Wine purchased directly from the Marqués de Riscal cellars in 2003 and stored in a private cellar ever since. The bottles are in outstanding condition, with excellent fill levels, sound corks, bright colour, intact capsules, clean labels and no leakage. Fully mature and drinking beautifully now, they may also be cellared for a further 25–30 years. Produced from the extraordinary 1978 Rioja vintage, rated “Excellent” by the oenologist of Marqués de Riscal. The wine was made from very old vines selected from the area surrounding the winery in Elciego, in Rioja Alavesa. Fermentation and maturation took place in a large wooden vat dating back to the founding period of the winery in 1858. The wine was then aged for five to six years in old barrels and racked periodically using the traditional 19th-century Riojan cask-to-cask method. Hand-bottled directly from the cask, bottle by bottle, without filtration. The wine remained stored in the winery’s historic old cellar, known as “El Cementerio” - “The Cemetery” - until 2003. *** All international parcels are shipped to the highest professional standards via premium UPS International Express, the courier’s fastest signature-required service. Each shipment is prepared in a specialist wine box officially certified by UPS / DHL, with every bottle packed individually and protected in three layers of bubble wrap. Given the nature of fine wine and the value of the consignments, all lots are shipped with full insurance coverage. ***