2000 La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza Reserva
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Tasting notes
80% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha . Sumptuous, sophisticated black fruit with creamy vanilla scent and wonderful cake spices and milk chocolate. Spot on, and with plenty of mileage still in the tank. (RH)
Critic scores
Jancis Robinson MW
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Mid to light ruby with development at the rim. Real class, density and nuance here. Well worth the premium for this much development and subtlety. Bravo! (JR)
Fading medium-red color. Cherry-vanilla, tobacco and dried raspberry on the nose, with subtle baking spices, cedar and herbs adding complexity. Suave red fruit flavors are sweetened by vanillin oak spices and gently propped up by silky tannins. An understated wine that's sure to be dismissed by those who find ostentation in wine a virtue, but this will work wonderfully with grilled or braised meats, or not-so-strong cheeses. And the length of this Rioja is pretty sneaky.
The 2000 Reserva Vina Ardanza has 25% Garnacha blended with the Tempranillo. Light to medium ruby, it delivers an enticing bouquet of cedar, spice box, leather, forest floor, black cherry, and blackberry. This leads to a ripe, moderately dense wine with complex flavors and excellent balance. Drink this tasty effort through 2015. La Rioja Alta continues to be one of the benchmarks for traditionally produced Rioja. What the wines may lack in power, they make up for in finesse and complexity. The winery has just released its first “modern-styled” Rioja, called Marques de Haro, and it is a success. Importer: Christopher Cannan, Europvin; www.riojalta.com
About the producer
Based in Haro, La Rioja Alta is one of Rioja’s most famous, traditional wine producers – alongside the likes of López de Heredia, Muga and CVNE.