La Rioja Alta Group Wineries

 

Back Vintages of La Rioja Alta

To purchase these wines, please call our team on 020 7908 0660.

In a world where international winemaking is more and more prevalent, it is a delight to be able to work with an estate who fly the flag for the best of the traditional school, producing incredible wines of complex aromas and natural balance that age brilliantly. These stocks are direct from the cellars in Haro, of perfect provenance and specially packed in cases of six bottles. All prices are per case of 6 six bottles in bond.

All notes and scores taken from Wine Advocate 

Gran Reserva 890

1981 - £720

The 1981 Gran Reserva 890 boasts a knock-out nose of smoke, charcoal, vanillin, black fruits, and cigar smoke. The wine's terrific fruit seemingly belies the relatively advanced medium ruby color with significant amber at the edge. There is tannin in the background, but the wine is broad and expansive, with considerable sweet fruit, glycerin, and length. 1981 was considered one of the great vintages for Rioja, and this wine is at its peak of maturity, although it will last for another 15-20 years. 92 points 

1982 - £720

The 1982 Gran Reserva 890 reveals a lead pencil, charcoal smoke, hot bricks, cedar, strawberry, cherry, and fruitcake-scented nose that is one of the most complex aromatic profiles anyone could suck in past their olfactory senses. In the mouth, the wine is medium-bodied and elegant, with delicate, intense, but light flavors. This is a gorgeous, complex, old style Rioja the likes of which are impossible to find from other producers in this renowned Spanish appellation. 92 points

 

Gran Reserva 904

1982 - £540

1985 - £520

The 1985 Gran Reserva 904 exhibits a medium deep ruby color with considerable garnet and rust at the edge. The aromatics are extremely intense and compelling, offering up scents of plum-like fruit intermixed with smoke, minerals, tobacco, cherries, earth, and licorice. There is a sweet, rich impression on the palate, without any sense of heaviness or austere tannin. The wine is fresh and lively, but possesses the mature, sweet, smoky, Graves-like style of a top Rioja. Medium-bodied, beautifully concentrated and layered, as well as fully mature, it should keep for another decade. This is an exceptional example of an old school Spanish Rioja that was aged in different-sized oak vessels, and not released until it had reached full maturity. 90 points

1992 - £450

1992 was a disastrous vintage in Rioja, but you would never know that by tasting La Rioja Alta's 1992 Gran Reserva 904. Medium to dark garnet-colored, with a huge perfume of melted caramel, cedar, tobacco, spice box, and cherries, this complex, elegant, medium-bodied wine is fully mature. While it is unlikely to get better, it will hold at this plateau for another 5-6 years. The wine needs to be drunk with food in order to best strut its stuff. 90 points

1994 - £450

The 1994 Gran Reserva 904 reveals a light ruby/garnet color with considerable pink and amber at the edge. Aromas of scorched earth, soy, mushrooms, smoke, plums, and figs emerge from this Graves-like, medium-bodied, elegant yet flavorful 1994. While not overly powerful or rich, there is a lot going on in this offering. 89 points

1995 - £450

The 1995 Gran Reserva 904 exhibits an aged appearance belying its vibrant perfume of cedar, pencil lead, mineral, leather, black cherry, and blackberry liqueur. The epitome of elegance and style, on the palate the wine is silky and seems to dance across the palate. The tannins are unresolved but this wine has enough balance to drink well through 2015. 92 points

 

Vina Ardanza

1987 - £300

The 1987 Vina Ardanza Reserva offers sweet, curranty, cedar, vanillin, and spice scents, medium body, and a plush, mature, rich, savory personality. Drink it over the next 3-5 years. 87 points 

1989 - £300

There is a touch of Grenache in the 1989 Vina Ardanza Reserva. The wine's medium garnet color reveals an amber edge. A sweet, caramel, smoky, strawberry, tobacco, and tar-scented nose is followed by an elegant, round, medium-bodied wine with good richness, refreshing but soft acidity, and a heady, nicely nuanced, layered finish. 87 points

1994 - £300

Weighty, but still a moderately-sized effort, the 1994 Vino Ardanza Reserva offers an intense, classic nose of smoke, earth, tobacco, cigar box, red currants, and minerals. Already revealing some amber in its ruby color, it possesses a soft, medium-bodied texture as well as attractive, fleshy fruit. It can be enjoyed over the next 3-4 years. 87 points

 

Viña Arana

1987 - £250

The 1987 Vina Arana Reserva exhibits a subtle lead pencil, fruity nose, with scents of tobacco and minerals, that is reminiscent of a fine Graves. New oak is apparent, but this wine's overall style emphasizes ripe fruit, a sense of elegance, suppleness, and clean, friendly, generous scents and flavors. Drink it over the next 3-4 years. As I have stated many times, La Rioja Alta is a classic producer of traditionally-styled Rioja - long cask aging and wines that are close to full maturity when released. 86 points

1991 - £250

1994 - £250

The dark garnet-colored 1994 Vino Arana Reserva reveals a complex bouquet of cedar, tobacco, spice box, and smoke in addition to elegant, medium-bodied, tasty, lush, smoke-infused cherry and currant flavors. There are no hard edges to this medium-weight wine. Consume it now and over the next 6-7 years. 87 points