The 2016 Cune Rioja Imperial Gran Reserva is a notable example of a Rioja red wine made predominantly from Tempranillo grapes, with additional contributions from Graciano and Mazuelo. This wine boasts a 14% alcohol content and comes sealed with a cork.

Wine Spectator's review highlights the wine’s density and concentration, noting that it maintains "a sense of grace and style throughout" with "sculpted tannins married to a generous, finely knit range of black currant and plum fruit." It also mentions hints of cedar, Earl Grey tea leaf, smoke, and spice that resonate on the finish. The reviewer recommends drinking this wine now through 2036, giving it a score of 93.

James Suckling offers an exceptional review, scoring the wine at 98. He describes it as "polished and structured with firm, very fine tannins," and notes the presence of "layers of black fruit, dried spices, graphite, coconut, and cracked pepper." Suckling emphasizes the wine’s intensity and long-lasting finish, declaring it "one of the greatest modern gran reservas." He suggests trying this wine in 2025.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate also provides a high score of 95. Reviewer Luis Gutierrez mentions that the wine was produced from grapes harvested between October 10 and 25, 2016, and noted its good ripeness. The wine underwent fermentation in small oak vats, followed by malolactic fermentation in concrete, and was aged for two years in barrel and three in bottle. Gutierrez observed that the wine was "quite closed" initially but revealed its true character with time. He praises its finesse and balance, describing it as "tasty and long."

Wine Enthusiast’s Mike DeSimone gives the wine a score of 96, highlighting its deep red-violet hue and bouquet of cherry, black currant, and juniper. He notes that "durable tannins coat the palate," with flavors of "cassis, dark plums, dark chocolate, and violet" leading into a spice-filled finish.

Lastly, Decanter rates the wine at 95, noting that Cune has reinvented their Imperial wines multiple times. The reviewer appreciates this version for its combination of ripe fruit intensity, French oak influence, and balanced structure. They describe it as "powerful, marked by oak ageing but not oxidative, juicy, open," and anticipate positive development over many years.

Overall, the 2016 Cune Rioja Imperial Gran Reserva has received high praise from various reviewers, with particular emphasis on its structure, complexity, and potential for aging.