La Rioja Alta
Viña Alberdi Reserva Rioja Tempranillo
La Rioja, Spain
A delicious Rioja crianza (reserva for us so we pay more?). Pop and pour Tempranillo goodness with a Rhone lavender silky finish as a bonus. Amazing value. Bought another immediately.
A delicious Rioja crianza (reserva for us so we pay more?). Pop and pour Tempranillo goodness with a Rhone lavender silky finish as a bonus. Amazing value. Bought another immediately.
Jan 14th, 2022
Gorgeous wine on the pretty end of the classic Rioja spectrum. Pure red fruit with some floral character and just the right amount of oak influence, hinting at cedar and spice.
Gorgeous wine on the pretty end of the classic Rioja spectrum. Pure red fruit with some floral character and just the right amount of oak influence, hinting at cedar and spice.
Feb 1st, 2021
Drank 7/6/20. Excellent with lamb kebabs. A well balanced wine that would pair well with a variety meat based dishes.
On the nose scents of black cherry, black fruit, baking spice, sawn lumber, and some coconut. Flavors of cassis, black cherry, and spice are backed by medium plus, but well integrated tannins. It's hard to believe this is the bottom end offering from this producer. An excellent value. If I had to be critical, its perhaps a touch hot (14.5% alc), bit this is more a factor of the vintage.
4/21/8/4/4 = 91 pts.
Drank 7/6/20. Excellent with lamb kebabs. A well balanced wine that would pair well with a variety meat based dishes.
On the nose scents of black cherry, black fruit, baking spice, sawn lumber, and some coconut. Flavors of cassis, black cherry, and spice are backed by medium plus, but well integrated tannins. It's hard to believe this is the bottom end offering from this producer. An excellent value. If I had to be critical, its perhaps a touch hot (14.5% alc), bit this is more a factor of the vintage.
4/21/8/4/4 = 91 pts.
Deep Ruby with aromas of bright red fruits with graphite notes. A 100% Tempranillo from exceptional vineyards, aged in new American oak for one year then in 3-year old oak for the second year of aging. On the palate cherry and strawberry flavors with vanilla oak, earthy spice and chewy savory tannins, well balanced. Long finish ending with spicy fruit characteristics. Very nice, great value. Yum!!
Deep Ruby with aromas of bright red fruits with graphite notes. A 100% Tempranillo from exceptional vineyards, aged in new American oak for one year then in 3-year old oak for the second year of aging. On the palate cherry and strawberry flavors with vanilla oak, earthy spice and chewy savory tannins, well balanced. Long finish ending with spicy fruit characteristics. Very nice, great value. Yum!!
Mar 14th, 2020Drank 11/4/21.
Better integrated than last time I tasted, this was pop and pur ready after a bit of aeration
Nose of black cherry, vanilla, coconut, baking spice, and a touch of cedar. Flavors are similar and show the hand of a an expert winemaker with perfect balance.
3/21/9/5/3 +50 = 91 pts.
Drank 11/4/21.
Better integrated than last time I tasted, this was pop and pur ready after a bit of aeration
Nose of black cherry, vanilla, coconut, baking spice, and a touch of cedar. Flavors are similar and show the hand of a an expert winemaker with perfect balance.
3/21/9/5/3 +50 = 91 pts.
This Rioja Reserva is made from 100% Tempranillo grapes. 💃 The “Reserva” designation in Spain means the wine was subject to certain minimum aging requirements prior to release. More specifically, it must have aged a minimum of three years prior to release, where at least one of those years was spent in oak barrels. Producers, especially those from Rioja, often exceed these minimum requirements, but the labeling designation certainly helps give a sense for what you may expect to experience in the glass.
👁 This wine is medium ruby with secondary garnet hues and pink rim variation. There’s noticeable tearing.
👃 It has those quintessential, front-stage notes of oak, 🪵 cedar, nutmeg, coconut, and vanilla on the nose along with notes of lush cherry, 🍒 plum, strawberry,🍓 molasses, taro, toasted caramel, hazelnut, cigar, sweet tobacco, balsamic, olive, and saddle leather. This wine has good aromatic intensity.
👄 The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium(+) body, high alcohol, medium tannins, and medium(+) intensity in flavors consistent with the nose. The finish is medium(+). This wine is ripe, soft, smooth, and delicious. 👏👏
It has received, deservedly so (IMO), critical acclaim from the likes of Robert Parker/Wine Advocate (91 pts) and James Suckling (93 pts).🤩🤩
I have never had a wine I didn’t love from this producer – La Rioja Alta, S.A. @lariojaaltasa
This Rioja Reserva is made from 100% Tempranillo grapes. 💃 The “Reserva” designation in Spain means the wine was subject to certain minimum aging requirements prior to release. More specifically, it must have aged a minimum of three years prior to release, where at least one of those years was spent in oak barrels. Producers, especially those from Rioja, often exceed these minimum requirements, but the labeling designation certainly helps give a sense for what you may expect to experience in the glass.
👁 This wine is medium ruby with secondary garnet hues and pink rim variation. There’s noticeable tearing.
👃 It has those quintessential, front-stage notes of oak, 🪵 cedar, nutmeg, coconut, and vanilla on the nose along with notes of lush cherry, 🍒 plum, strawberry,🍓 molasses, taro, toasted caramel, hazelnut, cigar, sweet tobacco, balsamic, olive, and saddle leather. This wine has good aromatic intensity.
👄 The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium(+) body, high alcohol, medium tannins, and medium(+) intensity in flavors consistent with the nose. The finish is medium(+). This wine is ripe, soft, smooth, and delicious. 👏👏
It has received, deservedly so (IMO), critical acclaim from the likes of Robert Parker/Wine Advocate (91 pts) and James Suckling (93 pts).🤩🤩
I have never had a wine I didn’t love from this producer – La Rioja Alta, S.A. @lariojaaltasa
Good but not great. Solid QPR for 1/2 bottle.
Good but not great. Solid QPR for 1/2 bottle.
Nov 13th, 2022