Vina Valoria Rioja 1982

Rioja is one of the world’s most famous wine growing regions and this winery, Vina Valoria, can brag that they’ve been producing wines from the area since the 60s….1860’s that is! That makes Vina Valoria the fifth oldest producer in the region and one of only ten producers to be allowed to release “old vintages” from before 1980.

NZ Master of Wine Steve Bennett regularly travels through Europe sniffing, swirling and spitting his way through thousands of wines to find the best and the best of the best to chuck on a boat and bring into Aotearoa.

This is their mightily impressive 1982 Rioja. It’s been perfectly aged for over 35 years now before landing on NZ’s shores recently. This is a rare opportunity to try a wine of this impressive age with each bottle  individually numbered too.

Between 1965-2018 (over 50 years!) only 8 vintages have been officially declared “Excellent” by Rioja wine authorities. 1982 was one of them.

Dust off the cork screw (you’ll need it here!) and pair this Spanish beauty with roasted and grilled red meats, especially lamb, as well as mature cheeses and hearty stews. Open this one up and let it breathe for an hour or so before pouring – then enjoy!