External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher
Vintages
2021
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2001
Show more
From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
|
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.3 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 353 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by grappagunnar on 4/13/2024 & rated 92 points: Decanted 1,5 hours but could maybe have needed more time.
In my opinion and based on this bottle this is starting to get into my preferred drinking window.
Really nice traditional feel and taste, really happy to have several more. (1581 views) | | | Tasted by DevenStephens on 4/1/2024 & rated 94 points: Story time: This wine has a big sentimental value to me. Drank this for the first time with my wife when we married 4 years ago and it was our "splurge" wine back then. I've had all vintages since then and explored a lot more Rioja. I was so happy when I found 2 of these at auction, the same vintage me and my wife drank on our covid lockdown honeymoon. Brought the bottle as a surprise for my wife at a BYOB restaurant we love and drank it there for our 4yr anniversary.
Now for notes! Dark ruby color with some minor bricking. The cork was in perfect condition. The newer vintages are a bit more dark fruit forward but the 2009 has started getting less fruit and more tertiary notes. Even so, you still get red cherry, strawberry and raspberry on the nose as well as the palate. Vanilla and coffee on the nose. Leather, tobacco, dill and cedar on the palate. This one was in a high acidity phase so I think it'll be better in more time. Tight tannins and a medium finish. I'll probably open my other bottle in 2029 as it's showing no sign of being over the hill. Love LRA and their entire line-up. (1772 views) | | | Tasted by JuliannaDHS on 2/25/2024 & rated 91 points: As before, a bit modern in style but very good. Plenty of oak but it balances with all the ripe red fruit. (2036 views) | | | Tasted by jonboy74 on 2/20/2024 & rated 92 points: still fantastic. primary lovely high acidity soft tannins gobs of fruit. phenomenal qpr at original purchase price. ardanza delivers the goods time and again (2345 views) | | | Tasted by Callum's Corkers on 1/11/2024 & rated 94 points: The cork crumbled a bit on the corkscrew, but was no ullage to worry me.
Wide-bottom decant for 2 hrs, tasted at room temperature in my kitchen.
N....dusty wood (cedar), ground coffee, some cigar, medium intensity only. Interesting. I liked it.
C.... Light to Medium body; red with a hint of fade on edge.
T....Did I say "Dry"? Sure did, it's dry. Beyond that it's a classy glass of wine with lovely concentrated fruit, intense flavours. Coffee, wood, molasses, liqorice, ripe fruit - there's shedloads going on, if you worked in Advertising in the 80s you'd maybe say. "it's busy". Gentle tannins, seductive mouthfeel.
Drinking very well at 14 yrs but not actually mature. Feels like it'll be a 95+ wine when mature. At 18-20 yrs?
VFM/QPR?.....I've forgotten what I paid for this yrs ago but today it feels like it's worth at least £50.00 (2775 views) | | | Tasted by ploher on 12/10/2023: Hm, still so big on the oak. Don't know if I'm getting just more sensitive to it or if Rioja Alta is really increasing its use of new wood, anyway this is still difficult to fully enjoy cause of the oak subduing the fruit. The quality is obvious, but the oak is very distracting. Couldn't really get over it at least today... 16.5/20 (2803 views) | | | Tasted by Yagil on 11/17/2023 & rated 92 points: Mature Tempranillo tasting (Rioja, Ribera-del-Duero, Toro); 11/16/2023-11/17/2023: 24 hours after
Beautiful old school rioja, Ardanza seem to produce some of the best wines in the world at this price point. Lots of vanilla oak and sweet fruit balanced with fresh acidity and savoury tobacco complexity. A very well balanced package drinking well already and a good few years ahead. (3045 views) | | | Tasted by CondorKhan on 9/5/2023 & rated 93 points: Pretty close to the last one a couple of years ago, but I do think it's gotten better.
The initial sheen of resiny oak blows away with air to deliver juicy cherry, tobacco and earth. Tannins and acidity very well balanced. As you'd expect, fabulous with food. Even a bucatini Amatriciana was a great match. Drinking beautifully right now, although it could go on for years and years and develop more tertiary notes. (3601 views) | | | Tasted by mimik on 8/27/2023 & rated 94 points: Absolutely beautiful. This is ready to drink, tannins fruit and acid in perfect harmony. Notes of cedar and cherries abound in a medium long succulent finish. 94 points (3382 views) | | | Tasted by JuliannaDHS on 6/14/2023 & rated 91 points: Perhaps less flashy/modern than last bottle but no less tasty. (3795 views) | | | Tasted by guy12 on 6/9/2023 & rated 90 points: Still excellent with no sign of tiring (3278 views) | | | Tasted by JuiceFan02460 on 4/22/2023: Fantastic! Bright berries, medium body, smooth, great legs, got better after 1 he decanting. Has plenty more to offer over time, but this drinks great now. Went perfectly with an assortment of empanadas. (3853 views) | | | Tasted by JuliannaDHS on 4/18/2023 & rated 91 points: Very modern and flashy. Lots of ripe red fruit and oak but good balance as well. (3488 views) | | | Tasted by Ravi Deshpande on 4/2/2023 & rated 92 points: Sweet soft and silky - vanilla and oak - balanced on a pin with nice acidity. Always delivers. (3530 views) | | | Tasted by tedcholl on 3/28/2023 & rated 91 points: Recently received 3 bottles. All the flavors I love in a Rioja; oak, well worn leather, dried cherry, tobacco, and yummy dill. (3237 views) | | | Tasted by CheviotCellar on 3/21/2023 & rated 92 points: Perfectly in its drinking window now, no decanting needed. Lovely nose with oxidative sherry aromas and hints of malactic. Nose has forest floor, red berries, and other complex flavors. These bottles have cone around nicely. (2904 views) | | | Tasted by Kirko80 on 2/26/2023 & rated 93 points: Classic Ardanza, drank alongside the 2010 and this outperformed.
No sign of being close to end of life. (3133 views) | | | Tasted by depechemoroder on 1/19/2023 & rated 92 points: Last bottle and just heaven - fragrant, but not shy; smooth, but not soft; complex, but well knit. Everything comes together - the beautiful, layered red fruits, the fine tannins, subtle herbaceous oak. Delicious and probably several years left. (3461 views) | | | Tasted by WilD on 12/9/2022 & rated 92 points: Very nice condition. (3912 views) | | | Tasted by empire80 on 11/27/2022 & rated 93 points: Beautiful old school rioja, Ardanza seem to produce some of the best wines in the world at this price point. Lots of vanilla oak and sweet fruit balanced with fresh acidity and savoury tobacco complexity. A very well balanced package drinking well already and a good few years ahead. (3930 views) | | | Tasted by mdt on 11/3/2022 & rated 90 points: Dark fruits, herbs, and mint. Nicely balanced. Opened and let breathe for an hour before drinking. (3939 views) | | | Tasted by Marius Cavasdan on 10/28/2022 & rated 93 points: excellent Rioja at 14 years of age.
nose is a bit restrained. savoury, some tabacco. it opens with some sweet spices and red fruits. Palate is warm but elegant, with a minty/coconut freshness from the american oak? ellegant and long.
drinks perfectly but can be cellared a few more years with no problem (3758 views) | | | Tasted by Ernestas on 10/9/2022 & rated 94 points: Many colourful words could depict this classical Reserva, but why bother, its just an outstanding Reserva, period. Every time I come back to it, no matter the vintage, I am blown away by its quality. Medium garnet red colour, ruby hue. Perfumed aroma of coconuts, vanilla, spices, dried plums, hints of dried lavender, tobacco. Medium body, explosion of fragrant flavours, pronounced coconut and vanilla notes with every other promise from aroma. Stunning acidity integration together with fine tannic structure. (3732 views) | | | Tasted by Jzizzle on 9/17/2022 & rated 92 points: Drinking well; considerable oak spice and vanillia that is nicely pressed together with red fruit and substantial acidity. Still lively and also with some mushroom and umami age. Nice intensity too. (3514 views) | | | Tasted by benjaminpaul on 8/12/2022 & rated 92 points: An exceptional wine - beautiful, rich, lush, dark and heady. Stunning.
Plenty of time left in this, may not develop further though. (4004 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, Rioja: The Past Is Always Present (Apr 2021) (4/1/2021)
(La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza Reserva Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By David Williams
Decanter, La Rioja Alta (12/3/2019)
(La Rioja Alta, Viña Ardanza Reserva, Rioja, Alta, Northern Spain, Spain, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Button
Decanter, Majestic Winter 2019 tasting (10/22/2019)
(La Rioja Alta, Viña Ardanza, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Sara d'Amato
WineAlign (10/8/2019)
(La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza Reserva, Doca Rioja red) Subscribe to see review text. | By David Lawrason
WineAlign (10/6/2019)
(La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza Reserva, Doca Rioja red) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com (6/22/2018)
(La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva, Red, Spain) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Hemming, MW
JancisRobinson.com (6/7/2018)
(La Rioja Alta, Viña Ardanza Reserva Rioja Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Button
Decanter, JB Assorted (5/24/2018)
(La Rioja Alta, Viña Ardanza, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (5/13/2018)
(La Rioja Alta, Viña Ardanza Reserva Rioja Red) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and Decanter and WineAlign and JamesSuckling.com and JancisRobinson.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| La Rioja Alta Producer website
U.S. Importer (Addt'l Info)2009 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva"The Tempranillo grapes (80%) come from our 30-yr-old La Cuesta & Montecillo Vyds, located in Fuenmayor and Cenicero. The Garnacha (20%) comes from La Pedriza Vyd in Tudelilla (Rioja Baja), at an altitude of 550 m above sea level. This 67 hectare property offers unbeatable conditions for growing this variety. Its nutrient-poor soil, covered with boulders, results in low grape yields (less than 5000 kg/ha) & significant varietal typicity, rich in aromas, with a pleasant, elegant structure.
"We started picking these plots in mid-October. The grapes were harvested manually & transported in refrigerated trucks to the winery. Alcoholic fermentation took place naturally, at controlled temperatures. Malolactic fermentation concluded at the end of the year. In March 2010, the selected wines were put in barrels to start ageing separately: the Tempranillo for 36 mos with 6 manual rackings in AM oak barrels averaging 4 yrs in age, & the Garnacha for 30 mos with 5 manual rackings in AM oak barrels with 2 & 3 wines. After ageing, the final blend was made and bottled in May 2014." 13.5% ABV, 1.9 g/l R.S., & 3.61 pH; 50,000 cs made.
96 pts Suckling (8/’18),
95 Tim Atkin (1/’18),
94 (2x) winealign.com (9-10/’19),
93+ WA,
93 ea Decanter (Williams, 12/3/19), Guía Peñín (6/’18), & Falstaff Magazine (11/’18)
91 Decanter (Button, 5/24/18),
90 ea WS (10/’18) + Silver @ Decanter’s ’18 World Wine Awards,
17+ (Hemming, 6/7/18) & 16.5/20 JancisRobinson.com (5/13/18), and
17/20 Vinum (4/’19)!
Tempranillo BlendTempranillo is the backbone of wines made ihvhhcn the best well-known Spanish regions Rioja and Ribera del Duero, but is also grown as far afield as Mexico and Australia.
As a flavor profile, red fruits like strawberries and cherries can predominate - but with a rustic edge. The Many wines made from Tempranillo will spend a few years in barrel and bottle before reaching the consumers . Many Tempranillo-based wines see a few years of oak - add that to a few years of bottle and the wine can give a subtle - and occasionaly not-so-subtle - leathery mouthfeel. The combination of the tart fruit and tannins make this wine very food friendly.Spain Vinos de España - Wines of Spain (Instituto Español de Comercio Exterior) | Wikipedia
Wine Map on weinlagen-info
Spain is the third largest wine producing nation in the world, occupying the majority of the Iberian Peninsula with vast diversity in climate, culture, and of course, wine. From inky, dark reds of the [Priorat] to dry, white Finos from Andalusia, Spain can easily boast of elaborating a wide variety of notable styles. Within Spain there are currently 62 demarcated wine regions, of which a handful have gained international recognition: [Rioja], Priorat and [Ribera del Duero]. Yet these regions are only a small sample of the high quality wines Spain produces. Regions such as Cava, Penedes, Somontano, Galicia, Rueda and Jerez are only a few of the numerous regions worthy of exploration throughout Spain. Spain can also lay claim to having the most land under vine in the world, growing up to, by some accounts, 600 indigenous varietals of which Tempranillo is their most well known. Other popular varietals include [Garnacha], Bobal and Monastrell for reds and for whites; the infamous [sic] Palomino Fino grape which is used in the production of sherry wine, Pedro Ximenez in Montilla Morilles, Albarino used in the creation of the bright, effervescent wines of Galicia, and Verdejo in Rueda. - Source: - Catavino.net
Spain is not in the forefront of winemaking for its dessert wines, other than for its sweet wines from Sherry country including the highly revered Olorosos (when sweetened). But apart from Sherry Spain has a range of styles of dessert wines, ranging from the those made from the Pedro Ximenez grape primarily in Jerez and Montilla-Moriles) to luscious, red dessert wines made in the Mediterranean from the Garnacha (Grenache) grape. Some good Moscatels are made in Mallorca, Alicante and Navarre. The northwest corner of Spain, Galicia, with its bitter Atlantic climate, is even making dessert wines, called “Tostadillos” in the village of Ribadivia (similar to France’s “Vin de Paille”). The Canary Islands have made interesting dessert wines for centuries (they are mentioned by Shakespeare, for example) and in recent years the quality of winemaking has been improved and the Canary Islands wines are being better marketed now. The winemaking styles for “Vinos Dulces” are also diverse, from “Late Harvest” (Vendimia Tardía) to “Fortified Wines” (Fermentación Parcial). Based on in-spain.info.La Rioja Consejo Regulador DOC Rioja - Control Board of the D.O.Ca. Rioja
Map on weinlagen-infoLa Rioja Alta Map on weinlagen-infoRioja Consejo Regulador DOC Rioja - Control Board of the D.O.Ca. Rioja
HISTORY
The wine region of La Rioja in Spain was first demarcated by the area's governing body, the Consejo Regulador, in 1926. The region extends for approximately 120 kilometres along both sides of the Ebro River and is, at its widest point, bounded by mountains on either side. In fact, the word 'Rioja' is a derivation of the two words 'Rio' (River) and 'Oja (the name of a tributary of the Ebro that runs right through La Rioja creating a series of microclimates and providing much needed water for the vines).
La Rioja has always been a vital part of Spain's history. Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Moors, and finally, medieval Crusaders have all played a part in the area's history. The Romans, however, made wine a part of their culture wherever they travelled, and La Rioja was no exception. Ancient sites of Roman wineries still exist in and around the area today.
After the Romans came the Moors, and winemaking all but ceased. It wasn't until after the famous 'El Cid' liberated Spain, and medieval Christianity brought trade via the Crusaders through the region, that it flourished again. The Benedictine monks of Cluny in Burgundy, known for their viticulture, helped to establish three monasteries in the area. The vines they planted were mostly white grapes. In the fourteenth century, English traders acquired a taste for a local Rioja wine, which was a blend of white and red wines called Blancos Pardillos. Over time, development of lighter reds came about satisfying eighteenth century English and French courts.
The real improvements to Rioja's viticulture began around 1780 when the need to prolong wine during transport brought about experimentation with different woods and preservatives. Studies were made of the techniques used by great chateaux in Bordeaux. With the outbreak of the Peninsular War, progress was halted until 1852, when the Bordelais came south to Rioja seeking vines because their vineyards had been blighted with oidium. French winemaking methods were eagerly taken up by great rivals the Marques de Murrieta and Marques de Riscal (who both claim to have been the first in Rioja to make wine in the Bordeaux fashion).
When phylloxera devastated Bordeaux in the 1870s and the French influence really took hold in Rioja, many of the region's finest bodegas started production on what we now consider as the great wines of Rioja. It’s important to remember that Bordeaux winemaking methods then were very different to those employed today in France, and involved long ageing in barrel, a factor that the Riojans took up enthusiastically. So enthusiastically in fact that to this day there are a number of Bodegas that still make their wine in a surprisingly similar fashion to that of the Bordelais in the later part of the 1800s and this also explains why oak ageing is such an important part of Riojan winemaking.
USE OF OAK
Pronounced vanilla flavours in the wines are a trademark of the region though some modern winemakers are experimenting with making wines less influenced by oak. Originally French oak was used but as the cost of the barrels increased many bodegas began to buy American oak planks and fashion them into barrels at Spanish cooperages in a style more closely resembling the French method. This included hand splitting the wood, rather than sawing, and allowing the planks time to dry and 'season' in the outdoors versus drying in the kiln. In recent times, more bodegas have begun using French oak and many will age wines in both American and French oak for blending purposes.
In the past, it was not uncommon for some bodegas to age their red wines for 15-20 years or even more before their release. One notable example of this is Marqués de Murrieta which released its 1942 vintage Gran Reserva in 1983 after 41 years of ageing. Today most bodegas have shifted their winemaking focus to wines that are ready to drink sooner with the top wines typically ageing for 4-8 years prior to release though some traditionalists still age longer. The typical bodega owns anywhere from 10,000 to 40,000 oak barrels.
The use of oak in white wine has declined significantly in recent times when before the norm was traditionally 2-5 years in oak. This created slightly oxidised wines with flavours of caramel, coffee, and roasted nuts that did not appeal to a large market of consumers. Today the focus of white winemakers has been to enhance the vibrancy and fruit flavours of the wine.
WINE CLASSIFICATION
Most Riojan Bodegas believe that the ageing of a wine should be the responsibility of the producer rather than that of the consumer, and this is why much Rioja is more mature than wines from other countries. Rioja red wines are classified into four categories. The first, simply labelled 'Rioja', or 'Sin Crianza' (meaning 'without ageing') is the youngest, spending less than a year in oak. A "Crianza" is wine aged for at least two years, at least one of which is in oak. 'Reserva' is aged for at least three years, of which at least one year is in oak. Finally, 'Gran Reserva' wines have been aged at least two years in oak and three years in bottle. Reserva and Gran Reserva wines are not necessarily produced each year. Also produced are wines in a semi-crianza style, those that have had a couple of months of oak influence but not enough to be called a full crianza. The designation of Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva might not always appear on the front label but may appear on a neck or back label in the form of a stamp designation known as Consejo.
SUB REGIONS
Rioja Alta
Located on the western edge of the region, and at higher elevations than the other areas, the Rioja Alta is known for more fruity and concentrated wines which can have very smooth texture and mouth feel.
Rioja Alavesa
Despite sharing a similar climate as the Alta region, the Rioja Alavesa produces wines with a fuller body and higher acidity. Vineyards in the area have a low vine density with large spacing between rows. This is due to the relatively poor conditions of the soil with the vines needing more distance from each other and less competition for the nutrients in the surrounding soil.
Rioja Baja
Unlike the more continental climate of the Alta and Alavesa, the Rioja Baja is strongly influenced by a Mediterranean climate which makes this area the warmest and driest of the Rioja. In the summer months, drought can be a significant viticultural hazard, though since the late 1990s irrigation has been permitted. Temperatures in the summer typically reach 95°F. Twenty percent of the vineyards actually fall within the Navarra appellation but the wine produced from the grapes is still allowed to claim the Rioja designation. The predominant grape here is the Garnacha which prefers the hot conditions, unlike the more aromatic Tempranillo. Consequently Baja wines are very deeply coloured and can be highly alcoholic with some wines at 18% alcohol by volume. The wines typically do not have much acidity or aroma and are generally used as blending components with wines from other parts of
the Rioja.
The Riojans are master blenders (as they have to be because there are relatively few single estates in the area, the norm being to blend from a wide variety of vineyards and wine areas). Consequently they are able to reduce vintage variation by careful blending and many of the best wines vary relatively little between vintages.
VITICULTURE & GRAPES
Rioja wines are normally a blend of various grape varieties, and can be either red (tinto), white (blanco) or rosé (rosado). Rioja has a total of 57,000 hectares cultivated, yielding 250 million litres of wine annually, of which 85% is red. The harvest time for most Rioja vineyards is September-October with the northern Rioja Alta having the latest harvest in late October. The soil here is clay-based with a high concentration of chalk and iron (which provides the redness in the soil that may be responsible for the region's name, Rioja, meaning red). There is also significant concentration of limestone, sandstone and alluvial silt.
Among the Tintos, the best-known and most widely-used variety is Tempranillo. Other grapes used include Garnacha Tinta, Graciano, and Mazuelo. A typical blend will consist of approximately 60% Tempranillo and up to 20% Garnacha, with much smaller proportions of Mazuelo and Graciano. Each grape adds a unique component to the wine with Tempranillo contributing the main flavours and ageing potential to the wine; Garnacha adding body and alcohol; Mazuelo adding seasoning flavours and Graciano adding additional aromas.
With Rioja Blanco, Viura is the prominent grape (also known as Macabeo) and is sometimes blended with some Malvesia and Garnacha Blanca. In the white wines the Viura contributes mild fruitness, acidity and some aroma to the blend with Garnacha Blanca adding body and Malvasia adding aroma. Rosados are mostly derived from Garnacha grapes. The 'international varieties' of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have gained some attention and use through experimental plantings by some bodegas but their use has created wines distinctly different from the typical Rioja.
Some of the most sought after grapes come from the limestone/sandstone based 'old vine' vineyards in the Alavesa and Alta regions. These 40 year old plus vines are prized due to their low yields and more concentrated flavours. A unique DO regulation stipulates that the cost of the grapes used to make Rioja must exceed by at least 200% the national average of wine grapes used in all Spanish wines.
VINTAGE CHART
Rioja (Red) Year %
2004 Superb vintage, classic wines Drink or Hold 94
2003 Hot, dry year, long-ageing wines Drink or Hold 91
2002 Smallest vintage in 10 years. Variable quality.
Keep to top names Drink or Hold 87
2001 Excellent year for long ageing Reservas
and Gran Reservas Drink or Hold 94
2000 A generally good vintage with fine Reservas Drink or Hold 89
1999 Smaller vintage of good quality Drink or Hold 88
1998 Good vintage Drink or Hold 97
1997 Unexciting so far, but quaffable Drink or Hold 84
1996 Good year, plenty of ageing potential Drink or Hold 89
1995 Very good vintage, Reservas now showing excellent fruit Drink or Hold 92
1994 Outstanding, some great long-ageing wines Drink or Hold 94
1993 Lesser wines, apart from best-known names Drink 77
1992 Rather light vintage Drink 80
1991 Still improving, average quality Drink or Hold 85
1990 Fairly ordinary but quaffable Drink 84
1989 Good, firm structure Drink 88
Rioja Reserva & Gran Reserva – Vintages of the Eighties Year %
1989 Goodish vintage, well balanced Drink 88
1988 Fairly good vintage, well balanced wines Drink 88
1987 Very attractive vintage, now at peak Drink 90
1986 Average year, now drinking well Drink 87
1985 Average year, now drinking well Drink 87
1984 Disappointing, with problem weather Avoid 80
1983 Don't keep it any longer Drink 86
1982 Now past its best Drink 83
1981 Superb wines, finest will keep longer Drink 90
1980 Average vintage, don't keep any longer Drink 86
More vintage charts
Mp on weinlagen-info
|
|
