La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza Reserva Rioja 2017  £36.51

La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza Reserva

The historic frost on April 28 affected some of the estates, but not the vineyards in Cenicero (Tempranillo) and Tudelilla (Garnacha). Although the quantity produced for this label was lower than usual, the ripening was perfect, allowing La Rioja Alta to produce a Viña Ardanza with remarkable freshness and a great aging potential due to its strong polyphenolic content. Fine and elegant.

The Tempranillo (80%) comes from 30-year-old vines in the Cuesta (Cenicero) and Montecillo (Fuenmayor) vineyards. The Garnacha (20%) is from La Pedriza in Tudelilla, Rioja Oriental, a 40-hectare estate with unbeatable conditions for growing this variety.

Manual picking in boxes, with a careful selection of bunches in the vineyard. Garnacha was harvested 15 days later. The grapes are transported refrigerated to the winery to preserve their quality. After a second optical selection table, alcoholic fermentation (at 27ºC) and malolactic fermentation are carried out naturally. Ageing always in their own American oak barrels. 36 months for Tempranillo and 30 for Garnacha to prevent oxidation. 20% is new oak. Five traditional barrel-to-barrel rackings were performed by candlelight to manually separate sediments and avoid aggressive filtering. Bottled in March 2021.

Intense cherry red colour, marking the garnet on the edge of the glass. Of great aromatic power, first of fruity character (cherry, currant, red plum) giving way then to balsamic and spicy notes (pepper, licorice, clove, vanilla, toasted caramel and nutmeg). Fresh and balanced in the mouth, with fine and silky tannins. Ample aftertaste that combines red fruits and spices with a fresh and long character.

Try with roast lamb, red meats, barbecues, large game, spicy fish casseroles, smoked and aged cheeses.

201 Vintage - 947 Points RP

2017 was not an easy harvest, but it produced some beautiful and classical wines, like the 2017 Viña Ardanza Reserva, which shows a little more advancement and polish and is ready to drink. It was produced with 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha from their vineyard La Pedriza in Tudelilla. It fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts and matured in American oak barrels, 36 months for the Tempranillo and 30 for the Garnacha (that was harvested 15 days later), with six rackings. It's ripe and aromatic, tertiary, with 14.5% alcohol and mellow acidity, a medium-bodied palate and sleek tannins. It has a pungent note of clove and pepper, some licorice and ink and the cherries in liqueur from the Garnacha. An updated classical Ardanza. 600,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2021.

Luiz Gutierrez

2016 Vintage - 94+ Points RP

2015 Vintage - 94 Points RP

2012 Vintage - 94 Points RP

2010 Vintage - 95 Points RP