1994 El Coto de Imaz Rioja Reserva 750 ml

The first sign of 1994 was auspicious. 

After three parched years in Rioja that had produced forgettable wines, warm weather in the beginning of ‘94 nudged an early budbreak, which augured a nice, long growing season. Though an April frost knocked out 10–30% of the buds, it also put a much-needed slowdown on the fruit’s development. Then came a hot but perfectly manageable summer spelled by just enough scattered rain to keep the vines hydrated.

After harvest in late September, producers knew they were looking at one of the century’s top years for Rioja. Some producers compared it to the legendary 1964. Decanter dubbed it “a truly great vintage.” 

Three decades on, most of the Rioja Reservas from 1994 are looooooong gone. Many that remain cost three digits plus. But today, thanks to Wine Access members’ history with Coto de Imaz, we’ve got a pristine, perfectly aged allocation straight from the winery’s cellars. These bottles have been impeccably stored in the decades since the incredible ‘94 vintage—and they’re drinking like it. 

Bodegas El Coto was founded in 1970 by a group of expert winemakers who decided to pool the best Tempranillo grapes from their farms in Cenicero, in the heart of Rioja. The terroir there has long been revered as the source of some of the very best Riojas, delivering complete wines that combine the elegant structure of Rioja Alta with the full body of Rioja Alavesa. El Coto’s top wines—labeled “Coto de Imaz,” after the 16th-century Imaz hunting lodge belonging to the bodega’s owners—are sourced exclusively from Cenicero-grown grapes to this day.

This wine reminds us why great Rioja is well worth the wait.