WineAlign

• By Michael Godel
  9/19/2018 (link)

  (La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza Reserva, Doca Rioja red) Subscribe to see review text.

• By John Szabo, MS
  9/19/2018 (link)

  (La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza Reserva, Doca Rioja red) Subscribe to see review text.

View From the Cellar

• By John Gilman
  May/Jun 2018, Issue #75, The Summer of 2018 Report On Spanish Wines

  (Rioja Reserva “Viña Ardanza”- La Rioja Alta) Subscribe to see review text.

Decanter

• By Panel Tasting
  Mature Rioja Panel Tasting March 2018, 11/14/2017 (link)

  (La Rioja Alta, Viña Ardanza, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, Red) Subscribe to see review text.

JancisRobinson.com

• By Richard Hemming, MW
  10/3/2017 (link)

  (La Rioja Alta, Viña Ardanza Reserva Rioja Red) Subscribe to see review text.

• By Richard Hemming, MW
  5/25/2017 (link)

  (La Rioja Alta, Viña Ardanza Reserva Rioja Red) Subscribe to see review text.

Decanter

• By Panel Tasting
  Premium red Rioja, 12/12/2016 (link)

  (La Rioja Alta, Viña Ardanza, Rioja, Mainland Spain, Spain, Red) Subscribe to see review text.

JamesSuckling.com

• By James Suckling
  12/1/2016 (link)

  (La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva, Spain) Subscribe to see review text.

RJonWine.com

• By Richard Jennings
  4/7/2018 (link) 94 points

  (La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva) Bricking, medium red violet color; aromatic, dried berry, dried cherry, raisin, dried fig nose; delicious, complex, silky textured, dried berry, cherry, fig, spice, licorice palate with good balancing acidity; long finish (80% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha)

Full Pull

• By Paul Zitarelli
  Full Pull La Rioja Alta, 1/26/2018

  (La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza Reserva) Hello friends. Today we have a pair of well-priced beauties from one of our list’s favorite Rioja houses: La Rioja Alta. I think we all love LRA so much because they’re old-school, but not painfully so. On a 1-10 scale where 1 is modern and 10 is old-school, I’d put LRA as a solid 7 or an 8. (Lopez de Heredia I’d put at 10; Ontanon at 4 or 5). Essentially, these are Rioja classics: true to this particular part of the world, but still retaining plenty of accessibility. Essentially, LRA has been stubborn in resisting modernity, going against the grain as much of Rioja has gotten bigger, riper, richer. For that, they are rewarded with love and admiration from those of us who care about terroir expression and who want our Rioja to taste like Rioja, not like new-world Tempranillo. Producers like LRA don’t follow the short-term winds of fashion. They play the long game. They think about how their winery will be viewed in decades, in centuries. Here is the wonderful writer Neal Martin, writing for Wine Advocate back in 2012: La Rioja Alta formed part of my ‘classic Rioja’ day that included Lopez de Heredia and Muga, the triumvirate of wineries in Haro all but a minute’s stroll from each other (which would have been fine, but for the spontaneous downpours). I have admired their wines for many years, Rioja that speaks so eloquently and with such clarity of their place. La Rioja Alta was founded in the town of Haro in 1890. They own 450 hectares of vineyard from which their entire portfolio is sourced, predominantly Tempranillo complemented by Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha. Another tenet is their use of American rather than French oak. The wood is cured for two years outdoors before being shaped and hammered into barrels at their own cooperage… Quite simply, these are some of the finest Riojas that can grace your cellar: complex, refined, classic but without compromising fruit intensity and to reiterate: wines that speak about where they come from.From an ‘MB’-rated vintage (Very Good; one step down from Excellent), this vintage of Ardanza has nevertheless already snagged a pair of outstanding reviews. Wine Advocate: Copyrighted material withheld. Decanter (Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, Sarah Jane Evans MW, Pierre Mansour): "PBT: The best classic style of Grenache and Tempranillo pulling together joyful fruit expression and serious depth. In the mouth it is amazingly complex and so unique. A benchmark Rioja blend. SJE: A rich, sweet and savoury Reserva style with all the red cherries and a strong Grenache influence. It is somewhat old-fashioned, in a good way, 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. Drink 2017-2024. 95pts." An 80/20 Tempranillo/Garnacha blend, this was aged for 2.5-3 years in American oak before blending/bottling in 2013. The wine has had another five years to develop in bottle, and it shows. Listed alc is 13.5%, and this kicks off with a nose full of maturing savories – cedar and soil and porcini mushrooms – to go with a core of black cherry fruit. If the Alberdi is all about energy, the Ardanza is all about intensity. This lights up the palate receptors with its extract and richness and sap. There’s real fruit succulence here – likely from the 20% Garnacha hit – and it pairs perfectly to Tempranillo’s leafy-earthy charm. The overall package is balanced and delicious, offering notable finishing chew, redolent of chamomile.