Diego Niño de Rivera

9.5

Sedoso, equilibrado y elegantes. Crece mucho en la copa y encuentras olores como humo, tierra, tabaco, nuez moscada y clavo. Acidez balanceada y taninos presentes que persisten con elegancia. — 23 days ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.3

Music ‘n Magnum tasting.
🎶Supertramp - Breakfast in America — 7 months ago

Ian Hamel

9.1

2023/6/28. Translucent strawberry, brown spice and a bit of cheesy oak(?) make this a bit reminiscent of an old-school Rioja (Ardanza, Bosconia…) Tangy, lip-smacking acidity is the primary structural element. It feels fully ready and might have much room for further development, but it’s delicious! — 3 years ago

Rob N

9.1

I actually quite enjoyed this wine — some similarities to the Rioja Alta Ardanza I had a few days ago. Low residual sugar, but also low tannin, pretty dry and with more secondary characteristics than I would expect for a wine this age. Still some mouth pucker, though. — 5 years ago

Peter Sultan

9.3

New labeling for the Ardanza, & I do like it. We drank this back to back with the Alberdi. The blue black fruit is gorgeous & the balance is outrageous. 28$ so well spent It makes me want to cry. — 7 years ago

David Kraskow

9.8

Ear to ear. Smile. Shout. This richness and suavete fares well among its peers: vina ardanza, maysara, gros nore and meiomi. Thanks of a lifetime to all those obsessive wine-makers. — 11 years ago

Austin Hohnke

9.1

Lovely bunch of coconuts. Oak glazed in balsamic. Agreeable. — 2 months ago

Will Stanley

9.3

Brief notes, but this is a fantastic, traditional Rioja Reserva bottled exclusively for The Wine Society by La Rioja Alta, with whom they have a long-standing relationship. ‘874’ is a reference to the Society’s founding date, 1874, in a similar theme to the 904 and 890 Gran Reservas from La Rioja Alta. This wine is made in the same mould as others from this traditional bodega, sharing closest resemblance to the Ardanza Reserva though at around half the price – and it’s a big step up from the Alberdi Reserva. I bought twelve bottles of this at just under £10/btl, so it represents screaming value, and though it lacks a little of the complexity of wines such as Ardanza, it is a tremendous, classical Rioja that would put a smile on many a purist’s face. I’m smitten – and excited to see how it ages. — 2 years ago

Rob French

9.1

Great! More vanilla than spice. — 5 years ago

Will Stanley

9.4

Animally, meaty, dark, smokey and brooding - on the nose at least. Opened up after an hour’s decant and was far more rounded on the second night. Has that classic piercing Syrah quality that seems to swamp one’s airways - and plenty of barnyard funk for some time after opening.

On the palate it’s quite mellow, enveloping, beautifully rounded, medium bodied, with just enough acidity and tannin to give it life. I’d love to have tried this five years ago when I feel like it would have had the power to better impersonate a Hermitage. But, no doubt, it’s superb now.

Interestingly (to me!) I actually found this quite hard to distinguish between a decent Rioja. It is very similar in many ways to La Rioja Alta’s Viña Ardanza. Both in the fruit and the presence / quality of oak. The only difference lying perhaps in richness and depth of fruit.

Overall, a beauty of a wine - one of the appellation’s finest. — 6 years ago

Saman Hosseini

Writer Maison Abattoir

9.0

Viril and enchanting; a wine that conjures all sorts of stereotypes of Spain, the jamon, the flamenco, catholic processions, Hemingway, wineskins, and bull fights. While the Ardanza possesses more focus and freshness, this Alberdi is more evolved and flamboyant. Incense, cigar box, cola, hung game and blood, black cherry, and salubrious acidity and tannins. — 11 years ago

José Ortiz

8.9

Deeper and more concentrated than the '05 Rioja Ardanza. — 11 years ago

Amanda Drazka

9.0

This full bodied reserva wine offers big aromas of cherry, black licorice and black pepper. It was tight upon opening but I let it breathe in the glass for an hour which allowed vanilla aromas to come through as well. It offers silky tannins that keep the structure and mellow out on the persistent finish. This wine has flavors of ripe cherry, black pepper and leather. This is a beautiful and complex wine that I think will be even better in a few years. — 5 months ago

MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET

Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com

9.1

Solid well-priced #rioja #organic matured in new oak, the first aromas are milk, cream and vainilla but then it opens up. It reminded me of an Ardanza — 3 years ago

Peter Sultan

9.1

For a few tics above 20$( on sale), like a slightly scrawny brother of Rioja Alta Ardanza- brings the old school reserva profile-dark, dusted fruits, violet petals, medium plus acidity & just lovely elegance-but can’t compete with its older brothers depth & heft. Still, a favorite maker in Rioja (their 15$ white is smashing), a QPR, & given their vintners former working relationship w Rioja Alta, always worth seeking out. Delectable comments about its simplicity may be related to vintage….? — 5 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Striking a balance between traditional and modern Rioja, the Imperial Reserva is often the most compelling wine in the CVNE lineup; at least to my palate and this bottle is a perfect example as to why. Tasted double-blind, the bouquet is perfumed and very pretty with bright, delicious cherries, tobacco, dill and green olive. On the palate, the dark cherry fruit is generous and silky with sweet and savory spices. Wonderful texture. Sturdy structure. Deftly representing the best of both worlds, this is a serious wine that happens to be a crowd pleaser as well. I called this 2014 Rioja Reserva (Viña Ardanza if anyone cares). Wasn’t far off! — 6 years ago

Rachel Merriam

Wine Director Casa Mono

9.5

'81-2005 La Rioja Alta Arana, Ardanza, 904, 890 — 11 years ago