The 1970 Faustino Rioja Gran Reserva is one of the standout bottles of its generation—a landmark Rioja from an exceptional vintage, now offering more than five decades of graceful evolution in bottle.

Faustino’s Gran Reservas are the definition of traditional Rioja: carefully selected fruit, extended oak maturation, and long bottle aging designed to reward patience. The 1970 vintage is particularly compelling, combining the structure and freshness necessary for extraordinary longevity with the elegance that defines great mature Rioja.

After more than half a century, the wine has developed an intricate bouquet of marinated cherry, raspberry, blackberry, dried rose petals, cedar, leather, thyme, earth, and warm spice. Yet remarkably, the fruit remains present beneath all that tertiary complexity. The palate is silky, finely structured, and beautifully balanced, with polished tannins and vibrant acidity carrying the wine through a long, graceful finish.

This is where the 1970 separates itself from simply being an old wine. It retains energy and fruit alongside the leather, cedar, earth, and spice that come with decades of maturation. The result is mature Rioja with genuine vitality—elegant rather than fragile, complex without becoming heavy, and wonderfully persistent.

There is a quiet sophistication to a bottle like this. It speaks to an era when Rioja was made with patience as an essential ingredient, allowing oak and bottle age to slowly transform Tempranillo into something far more nuanced than its youthful self.

For collectors of historic Spanish wine, the 1970 Faustino Gran Reserva is a particularly special bottle: a celebrated vintage, beautifully mature, and still carrying the freshness and structure that made it worthy of decades in the cellar.

Why You’ll Love It

• Exceptional 1970 vintage: A landmark Rioja vintage with the structure and balance for long-term aging.
• Over five decades of maturity: Decades in bottle have transformed the wine while preserving remarkable freshness.
• Fruit and tertiary complexity: Marinated cherry, raspberry, blackberry, dried rose, cedar, leather, earth, and spice.
• Silky and beautifully balanced: Fine tannins and vibrant acidity give the wine energy and length.
• Classic old-school Rioja: Extended maturation delivers the unmistakable character collectors seek in traditional Gran Reserva.
• Historic collector bottle: A compelling piece of Rioja history from one of the region’s most recognizable producers.
• Original wire mesh wrapping: Where preserved, the distinctive original presentation adds another layer of vintage character and collector appeal.

How To Serve

• Stand upright: Keep the bottle upright for 24–48 hours before opening to allow sediment to settle.
• Open carefully: Use an Ah-So two-prong opener or Durand to protect the mature cork.
• Decant gently: Decant only if needed to remove sediment; avoid aggressive aeration.
• Serve cool: Serve at approximately 58–62°F in large wine glasses.
• Let it evolve: Give the wine time in the glass and enjoy how the fruit, cedar, leather, and spice continue to unfold.
• Pair with: Roasted lamb, grilled or braised beef, game, aged Manchego, mushrooms, or traditional Spanish cuisine.

We highly recommend opening these aged rarities with an Ah-So (two-prong opener) or Durand corkscrew.