La Rioja Alta - Viña Ardanza Reserva 2016
Price: $44.98
| Producer | La Rioja Alta |
| Country | Spain |
| Region | Rioja |
| Varietal | Red Blend |
| Vintage | 2016 |
| Sku | 02989 |
La Rioja Alta Description
Intense garnet red color, with a clear rim. Outstanding aromatic intensity on the nose, with spicy and balsamic licorice, clove, nutmeg and black pepper notes, enveloping a subtle hint of ripe red fruit: brandied cherry and raspberry jam. The palate is well-balanced, fresh, with a broad range of flavors and soft, round tannins, leading to a spicy, balsam-like aftertaste on the finish. A Vina Ardanza in its prime and with a long life ahead of it.
James Suckling: 95 Points
Savory and complex with dried orange peel, cedar and plenty of sweet spices, walnuts, caramel, dried mushrooms and pine needles. Shows maturity here, with a medium body and superb freshness. Incredibly long finish with lots of truffle and walnut. Lasts over a minute. Very complete now, but you can still hold it.
Wine Advocate: 94 Points
The 2016 Vina Ardanza Reserva was produced with 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha that matured in used American oak barrels for three years, where it was hand-racked from barrel to barrel six times in the case of Tempranillo and five times for the Garnacha, as it had a slightly shorter élevage of 30 months. Against all odds, I found the 2016 to be fresher than the 2015 and less developed, despite the fact that winemaker Julio Sáenz told me he considers it a warmer year. But I have found many wines I like in 2016, and the wine feels very clean and quite harmonious, younger and less developed, with more primary notes and a velvety mouthfeel.
Wine Spectator: 93 Points
An intriguing red, with steeped raspberry, balsamico, dried black cherry, iron and iodine aromas and flavors. Silky on the palate and finely knit, this is a rich, medium-bodied red that offers supple tannins. A lovely example of Rioja in a more traditional style, this should open well in the decanter or with time in the cellar. Tempranillo and Garnacha.
