La Rioja, Cuyo

La Rioja Alta

Gran Reserva 904 Rioja Tempranillo Graciano 2004

90% Tempranillo; 10% Graciano. Red fruited perfume, earthy with medium plus intensity. Palate at 21 years is developed, balanced and soft with fully integrated tannins. Medium weight with declining strength to its inner core. Not near as good on the 2nd night. This aged overnight and finishes a little sour. I was going to give it 94 points but will now give 90 points. — 3 days ago

Jan, Daniel and 15 others liked this

La Rioja Alta

Viña Alberdi Reserva Rioja Tempranillo 1996

No one chooses to have these kinds of bottles, the bottles themselves choose you. From the first whiff, you can smell the age; dried cherries, weathered leather, a trace of cigar box, and a hint of vanilla that lingers like memories of wilder days. On the palate, the wine unfolds slowly, each layer revealing the finesse of a life lived with grit and grace. The tannins, softened with age yet carrying a hint of defiance. — 20 days ago

Peter, Jose and 11 others liked this
Paul K

Paul K

🤯 jealous of the wine and your trip! Hopefully you’re staying through Semana Santa and visiting southern Spain? Nothing like watching the parades with great sherry and smelling the spring orange blossoms.
Ericsson

Ericsson

Hey Paul. Great wine. Back home now. But yes can’t wait to go back.

La Rioja Alta

Reserva Viña Ardanza Rioja Tempranillo Garnacha 2017

2017 vintage. Extremely difficult to get past the coconut/pickles nose with the aggressive oak. Flavors better than scents currently. Could use an hour or two in a decanter or 7-8 years in the bottle to minimize said oak. Medium body. Will eventually lead the group on an epic hike but not in the next few years. 03.05.25. — 23 days ago

Jan, Ruud and 13 others liked this

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2012

Tasting notes during visit to the winery where absolutely everything is done in-house by hand; preserving centuries old winemaking traditions. In the Tondonia offering one can really appreciate the time and patience dedicated to crafting this wine. The wine evolves to a rustic yet graceful profile with strong notes of dark berries with slight oak and dark chocolate. On the palate the wine is bliss, medium bodied, fully integrated, with balanced acidity and a long finish.

The juice is fermented in old large wooden “tinas,” then transferred to American oak barrels (made in house to medium toast specifications), stored underground in their +100 year old cellars for at least a year. After that it is bottled and stored in the same underground cellars and finally released about ten years later. Learning about their curated winemaking process was inspiring.
— 20 days ago

Andrew, Ira and 15 others liked this
Peter van den Besselaar

Peter van den Besselaar Influencer Badge

Sweet angel in the wine cabinet

Bodegas Muga

Gran Reserva Prado Enea Rioja Tempranillo 2015

Silky smooth tannins. Dark cherries, plum, cedar, and smoke. Full-bodied. Delicious! — 7 days ago

Jay, Somm and 6 others liked this

Bodegas Beronia

Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2019

Good stuff, embodies the style. — 6 days ago

Vin, Ray and 2 others liked this

Achával-Ferrer

Mendoza Malbec

Deep purple, good nose. Balanced and dry finish. Good overall. — 5 days ago

R. López de Heredia

Viña Bosconia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2013

Tasting notes during visit to the winery where absolutely everything is done in-house by hand; preserving centuries old winemaking traditions. Bosconia is a delicate wine highlighted by persistent tones of red berries and bright acidity with integrated tannins closing with medium but lingering finish.

No stainless steel here. The juice is fermented in old large wooden “tinas,” then transferred to American oak barrels (made in house to lighter toast specifications), underground in their +100 year old cellars for at least a year. After that it is bottled and stored in the same underground cellars and finally released about ten years later. Learning about their curated winemaking process was inspiring.
— 20 days ago

Ted, Paul and 12 others liked this

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Blanco Malvasia Viura 2012

Zach D
9.5

A unique wine. Vibrant golden hue, reductive aroma combined with a variety of ripe orchard fruits, saline breeze, pineapple, wet stone. Palate with high acidity, a lingering tannic grip, stony minerality, apple, pear, fresh almonds. I drink the current vintage (which happens to be 2012 this year) with my wife once per year, and have for the last 5 years. Nostalgic. — 3 days ago

Ira and Ron liked this
Ron R

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Sounds really cool!
Zach D

Zach D

@Ron R I would try it at least once; not a profile that will resonate with everyone, but super classic and old school. Offers a unique experience; it is a wine that if blinded to color, could be mistaken for a red wine
Ron R

Ron R Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Wow, that’s interesting. You have certainly got my attention on this. Cheers!

Bodega Catena Zapata

Catena Alta Historic Rows Malbec 2013

Well the wife got brave and opened a bottle I didn’t want used in a sauce the other day. Probably had her dad over since I was on a bis trip. Glad I got to try. Nice wine. — 14 hours ago