2004 Bodegas Escudero Serna Imperial Rioja Gran Reserva 750 ml

Bodegas Escudero’s 2004 Serna Imperial Rioja Gran Reserva offers a rare opportunity to enjoy a flawlessly aged Gran Reserva from a remarkable season. The 2004 vintage in Rioja is legendary, heralded as one of the single best harvests in the last 25 years: Decanter gave it a rare five stars, and Wine Advocate has never rated a Rioja vintage higher. 

Bodegas Escudero dates back more than a century, to when Juan Escudero first started making wine in a small mountainside cave. The winery gained momentum when Juan’s grandson Benito, inspired by his father and grandfather, dove into the family business. 

The spirit of Benito is alive in the current Bodegas Escudero wines, which are sourced from the family’s holdings in La Rioja and Navarra—vineyards whose vines average 70 years of age. Most are planted in poor, stony soils on the southern slopes of Monte Yerga, where the extreme climate and diurnal temperature swing create Tempranillo of beautiful ripeness and verve.

Serna Imperial hails from the Cuesta la Reina estate, located on a sun-drenched hillside. Hand-harvested and selected in the vineyard, it was fermented in stainless steel tanks on indigenous yeasts before spending at least 24 months in aged American oak, during which it was racked six times.

Although the oak aging is crucial, it’s only part of the story of this exceptional bottle, which is a prime example of why we think vintage Rioja is one of the most precious wine experiences available.

*We recommend using an Ah-So wine opener to enjoy this bottling, as aged corks are delicate and may crumble or break easily.