This is a layered, harmonious wine that shows the beauty of old school Rioja aging combined with modern “elaboration” practices. 

This wine is blend of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano from vines over 40 years old in the cool climate vineyards of Briñas, Labastida and Villalba.   It was aged for four years in American oak barrels (made in-house).  It was racked every six months using traditional barrel-to-barrel methods.  Afterward it was aged in bottle another 6 months.

My tasting notes follow:

Color – Dark garnet
Aromas – Aromatic dried red fruit, balsamic, cedar, damp earth and leather with hints of mocha and savory spice
Body – Medium-bodied, elegant, layered and harmonious with fresh, tangy acidity
Taste – Dried black cherry, plum, vanilla, leather, and subtle spice and mineral notes
Finish – Long and savory

92pts|13.5% abv|SRP-$45| Sample purchased for review

This is a layered, harmonious wine that shows the beauty of old school Rioja aging combined with modern “elaboration” practices.

Pair with: Paella Valenciana, fall and winter stews, duck confit, roast squab or pheasant

About La Rioja Alta

According to importer Skurunik…”The Bodega was formed in 1890 as a partnership of 5 quality-conscious growers keen to exploit the export potential for well-made, ‘modern’ Rioja. At this time, French vineyards were ravaged by phylloxera, and connoisseurs were having to look elsewhere for supplies of fine wine. Rioja, with its excellent climate and soils, had already attracted attention, and experiments with Bordeaux-style vinification and barrique-aging were proving very successful. The region’s only real disadvantage was its remoteness, cut off from the lucrative markets to the north by the same mountains that ensured its favorable climate. This problem was solved by construction of the rail link to Bilbao, and it is no coincidence that Bodegas La Rioja Alta was established next to the Haro railway station in the same year it opened.

In 1904, La Rioja Alta absorbed Bodegas Ardanza, and gained access to some of the finest vineyards in the Rioja Alta district. The luxury 904 bottling commemorates this important milestone in the company’s development. Since then Rioja has seen more bad times than good, and many producers have harmed the reputation of the region and its production methods, releasing sloppily-aged wines which were never good enough to support a long time in cask. But La Rioja Alta has never let standards slip, and continues to this day the tradition of careful long-aging that gives Rioja its unique character.

The company owns 300 hectares of vineyards in different parts of the best zones of the Rioja Alta region. La Rioja Alta S.A. is specialized in red wines. The leading grape variety is the Tempranillo with small doses of Mazuelo and Graciano. The Vina Ardanza differs from the other wines with some 25% Garnacha in the blend. After vinification in the new ultra modern vinification plant near Haro, aging is in traditional Bordeaux casks, all made from American oak. Racking is by hand every 6 months with 8 teams working full-time racking the 51,000 casks. There is no filtration prior to bottling and further long aging in bottle before release.

In short the wines are made in the traditional Rioja manner. The company is adamant about not using French oak, keeping the unique Rioja style which has been developed since the end of the 19th century

With more than 50,000 casks and 6.4 million bottles stored at any one time, the equivalent of about 8 years sales, La Rioja Alta S.A. is unique in its ability to supply large quantities of fully mature wines of world class quality.”

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