La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza Reserva 2019

Drink now or cellar for up to 20 years. No need to decant before serving. Regarded as one of Rioja’s finest traditional-style producers, La Rioja Alta was founded in 1890 out of a partnership of five local growers who wanted to promote their quality-driven Rioja wines to the wider European market. To that end the winery was headquartered next to the Haro railway station, enabling them to easily export their wines to nearby France and beyond. Today they own 300 hectares of vineyards in top locations spread across Rioja Alta which are farmed organically with a strong focus on quality and tradition. In 1904 La Rioja Alta absorbed Bodegas Ardanza, a pivotal moment which is referenced in this Vina Ardanza Reserva bottling. It’s predominantly composed of Tempranillo sourced from 30 year old vines on the estate’s Cuesta and Montecillo vineyards, along with a small proportion of Garnacha from the La Pedriza vineyard in Tudelilla. The grapes are all harvested manually and fermented spontaneously before the young wine is transferred to American oak barrels for 36 months for the Tempranillo and 30 months for the Garnacha. This lengthy ageing process gives this wine a typical old school Rioja flavour profile with gentle red fruit flavours complemented by toasted oak, sweet spice and plenty of rich vanilla notes. The soft, ripe tannins, medium body, and long finish make this a great match for hearty beef dishes, barbecued ribs, or even earthy game like venison.