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2008 Viña Ardanza, Reserva, La Rioja Alta, Rioja, Spain

  • Red
  • Dry
  • Full Bodied
  • Tempranillo
Ready - mature (Drink 2013 - 2027)
Richard Hemming MW
17/20
Luis Gutiérrez
93/100
James Suckling
94/100
Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW
95/100
Product: 20088029681

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2008 Viña Ardanza, Reserva, La Rioja Alta, Rioja, Spain

Description

For us, Vina Ardanza, Reserva is the sweet spot of La Rioja Alta’s range. The 2008 shows aromas of spiced plums, damson, and sweet spice, with hints of Asian spice and vanillin on the nose. Succulent brambly fruit sits at the core of the medium-bodied palate. Ripe, integrated tannins hold the framework for the layers of sweet cherry and strawberry fruit, savoury notes of leather and cured meat, entwined with a gentle spiciness.

Texturally pleasing, a gentle creaminess coats the palate courtesy of American oak maturation, which is wonderfully balanced by a complementing acidity, maintaining freshness and balance through to the long finish. Wonderfully produced with lots going on, you can buy confidently here with quality assurance from one of Rioja’s most famed and adorned bodegas. It is delicious to enjoy now but will continue to evolve and develop further complexity over the coming years.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Colour Red
Sweetness Dry
Vintage 2008
Maturity Ready - mature (2013 - 2027)
Grape List Tempranillo
Body Full Bodied
Producer La Rioja Alta

Critics reviews

Richard Hemming MW 17/20

80% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha.

Mushroom, farmyard, milk chocolate and soft red berries. It is ever-reliable, with its expert balance of rounded tannin and fresh acid. Lovely liquorice notes to finish.

Drink 2018 - 2028
Richard Hemming MW, JancisRobinson.com (Feb 2018)
Luis Gutiérrez 93/100

No less than 600,000 bottles are produced. I tasted from a bottle from March 2013.

Vintages for Viña Ardanza seem to be going fast. It seems like yesterday that the 2001 was released, and now the 2008 Viña Ardanza is already here. This is the first vintage when they have been able to use the fruit from their new Garnacha vineyards in the village of Tudelilla Rioja Baja), La Pedriza, which represents 20% of the blend complementing the majority of Tempranillo. The wine was put in barrel in March 2009 separately; the Tempranillo was in four-year-old barrels for 36 months with six rackings, and the Garnacha in second and third-use barrels for 30 months with five rackings.

Vintages might go fast, but the wine does not feel too young, which was my fear. There are notes of stewed meat, cured leather, cloves, other spices and an overall balsamic character. The palate feels solid, consistent, and nicely built, with abundant tannins and good balancing acidity. This should stand up to food and be able to develop in bottle.
Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate (Aug 2016)
James Suckling 94/100

An aromatic nose of dried strawberries and flowers follows through to a full body, soft and velvety tannins, and a long and flavorful finish. It is extravagant and delicious yet refined.

Drink now
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (Dec 2016)
Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW 95/100

PBT: The best classic style of Grenache and Tempranillo, pulling together joyful fruit expression and serious depth. It is amazingly complex and unique in the mouth—a benchmark Rioja blend.

SJE: A rich, sweet, savoury Reserva style with all the red cherries and a strong Grenache influence. It is somewhat old-fashioned, with plentiful integrated oak and a fine rasp of tannin.

PM: This has a wonderful oxidative style, giving it a superb savoury nose of leather. It is a perfect combination of mellowness versus vigour and, at the same time, exudes great finesse.
Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, Decanter.com (Dec 2016)

About this wine

Tempranillo/Tinto Fino

A high quality red wine grape that is grown all over Spain except in the hot South - it is known as Tinto Fino in Ribera del Duero, Cencibel in La Mancha and Valdepenas and Ull de Llebre in Catalonia. Its spiritual home is in Rioja and Navarra where it constitutes around 70% of most red blends.
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La Rioja Alta

La Rioja Alta continues to be one of the benchmarks for traditionally produced Rioja wine. Established in 1890 at the same spot where their head office sits today, their three Reserva Wine brands, Alberdi, Arana and Ardanza are named after the founding families, all three of which remain shareholders. The company still maintains traditional Rioja winemaking practices whilst embracing many of the new technological advances.
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