In our latest Tasting Highlights, we're taking a look at two of the Iberian Peninsula's best-known regions for red wine: Rioja in Spain and Douro in Portugal.
Rioja is historically significant in Spain, with quality winemaking based on techniques drawn from Bordeaux and dating to the late 1700s. Vineyards in other parts of Europe suffered from phylloxera in the early- to mid-19th century, but Rioja's vines were largely unaffected (until the 1890s).
As a result, Rioja's winemakers had a unique opportunity to get their wines into glasses that might otherwise have been filled with offerings from France, and the regional industry experienced a boom. This helped to solidify Rioja's place as the historical leader among the several dozen designated appellations for wine in Spain today. Meanwhile, non-fortified red wine from Portugal's Douro Valley (the home of Port) is a relative newcomer on the global wine scene beyond Portuguese borders.
This lineup includes CVNE's Rioja Cune Reserva 2020, a harmonious red with rich cherry and herb notes. Read on to get our score and full tasting note for this fantastic red wine and seven others.
Tasting Highlights' wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors' most recent ratings—including scores and full tasting notes—to WineSpectator.com members.
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