For sale: Viñedos Ruiz de Viñaspre / Finca La Emperatriz, Reserva 2017 "Limited Edition Selection Schwanden" – Bottle No. 2700 of 13,784, DOCa Rioja, Spain.
I am offering an incredibly rare and strictly limited bottle of the 2017 Finca La Emperatriz Reserva. This specific bottling is part of the exclusive "Selection Schwanden" limited edition, with this bottle hand-numbered as number 2,700 out of a total global production of only 13,784 bottles. Finca La Emperatriz, located in the coolest, northwesternmost part of Rioja Alta, is famous for its unique terroir covered in white gravelly soils, which once belonged to the Empress of France, Eugenia de Montijo. This special selection highlights the absolute best parcels of old-vine Tempranillo, Graciano, and Viura from the estate, crafted with an uncompromising focus on precision and limited-allocation scarcity.
Vintage and Maturity
The 2017 vintage in Rioja is highly regarded by collectors as a year of extreme concentration and resilience. A severe spring frost dramatically reduced yields across the region, but the grapes that survived enjoyed a hot, dry summer, resulting in berries with thick skins, incredible fruit density, and a powerful structural backbone. In 2026, at nine years of age, this Reserva has gracefully moved past its primary muscular youth. Thanks to its extensive aging in premium oak and long resting period in the bottle, it has entered a prime drinking window where its intense power is beautifully balanced by elegant, classical Rioja complexity.
Critical Standing:
• Tim Atkin MW: Consistently awards Finca La Emperatriz high scores (93-95 points), praising the estate's unique Rioja Alta freshness and terroir definition.
• Robert Parker (Wine Advocate): Regularly commends the estate's Reservas for their seamless oak integration, chalky minerality, and excellent cellaring potential.
• Guía Peñín: Highlights these limited selections for their deep, dark fruit profiles and polished, gastronomic tannic structures.
Maturity Status
In 2026, this limited-edition 2017 Reserva is in its "Expressive Early Prime." It displays a deep cherry-red color with subtle ruby and brick undertones at the rim. The nose is intense and highly layered, bursting with aromas of ripe blackberries, dark plums, and wild cassis, beautifully intertwined with classic secondary and tertiary notes of fine leather, cedar wood, sweet tobacco, vanilla bean, and a hint of crushed stone minerality. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and beautifully structured; the powerful, fine-grained tannins are fully resolved and silky, supported by a line of vibrant alpine acidity that carries the dark fruit and sweet spice into a remarkably long, polished finish. It is drinking spectacularly well right now but has the density to hold steady in a cellar for another 10 to 15 years.
Market Price and Value
Numbered limited editions and custom merchant selections from top-tier Rioja estates are highly prized by collectors due to their traceable authenticity and built-in rarity.
In the current Swiss market (Zurich/Geneva), individual standard bottles of Finca La Emperatriz Reserva trade between 35 CHF and 50 CHF, but exclusive, numbered small-batch lots like this "Selection Schwanden" command a premium among enthusiasts seeking unique, collectible Spanish assets. Valued around 55 CHF to 75 CHF, this bottle offers immense prestige, visual theater with its numbered label, and elite Rioja Alta pedigree at an incredibly accessible price point.
Handling: This concentrated Rioja Alta wine thrives on oxygenation. I highly recommend a 1-hour decant before serving to allow the old-vine fruit and complex oak spices to completely unfurl. Serve in large Bordeaux glasses at 16–18°C.
Delivery: Local pickup in the Zurich area is highly preferred to ensure this rare bottle remains perfectly resting. Shipping within Switzerland is available entirely at the buyer's risk.
