Yes, apologies.
Last weekend I opened my first bottle of this from a case. It’s an impressive older styled wine with legs.
Well, the 97 was at its best 2-3 years ago, the 98 is drinking well if you let it air but still has a few years to go, so it all depends on vintage.
Have had this wine twice now since my original posting, most recently, tonight. This wine is gorgeous. I’m buying more, an absolute steal at $42.
Earlier this year I had the 1964 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904. We didn’t decant as we worried it would be dead in an hour. Instead, 4 hours later it was still developing and there were pleasant tannins all the way through. I wouldn’t be shocked if it had another 10-20 years left on it. If the 2001 is anything like that, it’s going to outlive all of us.
I saw another recent offer on this wine. I’m trying to learn more about Spanish wines and am curious about the abv you usually see in Riojas.
I’ve also read some chat saying it’s a crime to drink this wine at under $20, but that doesn’t seem to be the consensus view.
Ian - don’t forget that “Spain” is a big place, so it’s like saying you want to learn about French wines. A noble endeavor nonetheless!
The Rioja Alta GRs are pretty easy to pick out in blind tastings because of the very pronounced dill and coconut. That never goes away BTW, even after many years. They’re in and around Haro, which gets an Atlantic influence, and their GR and Reserva wines reflect that. It’s old-school in that they’re not going for extreme ripeness and fruit, and their wines will last for many years.
As far as the 2000 vs the 2001, there are a few winemakers, including one of the best in Rioja, who have said that in the long run, 2000 may be a better vintage. At the 10 year mark that wasn’t true, so we’ll try at the 15 and at the 20. For most people, 2001 is one of the great vintages, up with 1994 and 1968. If I had any 1998s, and especially 1997s, I’d be drinking them now rather than hoping they’d turn into something better. That Rioja Alta can go for another 10, 20, or 40 years if you want, but it’s released when ready to drink, so anytime between now and our demise is probably a good time!
Regarding the score, I’d pretty much discount that. Whether from Bob or Jay, neither of them knew very much about Spanish wine in general and wines like those classic Riojas especially. So they were kind of giving best guesses at something that was outside of their normal playground. It’s a classic wine and worth trying. If you like it, buy more. If not, don’t. Cheers!
If memory serves me right the score came actually from Neal Martin. He was in charge for Spain when the wine was released (these wines come always on the market about 10 years after the harvest due to extended time in barrel and bottle). I own a case and opened one bottle so far. Superb traditionally styled Rioja. That means: Acid almost like a white wine because the grapes are picked early. 12,5% alcohol tells the rest of the story. These wines are certainly not for people who admire the Pavie or Harlan style of wine. You have to have a weakness for Burgundy to fall in love with Rioja Alta or Vina Tondonia. I love the wines. They have a long life. But I like them a bit more on the younger side. A recent Vina Tondonia 1985 was fine but if I had to choose – the 2001 is miles better IMO.
I recently purchased (locally) magnums of this wine for $79.00 per bottle.
No, you really don’t. I read this because it was a rare thread not about Burgundy, and I very much enjoy these wines (especially Vina Tondonia).
Agreed. I’ve had many dozens of both Tondonia and Alta and have little to no interest in Burgundy.
Ok - but Burgundy and old Rioja have at least one thing in common: More acid than in about any other red wine on earth. So I better should say: A burgundian style of winemaking.
Bosconia is closer in style to “Burgundian” than Tondonia, which I think has little in common with Burgundy. Forgive my sharp reaction, but I get annoyed that every good red wine is eventually described as “Burgundian” on these boards. This happens constantly in discussions of Barolo and Barbaresco, which are the focus of my collection and the best examples of which are markedly different than Burgundy. The Burgundy worship gets tiring for those of us who aren’t under the spell, and sometimes we get prickly about it.
News to me that anyone compares Barolo to Burgundy.
Seriously? Well then, welcome to WB.
Kevin,
I don´t think any good wine is compared to Burgundy. I think you boast things a bit.
Well, talking about Rioja and Burgundy. My friend who is the chief editor of Wine Now magazine, the most prominent wine magazine in Chinese, gets together with a group of us from time to time for wine theme dinners. One such dinner was on Burgundy, served blind. I was rather mischievous and brought a bottle of La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza reserva especiale 1973, the second of the 3 especiale vintages (the other two being 1964 and 2001). He thought it was an old grand cru Burgundy, and a rather good one. Of course it was unfair but everyone knew there would be one or two ringers in the line up. I managed to score another case recently and opened one at home. My wife tasted it and forbade me to give away any bottles !
I have had many older vintages of the gran reserve 904 and 890, and they have all been gorgeous. The 1964, of course, but the 1982 of both cuvees are also very special. I bought 2 cases of the 2001 GR 904 in anticipation of cellaring one case for a long time. I am waiting for the 2001 GR 890 to become available.
Adrian
Interesting. Have you tried the 1964 especiale?
Start here:
Then run a search, and be amazed.
Well, I think that the idea of calling them Burgundian is that when the wine world was much smaller and the British were the focus of the market, the distinction was Bordeaux/Burgundy. Stuff from Central Europe, Spain, Italy, and Greece had a lot longer to travel and most wine was consumed close to where it was made anyway. Since there were no vineyards in Britain, they bought everything and their major suppliers were logically French.
But the main thing that Rioja, Burgundy, and Barolo have in common, in my estimation, is that they’re not Merlot/Cab and they don’t have the bell pepper and tobacco when they age. To the group I’d add North Rhone Syrah and Sangiovese. All of those wines age well but they’re not Cab-like and they’re not fruity and lush, or at least they weren’t. They all get a kind of mushroomy funky quality with age, and so does Gamay with some age. So they have some kind of familial resemblance, but they’re not that difficult to tell apart if you taste them side by side blind. The difficulty is always old Tempranillo and old Sangiovese, which I never would have suspected until I did a few of those tastings. Rioja Alta and the LdH wines are also distinctive in their ways, Rioja Alta because of the coconut and the LdH wines because of the acrid aromas and mushrooms. Blind, I’ve confused Bosconia with Tondonia many times. I like them all though, so it’s not that painful.
Saw this in a store the other day on sale. I missed out on my store allocation last year due to the hype. Guess I need to go back and pick up the 2 750’s for $45 and mags for $90.