Cellar Series: First Growth Rioja

The IWFS Capital Branch is focusing the second in its Cellar Series on top-class age-worthy Rioja. Rioja is widely known as a Spanish wine made mostly from the Tempranillo grape with large, mass market appeal. In the past several years, the region’s best producers have invested a great deal of energy and effort focusing market attention on the super-premium, terroir-specific wine that the diverse region has produced for centuries. The growing conditions are as varied as in Burgundy and Barolo, resulting in a wide variety of styles and expressions. There are astoundingly good wines that can be cellared for many years, even decades. And they are available at prices that are still far more reasonable than other celebrated wine regions, including Burgundy, Napa Valley, Medoc and Barolo. Every well stocked cellar deserves to have a section dedicated to these outstanding bottles. 

Join us at 67 Pall Mall for a dinner featuring a carefully curated selection of top drawer, beautifully aged Rioja wines - one dating back 36 years! All the producers are rated by renowned wine critic Tim Atkins MW in his 2024 Rioja Report as First Growths (except for CVNE, which is a very prestigious Second Growth). The Rioja wines are as follows:

2017 Macan - Benjamin de Rothschild/  Vega Sicilia

2012 Imperial CVNE (in Magnum)

2008 Remelluri Reserva

2001 Tondonia López de Heredia

1997 La Rioja Alta 904

1988 Imperial CVNE

The wines will be preceded by a refreshing glass of 2018 Corpinnat Gramona Imperial 2018 sparkling wine.

We will fill the evening by describing the history of Rioja, how winemaking is evolving to redefine style, quality and terroir, and stories involving some of the most celebrated winemakers.

The food, as always, will be from 67 Pall Mall's outstanding kitchen.