Borgogno in Piedmont, Biondi-Santi in Montalcino, Lafite in Bordeaux, Remoissenet in Burgundy.

They have all done it to great success.

The idea is to take ‘shiner’ inventories of exceptional older library vintages and “recondition” the bottles to good-as-new condition without sacrificing integrity, authenticity, and charm. Unlike a refurbished iPhone from Apple, you’re still the original owner of something exceptional and often unique.

But these relics often come at hefty prices far north of what they once cost.

Somehow, in the case of Bodegas Corral, and our great direct relationship, we were able to massage a couple of our TOP PICKS, and we’re offering these few bottles to YOU at half price today. Simply because great wine is only great when it’s shared.

We went through several years to pick you these super solid examples. No wonder 1975 and 1978 were amongst the best of the 1970s in Rioja, both rated “excellent” by Wine Advocate. And when it comes to the ultimate reference, no one, I repeat NO ONE beats Michael Broadbent for an accurate regional assessment of almost all bygone vintages.

According to Broadbent, the 1978 harvest in Rioja yielded “well-balanced, fruity wines which aged excellently.” Decanter confirms that it was indeed “a relatively small vintage of very good quality, and some very good wines were made” that year. Like this one, that effortlessly stood the test of time.

Textured as silk, with astounding traces of primary fruit lingering alongside secondary and tertiary notes ranging from dried fruits to forest floor, from minerals to mushrooms. Layers and layers of all arrays of fruit, spice, and earth nuances make for levels of complexity that wine can rarely achieve.

Three years in all new American oak first, before it spent another 3 years in the bottle prior to release, and additional decades in the library! GRAN Reserva sits atop the Rioja quality pyramid and the current vintage for this is 2008. Since they’ve been at it for centuries, it’s more “affordable” in these parts to let wines age until they hit that perfect beat. They taste regularly out of barrel, and bottle to decide - not when - but IF it’s at peak. Since tons of oxygen massages the wines over time, they stay at peak condition for a long, long time!

The classic recipe for traditional Rioja calls for American oak, as the Spanish were not always on the best of terms with their French neighbors. While they grasped from the Bordelaise all that there was to learn about making wine, it proved that the wars here and there required a more reliable source of forests to make barrels from. Enter colonialism and the vast, reliable supplies of American oak. From then on, the unique aromatic and flavor profile of these woods, with exotic hints of coconut and sweet dill became a signature. In tranquil Rioja cellars, they seem to have succeeded in stopping time.

Liquid history…

Even if it’s not a birth year or a landmark for you or a loved one, this denotes a truly rare encounter for any of you Operatives, something truly special is waiting in these bottles. Call it magic or a revelation, it is an opportunity to time travel without leaving the comfort of your couch or table.

Only a handful of cases, sorry but we will run out.