La Rioja Alta
Few dispute that La Rioja Alta S.A. is the leading quality orientated producer in the Rioja. 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.
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. In spite of the varying amount of time in cask and bottle the wines all display a wonderful rich ruby colour, gorgeous aromas of oak, spices and fruit followed by a sensational feel on the palate, with a wonderful smooth texture, clean rich oaky/fruity flavours and a long lingering finish. All the wines are ready for consumption on release but will keep for many more years in bottle. This situation is almost unique in the world of wine and is the reason why so many restaurants list La Rioja Alta's outstanding range of truly classic Rioja wines.
HISTORY
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. These wines offer a wonderfully complex bouquet, rich flavours, a seductively smooth texture, and are all ready to drink on release.
Farming Practice:Practicing Organic
La Rioja Alta 'Vina Ardanza' Rioja Reserva Especial 2010
$28.95 $37.33
James Suckling 96 "Dried cherries, cedar, sandalwood, tar, treacle tart, cinnamon and vanilla. Medium body, fine-grained and very silky tannins for a wine of almost 10
La Rioja Alta '904' Rioja Gran Reserva 2010
$57.95 $76.80
James Suckling 98 JS TOP 100 2019 Rank 65 "Fresh blueberries and brambleberries take center stage, which is striking for a wine of this age. There are
La Rioja Alta '904' Rioja Gran Reserva 2010 1.5L
$120.95 $160.00
James Suckling 98 "Fresh blueberries and brambleberries take center stage, which is striking for a wine of this age. There are also lots of roasted herbs,
La Rioja Alta 'Vina Alberdi' Rioja Reserva 2014
$17.95 $20.27
James Suckling 92 "Dried red cherries, paprika, coconut, dried strawberries and earth. Medium body, steely and subtle tannins and a red plum-soaked, medium-chewy finish. Drink in
La Rioja Alta 'Ardanza' Rioja Reserva 2009 1.5L
$64.95 $83.20
James Suckling 96 "Very fresh and vivid 2009 with berries, dark spice and hints of walnuts. Full-bodied, reserved and so held back and muscular, but you
La Rioja Alta 'Vina Arana' Gran Reserva Tempranillo 2012
$34.95 $46.40
Decanter 97 "Platinum Medal - Decanter World Wine Awards. Classic nose with savoury character over a sweet spices background with elegant cigar box notes. Quite
La Rioja Alta Ardanza Tempranillo 2010 375ml
$19.95 $26.66
James Suckling 96 "Dried cherries, cedar, sandalwood, tar, treacle tart, cinnamon and vanilla. Medium body, fine-grained and very silky tannins for a wine of almost 10
La Rioja Alta Ardanza Tempranillo 2009 375ml
James Suckling 96 "Very fresh and vivid 2009 with berries, dark spice and hints of walnuts. Full-bodied, reserved and so held back and muscular, but you
La Rioja Alta '890' Tempranillo 2004
Wine Enthusiast 96 Editors Choice "Lightly rusty in color, this outstanding gran reserva is just now entering its golden years, which should endure for another two decades
La Rioja Alta 'Vina Alberdi' Rioja Reserva 2011
James Suckling 94 "A classic and tightly knit Rioja with dried berry, spice and cedar character on the nose and palate. Medium body, very fine tannins
La Rioja Alta '904' Rioja Gran Reserva 2007
James Suckling 97 "Wonderful purity of fruit with a strawberry, currant and plum character. Full and velvety body with ultra-fine tannins and a delicious fresh and
La Rioja Alta '890' Tempranillo 2005
Wine Spectator 97 WS Top 100 2018 Rank 4 "Cedar and sandalwood aromas give way to flavors of tea, tobacco, dried cherry, forest floor and orange peel
La Rioja Alta 'Vina Alberdi' Rioja Reserva 2013
About: La Rioja Alta celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2015. Last year, I only tasted three wines from La Rioja Alta and I tasted six this
La Rioja Alta 'Vina Arana' Tempranillo 2011
Jame Suckling 93 "A rich and very creamy wine with vanilla and toasted oak. Very flavorful, rich and beautiful. Full body, round tannins and a delicious
La Rioja Alta 'Vina Ardanza' Rioja Reserva 2009
James Suckling 96 "Very fresh and vivid 2009 with berries, dark spice and hints of walnuts. Full-bodied, reserved and so held back and muscular, but you
La Rioja Alta '890' Tempranillo 2001
Wine Advocate 95 "2001 is a great vintage for all the wines from La Rioja Alta but the long-awaited 2001 Gran Reserva 890 is otherworldly. 2001
La Rioja Alta Vina Alberdi 2007
Wine Advocate 91 "Let’s start with the noteworthy 2007 Vina Alberdi, their youngest and fruiter wine from a cold vintage. It’s produced with Tempranillo grapes
La Rioja Alta '904' Rioja Gran Reserva 2009
James Suckling 97 #8 Top 100 2018 "This is a driven and super tight Gran Reserva with dark berries and hints of spice and cedar. A
La Rioja Alta '904' Gran Reserva Tempranillo 1998
Wine Advocate 95 "The 1998 Gran Reserva 904 is a blend of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano aged in American cask for four years. It
La Rioja Alta 'Ardanza' Rioja Reserva 2004 1.5L
Wine Spectator 94 WS TOP 100 2013 Rank 22 "Cedar, tobacco and spice hints frame dried cherry, berry and vanilla notes in this silky red. The flavors
La Rioja Alta 'Ardanza' Rioja Reserva 2005 1.5L
Wine Advocate 94 "Cropped from a vintage deemed almost perfect, the 2005 Viña Ardanza Reserva follows the same varietal mix found in the last vintages; 80%
La Rioja Alta 'Vina Arana' Tempranillo 2009
James Suckling 96 "This is a powerful and rich red with black truffle and blueberry character. Sweet tobacco, too. Full body, tannic and flavorful. Yet open
La Rioja Alta '904' Rioja Gran Reserva 2001
Wine Advocate 96 "The 2001 Gran Reserva 904 will not be released for another 3 years. Dark ruby-colored with a garnet rim, it displays a lovely
La Rioja Alta 'Alberdi' Riserva 2005
International Wine Cellar 90 "Dark red. Redcurrant, dried cherry and vanillin oak on the nose, with a smoky mineral quality in the background. Lively red fruit
La Rioja Alta 'Ardanza' Tempranillo 2001
Wine Advocate 94 "The current release is the 2001 Reserva Especial, a deeply colored wine with a lovely perfume of cinnamon, lavender, incense, balsamic, and black