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PREMIUM

Spanish Icons: CVNE, Imperial Gran Reserva

For decades, there were just a few wines regarded as Spain’s most revered. Recently, these have been joined by a growing cast of modern-day powerhouses that have risen rapidly to win the hearts of critics and collectors alike.

It’s impossible to will, or proclaim, the creation of an icon. Any Hollywood talent agent worth their salt will tell you as much. And yet, when achieved, icon status is undisputable.

So what does the process of becoming an icon entail? What makes the 10 Spanish wines we’ve chosen worthy of the description? The answer is never straightforward. Producers themselves acknowledge that there is, despite their recognised efforts and focus on quality, an element of serendipity made of fortunate encounters and of the sometimes baffling flux of history.

Still, luck and historical relevance need to be met by a combination of winemaking excellence, expert viticulture and privileged terroirs. The 10 icons of Spanish wine highlighted in the coming pages share two common denominators: individuality and consistency of style and quality.

These allow them to remain firmly above fleeting fashions, standing out not just as benchmark examples of their regions but also as symbols of rigour, professionalism and strength of character.

They are faithful to their time and place but, above all, to themselves.


Scroll down for a great modern vintage of CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva



Spanish Icons: CVNE, Imperial Gran Reserva


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