La Rioja Alta 904 Gran Reserva 1987

Thirty-five years on, this 1987 904 is holding itself with quiet authority. Dark chocolate, licorice and a trace of dried fig move through a wine that still has genuine backbone, the acidity carrying the load now that the tannins have long since settled into the background. Structure is lean but confident, and the finish stays clean and focused. Give it another year or two if patience allows; it will only gather itself further.