[SOLD-OUT] La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva '890' 2005

"The aromas to this are stunning with dried strawberry, stone and fresh mushroom. Full body and very tight with incredible depth and structure. It goes on for minutes. One of the greatest ever? The new 1964?"

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James Suckling, 98 Points

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"Founded in 1890 as a consortium of five families, La Rioja Alta is an integral part of Haro’s Barrio de la Estación district, with its modern winemaking facilities in Labastida. The 890 name stems from the first wine made by the company’s first winemaker, Monsieur Vigier, in 1890. Predominantly Tempranillo with a little Mazuelo and Graciano, aged for six years in American oak, then for a few more years in bottle.

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Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW: The unmistakable style of classic gran reserva, with its vanilla tones, this is so refined and long, so delicate. Great.

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Sarah Jane Evans MW: All about truffles and forest floor. Rich and velvety textured with red berries coming through. Confident, superb.

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Pierre Mansour: The classy nose suggests proper traditional-style Rioja. Complex and savoury yet fresh, round and graceful. Very long."

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Decanter Magazine, November 2017

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"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 licorice. A wine that represents the elegance and classicism of Rioja Gran Reservas. Drink now through 2030."

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Wine Spectator

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"The top of the range is only produced three or four times per decade, and the current vintage is the 2005 Gran Reserva 890, which refers to the year, 1890, when the winery was created. It all starts by selecting grapes from their oldest vineyards (over 40 years old), harvested into 350-kilogram cases that are transported in refrigerated trucks to the winery, an improvement implemented in 2005. 2005 was an excellent vintage, and this 890 might challenge the exceptional 904 released some four years ago. Here the Tempranillo is complemented by 3% Graciano and 2% Mazuelo, fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged in 199 oak barrels for six years with ten rackings. It's a very balanced and polished classical Rioja with moderate alcohol (13.5%) and good acidity; it also has a silky texture, resolved tannins and a very pleasant mouthfeel. It has complexity.The palate is polished, with fully resolved tannins and fine acidity. It was bottled unfiltered in March 2012. 2001, 2004 and 2005 are the only 890s in the decade. The next one will be the 2010."

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Robert Parker, Wine Advocate

 

Country:

Spain

Region:

Spain- Rioja

Variety:

Wine Red - Tempranillo

Size:

750mL