This is very powerful and rich with amazing depth of fruit and ripe tannins. Full body. Round and chewy tannins. Super depth and beauty in this pure tempranillo. Needs time in the cellar. Better after 2021 [till 2036+]. Score - 97. (jamessuckling.com, Dec. 8, 2019)

The extremely affordable 2016 Viña Real Gran Reserva Especial recovers the 'Especial' mention from the old Reserva Especial vintages from a very good year. It's a classical Rioja Alavesa blend of 95% Tempranillo with 5% Graciano from their own vineyards. It's open and expressive, with notes of berries, fresh blood and iron, orange peel and sweet spices with the oak still present and in need of some more time in bottle. The palate is medium-bodied and feels lean and serious, with abundant chalky tannins. This should be a classical vintage of this wine in the making. It matured in barrel for two years and no less than three in bottle. It was bottled in March 2019. Drink date: 2023-2034. Score - 95. (Luis Gutiérrez, robertparker.com, July 14, 2022)

Viña Real is sometimes overlooked within the CVNE portfolio in favour of Imperial and Contino, but is capable of producing outstanding wines like this. A marriage of Tempranillo with 10% Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano, it has aromas of red berries and white pepper, fine oak and appealing freshness and palate length. Drink date: 2022-2028. Score - 94. (timatkin.com, Rioja Special Report 2020)