Peter van den Besselaar

9.2

Vintage 2008 / Confession: I am really bad in recognising #tempranillo. So I ‘punish’ myself regularly to taste and drink it 🤨 Today it makes me really happy. A nice roof tiles colour, a smell with spices, warm cooked summerfruit, but above all: E L E G A N C E. Beautiful mouthfeel, satin, smooth. A wine you can easily underestimate, with finesse. Probably I would not recognise it as #rioja tasted blind, it is such a fine wine. Great effort of this Spanish winegrower. / technical: 85% tempranillo 10% graciano and 5% maturana. 30 months aging in French oak barrels. — 2 days ago

Conrad Green

9.3

A brooding savory nose of dark fruit with sour cherry, a touch of wood. A serious and lovely palate. Iron, tangy fruit. Very good. — 2 days ago

with David

Rashed Chowdhury

9.3

Burgundy style Rioja... jammy and oak nose, pale garnet colour. perfect balance of acidity, spice, fruit, tannin and alcohol. 80% Tempranillo with garnacha, graciano and mazuelo. GRACIANO for its color and acidity, MAZUELO same as carinena for high tannins and power. Blackberry throughout and finish with ripe tannins and coconut water flavor 2 minutes later throughout your palate. 20 HOURS LATER: Tannins are more overpowering almost Barbaresco like on the back palate without the tar/leather, still retaining all the fruit and acidity from last night. 44 HOURS LATER: Fruit nose but not jammy like before, and not much oak on the nose. Softening tannins making way for tart, acidity which is more pronounced now on the mid to back palate (vs. tannins before). — 10 days ago

Chris England

9.6

At £80+ this is by far my favourite Rioja & vintage at present 😍 My 9th try & still changing every time with rich balsamic showing through now 👍

📍 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 890 2001

🏵 96 points

🍇 95% Tempranillo, 3% Graciano & 2% Mazuelo

🍷 Garnet ruby w/ brick edge

👃 Smoked oak through mashed earthy cherries covered in vanilla coconut cream, balsamic jam & double caramel choc mocha w/ red liquorice, truffle, prune & light spiced herbs

👄 Med body of rich smooth silky creamy dark cherry bathed in balsamic goo w/ mocha & earthy liquorice

🎯 Long balsamic cherry mocha berry blast w/ a balsamic linger & touch of woody oak — 9 days ago

Dawn Emory

9.1

Dried dark cherries..vanilla..earth..tobacco on the nose. A beautiful dark red brick color. Mild tannins.. medium body..great acidity Tastes of stewed plums..dried cherries..tobacco and minerals! Funky little wine! Great long finish! — 13 days ago

Will Stanley

9.2

Having been struck by the crianza, I immediately bought a bottle of this to see how it held up at such a good QPR.

Well, what a stunner this is. Absolutely textbook Rioja, and so, so youthful at the moment. Took some time to open up - even on the second night, it would’ve enjoyed more time decanted. Testament to how harmonious the tannins & fruit are in the wine. Will definitely be buying more of this and won’t touch for another 5-10 years or so. — 6 days ago

Shay A

9.0

I was fortunate enough to attend the grand tasting at TexSom this year. Talk about a Who’s Who of the wine world! Incredible environment with beautiful wines.

Hard to rate at this age (they even had a ‘70s bottle that I missed out on), but there was still some semblance of graham cracker, rhubarb and cherry going. Tobacco. Fairly earthy and dusty. — 6 days ago

with Weston

Robert Cunningham

Wine Educator DeVinimus, Wine Workshop

9.1

Needs 2 hours in decanter and then becomes lovely and concentrated dark chocolate — 3 days ago

Livio Pastorino

9.4

El otro día me invitaron a ser jurado del examen de servicio en la Escuela Peruana de Sommelieres, una de las alumnas tuvo la gentileza de obsequiarme este tempranillo, tiempo que no degustaba uno. Me prepare una tabla de quesos para acompañarlo y aproveche que habían separado para mi un lomo saltado de cerdo con arroz, quien sabe (se me ocurre ahora), hubiese acompañado mejor con un rose, en fin… en el maridaje nada está dicho, el Viña Ane con DOC lo disfrute mucho así como el momento en familia y amigos, saludos #winelovers #vino #vinos #wine



— 8 days ago

Hermes Cuello

9.3

An absolute masterpiece, I just love this wine! — 2 days ago