Bodegas Corral, Rioja Gran Reserva

Today, only those with the quickest reaction time will reap the weighty reward on offer: A 1973 Gran Reserva, stored to perfection in the cellars of Bodegas Corral for five decades, and it’s $100 only. If you’re not a wine fiend or serious collector, it’s hard to accurately convey the “impossibility” of this rare and deeply special offering, but we’ll try our best.First, this tiny parcel has remained virtually untouched for 50 years, evolving slowly and gloriously like a fine relic. Second, the cost breakdown of this pristine beauty essentially equals a mere two dollars per year. And third, like the old Remoissenet library releases we’ve offered in the past, some of you will be perplexed by the extraordinary perfume and freshness in today’s ’73 Gran Reserva bottling. We were baffled as well, but after a detailed discussion with our Rioja liaison and Corral’s winemaker, Carlos Rubio, we learned why: Each individual bottle was assiduously and manually inspected, reconditioned, and recork