La Rioja Alta
Reserva Viña Ardanza Rioja Tempranillo Garnacha
La Rioja, Spain
Vintage 1985 | utterly vital showing real complexity, very nice WOTN
Vintage 1985 | utterly vital showing real complexity, very nice WOTN
Sep 29th, 2024
A tad oxidized but still bright and fresh. Typical Rioja earthiness. Red fruit in the foreground.
A tad oxidized but still bright and fresh. Typical Rioja earthiness. Red fruit in the foreground.
Mar 22nd, 2024
The 2015 Viña Ardanza is only the third vintage of this wine that I’ve tasted, yet it has quickly become perhaps my favourite Rioja - for quality, value, style, and sheer pleasure. This is a match for the brilliant 2010, with an outrageously pure and beautiful nose of balsamic paste, bitter orange, black cherry, fig and vanilla. The palate is supple but firm, quite dark in character, with a gorgeous medley of black and red fruits, perhaps slightly fuller bodied than the 2010, and carrying through to a long, bitter orange, tar and tobacco-laced finish.
This is just such superb stuff, and to say it sells for around £20-30 a bottle, it’s a cellar must.
The 2015 Viña Ardanza is only the third vintage of this wine that I’ve tasted, yet it has quickly become perhaps my favourite Rioja - for quality, value, style, and sheer pleasure. This is a match for the brilliant 2010, with an outrageously pure and beautiful nose of balsamic paste, bitter orange, black cherry, fig and vanilla. The palate is supple but firm, quite dark in character, with a gorgeous medley of black and red fruits, perhaps slightly fuller bodied than the 2010, and carrying through to a long, bitter orange, tar and tobacco-laced finish.
This is just such superb stuff, and to say it sells for around £20-30 a bottle, it’s a cellar must.
We opened the 2016 La Rioja Alta S.A. Viña Ardanza Reserva. This is a blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha from La Bastida, Spain.
On thr nose there was cherry, plum, strawberry,black currant, anise, leather, herbs, baking spice and forest floor.
On the palate was cherry, raspberry, strawberry, herbs, baking spice, balsamic and anise.
This wine is medium to full bodied with a silky mouthfeel medium+ acidity and medium to medium + fine supple tannins that lead to a long red fruit forest floor finish. Welcome to another weekend and I hope everyone has great plans with wine in mind. Please enjoy the weekend and please stay safe and healthy. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷
We opened the 2016 La Rioja Alta S.A. Viña Ardanza Reserva. This is a blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha from La Bastida, Spain.
On thr nose there was cherry, plum, strawberry,black currant, anise, leather, herbs, baking spice and forest floor.
On the palate was cherry, raspberry, strawberry, herbs, baking spice, balsamic and anise.
This wine is medium to full bodied with a silky mouthfeel medium+ acidity and medium to medium + fine supple tannins that lead to a long red fruit forest floor finish. Welcome to another weekend and I hope everyone has great plans with wine in mind. Please enjoy the weekend and please stay safe and healthy. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷
Ruby in color with a wide cloudy reddish rim.
Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.
Dry on the palate with nice complexity.
Showing red and black fruits with oak, licorice, eucalyptus, herbs, mediterranean spices, coffee, earth and black pepper.
Nice tangy finish with soft tannins and tangy cranberries.
This is a very tasty 7-year-old Rioja Reserva. Elegant and soft.
Showing nice complexity at this point, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.
Easy drinking and a good food wine.
I had the 2009 a few years ago, and loved it. This one just needs more time in the bottle to mature properly.
A blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha. Aged for 3 years in used American oak barrels.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
90 points.
$40.
Ruby in color with a wide cloudy reddish rim.
Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.
Dry on the palate with nice complexity.
Showing red and black fruits with oak, licorice, eucalyptus, herbs, mediterranean spices, coffee, earth and black pepper.
Nice tangy finish with soft tannins and tangy cranberries.
This is a very tasty 7-year-old Rioja Reserva. Elegant and soft.
Showing nice complexity at this point, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.
Easy drinking and a good food wine.
I had the 2009 a few years ago, and loved it. This one just needs more time in the bottle to mature properly.
A blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha. Aged for 3 years in used American oak barrels.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
90 points.
$40.
Black cherry, vanilla, eucalyptus, raspberry, blackberry and oak. Full-bodied and velvety tannins.
Black cherry, vanilla, eucalyptus, raspberry, blackberry and oak. Full-bodied and velvety tannins.
Feb 24th, 2023
This will please some garnacha fans, though I can’t say it’s my ideal Reserva blend. 78% Tempranillo and 22% garnancha, which seems like way too much. Has a sweaty sock aroma that blends with some cherry and vanilla flavors. Almost like a tart cherry pie. The cherry flavors continue throughout with some chocolate and a bit of caramel. Round and silky, and seems loosely structured. Just slightly less dimensional than I would want.
This will please some garnacha fans, though I can’t say it’s my ideal Reserva blend. 78% Tempranillo and 22% garnancha, which seems like way too much. Has a sweaty sock aroma that blends with some cherry and vanilla flavors. Almost like a tart cherry pie. The cherry flavors continue throughout with some chocolate and a bit of caramel. Round and silky, and seems loosely structured. Just slightly less dimensional than I would want.
Nov 13th, 2022
Red and dark fruit, cherries, chocolate, orange peel, coffee. Oak very well handled, discreet (thought it more prominent in the past). Present tannins. A beauty
Red and dark fruit, cherries, chocolate, orange peel, coffee. Oak very well handled, discreet (thought it more prominent in the past). Present tannins. A beauty
Nov 8th, 2022
From Magnum. Opens up quickly with a very complex nose of tobacco, leather, warm spices. The American oak is certainly present with dill and toasted coconut. In a very good spot to drink now. Paired nicely with Easter Lamb!
From Magnum. Opens up quickly with a very complex nose of tobacco, leather, warm spices. The American oak is certainly present with dill and toasted coconut. In a very good spot to drink now. Paired nicely with Easter Lamb!
Apr 14th, 2022