La Rioja Alta
Viña Ardanza Reserva Selección Especial Tempranillo Blend
La Rioja Alta, La Rioja, Spain
Really vibrant, teaming with fresh dill, vanilla bean, coconut. American oak really shines on this. Red fruits, baked plums show on the background
Really vibrant, teaming with fresh dill, vanilla bean, coconut. American oak really shines on this. Red fruits, baked plums show on the background
Jul 16th, 2021
Part 2, actually. Clearly I lost count. Not as powerful as the 2007 Ardanza but is super fresh. So many years to go too
Part 2, actually. Clearly I lost count. Not as powerful as the 2007 Ardanza but is super fresh. So many years to go too
May 8th, 2021
Consistent notes. 2010 really comes into its own after an hour.
Consistent notes. 2010 really comes into its own after an hour.
Jul 3rd, 2020
Red cherries, spices, smoke and vanilla on the nose. Cherries, dried spices and pepper on the palate, with smoke, wood and earth. Nice rounded acidity, m- tannins. Quite elegant and round.
Red cherries, spices, smoke and vanilla on the nose. Cherries, dried spices and pepper on the palate, with smoke, wood and earth. Nice rounded acidity, m- tannins. Quite elegant and round.
May 30th, 2020
Killer. Perfume is outta control. Musky, briny, fruity, leathery. Very well balanced, traditional palate that’s masculine while maintaining feather lightness. Drinking wonderfully now but should only get better as the oak integrates with time. I’m planning to stock up and try to forget about this for another five years. This is a steal.
Killer. Perfume is outta control. Musky, briny, fruity, leathery. Very well balanced, traditional palate that’s masculine while maintaining feather lightness. Drinking wonderfully now but should only get better as the oak integrates with time. I’m planning to stock up and try to forget about this for another five years. This is a steal.
May 9th, 2020
Medium garnet; pronounced intensity aromas of ripe blackberry, black plum, red plum, black cherry, pomegranate, cedar, vanilla, cloves, earth; dry, medium acid, medium ripe tannins, medium alcohol, medium plus body, pronounced intensity flavors consistent aromas; long finish, smooth and integrated, outstanding
Medium garnet; pronounced intensity aromas of ripe blackberry, black plum, red plum, black cherry, pomegranate, cedar, vanilla, cloves, earth; dry, medium acid, medium ripe tannins, medium alcohol, medium plus body, pronounced intensity flavors consistent aromas; long finish, smooth and integrated, outstanding
Mar 12th, 2020
Second time trying this and more time on this occasion to study it.
In short, this is an exceptional traditional style Rioja that has a long life ahead.
How it looks - deep ruby red but hints of brick orange at edge already.
How it sniffs - leaping out of the glass. This is an unmistakably traditional rioja with plenty of oxidative oaky aroma married with dried red fruit and savoury meat.
How it tastes - oddly, this tasted more youthful and vivacious on the second night, whereas on the first (with no decant) it seemed slightly more mellow and reserved. No doubt, this is more towards the traditional side of Rioja with ten years of age and not dissimilar in style to a Tondonia. I have more hope this time however for the longevity of the wine. This has acidity to last years. Tannins are fine grained and in some sense mellow, but there’s so much going on with the palate to make this well worthy of extended cellar time. It is racy, vivacious and exceptionally well put together with plenty of red fruit, dried meat, savoury and vanilla notes. The finish is long, dry and exemplary of a harmonious, perfect Rioja.
Will leave now for a few years!
Second time trying this and more time on this occasion to study it.
In short, this is an exceptional traditional style Rioja that has a long life ahead.
How it looks - deep ruby red but hints of brick orange at edge already.
How it sniffs - leaping out of the glass. This is an unmistakably traditional rioja with plenty of oxidative oaky aroma married with dried red fruit and savoury meat.
How it tastes - oddly, this tasted more youthful and vivacious on the second night, whereas on the first (with no decant) it seemed slightly more mellow and reserved. No doubt, this is more towards the traditional side of Rioja with ten years of age and not dissimilar in style to a Tondonia. I have more hope this time however for the longevity of the wine. This has acidity to last years. Tannins are fine grained and in some sense mellow, but there’s so much going on with the palate to make this well worthy of extended cellar time. It is racy, vivacious and exceptionally well put together with plenty of red fruit, dried meat, savoury and vanilla notes. The finish is long, dry and exemplary of a harmonious, perfect Rioja.
Will leave now for a few years!
This vintage stands out to my palate with its elegance & balance. And what legs on this baby- both in the glass & its length. For about 30$ I have a hard time knocking it off the high end qpr throne.
This vintage stands out to my palate with its elegance & balance. And what legs on this baby- both in the glass & its length. For about 30$ I have a hard time knocking it off the high end qpr throne.
1 person found it helpfulOct 13th, 2021Yet another superb showing for the 2010 Viña Ardanza, a wine that continues to impress and which should serve for many years to come as an example of what traditional winemaking can achieve in this region. Decanted for two hours and drunk over the following two, this half bottle could have used even more air to better integrate the tannins which even in the final glass were a prominent feature. This baby just needs more time in bottle - and I need to stop drinking mine!
Yet another superb showing for the 2010 Viña Ardanza, a wine that continues to impress and which should serve for many years to come as an example of what traditional winemaking can achieve in this region. Decanted for two hours and drunk over the following two, this half bottle could have used even more air to better integrate the tannins which even in the final glass were a prominent feature. This baby just needs more time in bottle - and I need to stop drinking mine!
1 person found it helpfulOct 3rd, 2021