Founded in 1890, La Rioja Alta S.A. is one of the most historical and prestigious wineries located on the Barrio de la Estacion in Haro, in the heart of Rioja. Renowned for its commitment to quality and tradition, the winery has become synonymous with excellence. Their Gran Reserva wines are the pinnacle of their winemaking, crafted from the finest grapes and aged for extended periods in barrel and bottle. La Rioja Alta’s Gran Reservas are characterized by their complexity, elegance, and depth of flavour, reflecting the unique terroir of the region and a meticulous aging process.
Today sees the release of the 2016 Gran Reserva 904 (the 2011 Gran Reserva 890 will be released in early May – info on the 2011 below (just not the price, yet!) do let me know if you are likely to be interested.

The 2016 Gran Reserva 904 is an outstanding new addition with incredible depth and persistence. A blend of 90% Tempranillo from a selection of estate-owned vineyards in Villalba, Briñas, and Rodezno with loamy, limestone soils, and 10% Graciano from the alluvial, gravelly soils of Montecillo estate in Fuenmayor. The wine is aged in American oak barrels, made by their own coopers, for 4 years and then bottled in May 2021 to continue ageing in bottle before release. The wine exhibits remarkable acidity-alcohol balance, high aromatic intensity, and excellent tannin maturity. The 2016 vintage was marked by a long and balanced growing season, with favourable weather conditions that led to a calm and steady harvest and excellent grape maturation. Abundant winter and spring rainfall ensured excellent soil water reserves with a cool spring delaying the start of the vegetative cycle. Summer was neither excessively hot or wet which allowed for slow and uniform ripening. Mild temperatures and absence of rain during harvest allowed for a staggered harvest of healthy grapes at their optimal ripeness. The 2016 wines exhibit vibrant acidity, fine tannins, and excellent aromatic expression, with moderate alcohol levels. ensuring great aging potential. 

In Vinous.com’s latest Spain report, 2016 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904 came in equal third place, with 97 points. This wine has long been one of the great bargains in fine wine, and the 2016 continues this tradition, available at a fraction of the price of its peers.