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1978 Especial Gran Reserva Wine

I have a 750ml bottle of Especial Gran Reserva red wine (rioja I think) made in 1978, bought at the winery in Spain, never opened, in excellent condition (label, cork, everything). I have been trying to determine its value and if possible, who or where I could sell it. Anyone have helpful information regarding this?
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW

Which specific winery or bodega does this wine come from? In the world of traditional Rioja bottlings, an older Gran Reserva of true quality can be a sublime experience: a complex mixture of red fruits, wood spice and vanilla with a silky long finish.

It would be difficult to sell one single bottle of a wine except for the very greatest and rarest wines such as a Bordeaux First Growth, a Grand Cru Burgundy like Romanee-Conti or a Grange from Australia - to cite a few appropriate examples. Auction houses are looking for lots (or cellars), so your best bet is to sell it to a friend. Why not just enjoy the bottle with friends for dinner? If it's a top flight example, they will be thrilled!


About Our Expert

Roger has enjoyed a lengthy career in the wine trade as an importer and retailer, and at present he is an educator, speaker and consultant. He set up and managed Millesima USA, a New York merchant affiliated with a leading European company. Previously, he served as senior executive of importers Frederick Wildman & Sons. In recent years, Roger has judged wine competitions in Argentina, Turkey, Portugal, China and the U.S. Roger is one of America's first Masters of Wine.

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