at the end. Fresh meat, too. Tempranillo. Vegan."