[SOLD-OUT] La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva '890' 2004

Wine Enthiusiast Mazgine 96 Points!

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 "Lightly rusty in color, this outstanding gran reserva is just now entering its golden years, which should endure for another two decades or so. Aromas of raisin, malt, tobacco and cedar are beautiful. This is tight and sinewy in feel, with rooty, creamy, classic Rioja flavors of vanilla, tobacco and dried red fruits. A lasting, stout finish isn't breaking down at all; drink through 2040."

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 Wine Enthusiast Magazine

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 The 2004 Gran Reserva 890 is the top of the range here, a wine that is only released three/four times per decade in exceptional years. They start by sourcing grapes from their oldest vineyards and going through a slow process of aging the wine in American oak barrels for six years, with ten manual rackings, and each time there is a selection of only the best barrels. The bottled wine is 13.5% alcohol with a remarkably low pH (3.0) that to me means 'quality' of the acidity, which is a healthy six grams per liter (in tartaric). The nose is all about forest floor aromas, game, cigar ash, incense, old furniture and some smoked meat. The palate shows what the technical data was hinting--very fresh with slightly dusty tannins and nice acidity. It's polished, but feels livelier than some older vintages. 38,000 numbered bottles.”

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Luis Gutierrez, 226 The Wine Advocate / eRobertParker.com, August 2016

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Tempranillo (95%) and Mazuelo (2%) from estate-owned vineyards in Briñas, Labastida and Villalba and, in addition, Graciano (3%) from our Montecillo vineyard. This is the first Gran Reserva 890 in which we use Graciano grapes from this vineyard. It follows a very meticulous selection process. Only the best clusters were taken to the winery in small refrigerated boxes.

After painstaking destemming and crushing, the grapes were transferred to tanks and fermented at controlled temperatures.  After the winter, we carried out a new selection process and the wine was aged for 6 years in American oak barrels. The barrels were manufactured in our cooperage, with wood imported from the USA and dried at our facilities for three years. During the 10 rackings, we carried out a further selection of the barrels to be used for the final blend, which was bottled in March 2011.  

Medium-depth cherry-red with a pale pink rim. Very intense, clean aromas, with dominating balsamic and spicy notes —vanilla, caramel, chocolate mint and spices against a fruity background of prunes and dried apricots. Well-balanced in the mouth, with an elegant acidity, good structure, round, polished tannins and an oily finish. The aftertaste is ample and very long, with notes of sweet fruit and marked liquorice. A wine that represents the elegance and classicism of Rioja Gran Reservas.

- La Rioja Alta

Country:

Spain

Region:

Spain- Rioja

Variety:

Wine Red - Tempranillo

Size:

750mL