Community Tasting Note

• Old School Fan wrote: 83 points

  June 22, 2015 - Very, very odd bottle of Ardanza. It was certainly off -- extremely oaky and almost no fruit. I suspect it was slightly corked as I know cork taint can manifest itself by killing fruit without its usual "damp basement" characteristic, but I'm not 100% convinced at this point.
  
  I'm a bit concerned about La Rioja Alta wines in general. Of a recent case of Vina Alberdi 2007, I'd say 5-6 bottles showed similarly -- very oaky vanilla and coconut and almost no fruit. They were actually very unpleasant. Now, I've tasted a similarly odd bottle of Ardanza. I've drunk too much great Ardanza (and Alberdi) so I know these bottles aren't typical, but I've had too much bad LRA lately.
  
  I did not mark this as "flawed" even though I am almost certain it is, because I'd like any feedback from others on what I've been experiencing with LRA.

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2 Comments

• sunnylea57 commented:

  6/22/15, 6:21 PM - Haven't had any issues with 04 Ardanza, but the last few bottles of 2001 LRA 904 have had an overpowering level of dill from the oak. Undrinkable. And a friend reported the same thing.

• belfast taxman commented:

  6/23/15, 1:54 AM - Personally I have always found Ardanza to be inconsistent - some great, some with very much the character that you describe. As for LRA in general, I recently tasted the 2001 904 GR and it showed promise for the future but I would agree that their position at near the summit of Rioja producers has slipped a bit of late. Lopez Heredia continue ever onwards and Murrieta seems in good form recently at least at GR level as well as Muga. I am no Rioja expert but I continue to delight in finding new producers or re-finding old ones. For recent Reservas I suggest Baron de Ley and Coto de Imaz in 2010

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