2004 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva- Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (3/21/2014)
From a 375ml at Les Amis. I wish more Riojas were made like this - traditional, unpretentious, eminently drinkable, but full of character and great with food. This was lovely stuff. 80% Tempranillo and the rest Garnacha, it was made in a very traditional way, with three years in American oak barrels with two rackings a year, followed by three years in bottle before release. There was a really pretty nose of sweet cherries, wild berries and cassis scents, along with some briar, spice and gentle curls of cigarette smoke, with just the lightest hint of sweet oak in there somewhere. The palate was very gulpable indeed, with bright, high-toned flavours of dark cherries and plums and some cassis spiked with super-lively, juicy, bright acidity. Past the midpalate, there was a little dusting of powdery tannins, a hint of oak and a nice seasoning of earthy spice, with and dried flowers and herbs - like sage and thyme with a hit of menthol cigarettes - all deliciously complex little nuances that rounded the wine off very nicely. This was very nice to drink even today, and absolutely beautiful with a pink cut of Australian Wagyu beef. It will go on developing for quite a few years yet though - there was still something youthful about this: a sense of primary thickness on the fruit, a slight chew from the tannins, and some stirring acidity on the back-end. I think it will be lovely in 3-4 years. 91+ (91 pts.)
Really enjoy this as well Paul, great note. We’ve gone through quite a few and tucked some away in the cellar. Great value that I often find from producers like La Rioja Alta and LdH.
thanks, Paul. I love non-pickleated rioja. I rediscovered aged rioja a short while ago with a wonderful set of old wines. Then I bought more wines of varied sorts, and found a whole lot of pickle juice and a few good wines.
I remember fondly la Rioja Alta from 30 years ago. So I bought some recently. 1995 vina Ardanza riserva. Good rich fruit mixed with intense dill pickle. Undrinkable. (Have one bottle left). 1994 904 Gran Riserva–Very nice rich fruit, but… My kids loved it until I asked “what do you think of the dill pickle note”? Then they wouldn’t drink any more and switched to the other wine that was open.
I love a good Rioja, and I don’t think I’m particularly sensitive to American oak. but these wines truly were hard to drink. I wonder if they bottle from varied lots and there’s tremendous lot variation? I read very positive notes like yours (and I trust your palate), and other very negative notes on wines from the same producer. I’m actually now afraid to buy for the most part, other than the trusted Lopez de Heredia, and probably CVNE, and maybe Riojanas.
John - thanks for the thoughtful response. I just got myself some 2001 La Rioja Alta Arana Riserva and a couple of bottles of 1995 890 Grand Riserva. Will let you know if I spot any dill pickle on them. Certainly hope not!
There was certainly some briary, brambly and menthol notes on the 2004 Ardanza, but not n the pickled spectrum I would say!
Glad to hear this is drinking well in Singapore, Paul.
Isetan was having a Rioja promotion while I was there last year. With a leap of faith I bought a 2005 Ardanza and a 2001 904 as gifts for my hosts. Always a little concerned how wine is handled in that tropical climate. I told them to stash them in the wine frig and forget about them for a few years at least.
Hope you enjoy the 2001 Arana. It was my introduction to La Rioja Alta. Loved that wine. Little bit of dill but mostly tart red cherries, cranberries, rhubarb, underbrush and a little bit of cedar. It is long gone from this market. Wonderful with meat dishes flavored with pimentón.
No problem drinking this wine at all, Paul. From a couple months back, for the virtual tasting series:
"2004 La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza Rioja Reserva
Slight smokiness initially with plenty of concentration of blackberry and blackcurrant fruit. I was a little surprised at the freshness of the aromatic replays, along with some oak and a discernible licorice note at the back. Not yet at its peak, nevertheless a good bottle of wine."
I am exploring Tempranillo - I like the nose and general flavor profile. The only recent point of comparison I have is with the 2001, which I thought was less acidic.
Bottle #1 from our case last night, decanted ~ an hour. Nose had low-grade citrus and some Spaulding pinkball in there. Lovely taste, terrific with and without dinner. Didn’t find the wine overly acidic or overly tannic. Finish a bit short but this wine will mature a long while still.