2019 La Rioja Alta "Vina Ardanza", Rioja, Spain

ABOUT THIS WINE

Determined by a long vegetative cycle and perfect phenolic ripening. It produced wines of great aromatic intensity and fruit concentration, with excellent balance between alcohol and acidity, well suited to long ageing. A high-quality vintage, the result of rigorous technical management in a climatically and meteorologically demanding year.

The Tempranillo (80%) comes from 30-year-old vines in our Cuesta (Cenicero) and Montecillo (Fuenmayor) vineyards. The Garnacha (20%) is from La Pedriza in Tudelilla, Rioja Oriental, a 40-hectare estate with unbeatable conditions for growing this variety.

Hand-harvested into crates in late September, with an initial selection of bunches carried out in the vineyard. Garnacha was harvested 20 days later. The grapes are transported to the winery under refrigeration to preserve their integrity. After a second sorting on the optical selection table, alcoholic and malolactic fermentations are completed naturally.

In April 2021, the finest lots were selected for ageing in American oak barrels, 20% of which were new. Tempranillo remained in barrel for 36 months, with six manual rackings, while Garnacha wines spent 30 months in barrel, with five manual rackings. The final blend was bottled in November 2024.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Few dispute that La Rioja Alta S.A. is the leading quality orientated producer in the Rioja. With more than 50,000 casks and 6.4 million bottles stored at any one time, the equivalent of about 8 years sales, La Rioja Alta S.A. is unique in its ability to supply large quantities of fully mature wines of world class quality.

The company owns 300 hectares of vineyards in different parts of the best zones of the Rioja Alta region. La Rioja Alta S.A. is specialized in red wines. The leading grape variety is the Tempranillo with small doses of Mazuelo and Graciano. The Vina Ardanza differs from the other wines with some 25% Garnacha in the blend. After vinification in the new ultra modern vinification plant near Haro, aging is in traditional Bordeaux casks, all made from American oak. Racking is by hand every 6 months with 8 teams working full time racking the 51,000 casks. There is no filtration prior to bottling and further long aging in bottle before release.

In short the wines are made in the traditional Rioja manner. The company is adamant about not using French oak, keeping the unique Rioja style which has been developed since the end of the 19th century. In spite of the varying amount of time in cask and bottle the wines all display a wonderful rich ruby color, gorgeous aromas of oak, spices and fruit followed by a sensational feel on the palate, with a wonderful smooth texture, clean rich oaky/fruity flavors and a long lingering finish. All the wines are ready for consumption on release but will keep for many more years in bottle. This situation is almost unique in the world of wine and is the reason why so many restaurants list La Rioja Alta’s outstanding range of truly classic Rioja wines.