The 1985 El Coto de Imaz Rioja Gran Reserva is a classic expression of traditionally styled Rioja, offering the kind of mature character that can only come from decades of careful bottle aging.

El Coto has long been associated with classic, age-worthy Rioja, and Coto de Imaz represents one of the estate’s more traditional bottlings. Made primarily from Tempranillo and matured in the traditional Rioja manner, the wine combines extended oak aging with prolonged time in bottle—allowing youthful fruit, tannin, and oak to gradually evolve into the layered tertiary complexity prized by collectors of mature Rioja.

Now approaching four decades from the vintage, the 1985 Gran Reserva has entered a fascinating stage of maturity. The fruit has evolved toward dried red berries and plum, while classic Rioja notes of cedar, tobacco, leather, vanilla, spice, and forest floor emerge with air. On the palate, the texture is supple and polished, with mature tannins, lively acidity, and the savory depth that distinguishes properly aged Gran Reserva.

This is traditional Rioja at its most compelling: not about power or youthful concentration, but about elegance, balance, and the extraordinary transformation that takes place with time in bottle. Give it patience in the glass and the wine should continue to reveal itself, moving from dried fruit and sweet spice toward increasingly earthy and balsamic nuances.

For collectors of mature Spanish wine, the 1985 vintage offers an exceptional opportunity to experience Rioja with nearly four decades of evolution. It is a bottle made for slow enjoyment and conversation—a genuine taste of an earlier era of Rioja winemaking.

Why You’ll Love It

• Nearly four decades of bottle age: A mature Gran Reserva with substantial tertiary development.
• Classic Rioja character: Dried red fruit, cedar, tobacco, leather, spice, and earthy forest-floor notes.
• Traditional maturation: Extended oak aging followed by prolonged bottle rest creates remarkable complexity.
• Tempranillo-driven Rioja: A classic foundation for long-lived, elegant Rioja.
• Collector-worthy maturity: A compelling example of why traditional Rioja can evolve beautifully for decades.

How To Serve

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

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