Cune, Rioja Blanco Reserva (La Rioja, Spain) 2018 ($29, Arano)

Cune, also known as CVNE, has winemaking roots dating back to 1879. CVNE — Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (the Northern Spanish Wine Company) — focused almost exclusively on red wines until the mid-20th century. This 2018 Reserva Blanco marks Cune’s first vintage of white wine and signals a deliberate effort to reintroduce the excellence of traditional, barrel-aged Rioja whites. Reserva Blanco Rioja is severely underrepresented in the market, so this was an automatic purchase when I saw it on a shelf. The wine is remarkably complex, showing dehydrated red apple and pear, crushed white blossoms, pineapple-flecked wedding cake, pine nuts, and almond extract. Each sip is genuinely stunning.
94 Vince Simmon