Blog » 890
-
The Crescendo of La Rioja Alta: Gran Reserva 890 & 904
Today, I'm happy to offer a range of La Rioja Alta's Gran Reserva 890 & 904, including their flagship 2009 Viña Ardanza at $40 per bottle.
Gran Reserva 904 comes from vines with an average age of 60-yrs-old comprised of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano. Gran Reserva 890 comes from La Rioja Alta's very oldest vines, with 95% Tempranillo, supplemented by just 3% Graciano and 2% Mazuelo. Like all aged Rioja, both 904 and 890 take on notes tobacco, leather, cinnamon, bright red cherry, and a finish with very subtle vanilla bean and coconut.
But as you imagine, these aged reservas flaunt deeply layered and complex notes, all interwoven seamlessly with an unrelenting and haunting finish that exemplifies what Grand Cru level Rioja is all about. Examples going back to 1973 have been some of the most memorable wine experiences I've ever had. But, make no mistake, the extended aging at the winery means each is ready for prime time tonight.
Five families in 1890 from Rioja and the Basque country founded Sociedad Vinícola de La Rioja Alta with a common goal of making age-worthy, grand wines. Located just across the street from Lopez de Heredia, La Rioja Alta also has come to be respected as a prime address for terroir-driven Rioja, emphasizing elegance and transparency of Tempranillo at a time when a more extractive and heavy-handed style has come to garner the 100-point-scores.
Traditional winemaking in Rioja is centered around using American oak for aging. All barrels are air dried and manufactured on site, a rarity in the world of wine that allows for ideal quality control. At La Rioja Alta barrels utilized for aging are more aged and neutral, limiting the overt American oak flavors of coconut and dill that tend to dominate modern producers here, masking the more earth-inflected, tobacco, and red cherry notes that make Rioja one of a kind.
Rigorous selection of grapes is the foundation of producing world-class wines for so many decades here. Small refrigerated boxes are used to transfer clusters from the vineyards to the winery. The success at the estate over the years have given way to a brand new winery in 1996 where no expense was spared. La Rioja Alta marries the great tradition of winemaking in this region with the modern advancements now giving clean, precise, and soulful wines of place.- 1964, 1970, 1973, 1976, 1978, 1985, 2000, 2007, 2009, 2010, 890, 904, Club de Cosechadores, Gran Reserva, Haro, La Rioja Alta, reserva, Rioja, Vina Ardanza, Vina Ardanza Late Release
Recent Articles
-
The Crescendo of La Rioja Alta: Gran Reserva 890 & 904 September 30, 2019
Tags
- 1.5
- 1.5l
- 12
- 1954
- 1959
- 1961
- 1964
- 1966
- 1967
- 1968
- 1969
- 1970
- 1973
- 19731978
- 1974
- 1976
- 1978
- 1979
- 1980's
- 1983
- 1985
- 1986
- 1988
- 1989
- 1990
- 1990's
- 1991
- 1992
- 1993
- 1994
- 1995
- 1996
- 1997
- 1998
- 1999
- 1er
- 1er cru
- 2000
- 2001
- 2002
- 2004
- 2005
- 2006
- 2007
- 2008
- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
- 2012
- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 36
- 3L
- 4 Monos
- 5 ano
- 6 ano
- 6 pack
- 750
- 890
- 904
- a grana
- a.j. adam
- abrossar
- accomasso
- Aglianico
- al
- alain
- albacete
- albahra
- albarin
- Albarino
- albe
- Albillo
- aldo conterno
- Alex Foillard
- alfonso torrente
- Alfredo
- alicante
- alicante bouchet
- Aligote
- Allemand
- almonds
- Alsace
- alte
- alter holle
- Alto Piemonte
- alzinger
- Amarone
- Amity
- amphore
- Anjou
- anne boisson
- antle vineyard
- Antonio galloni
- antoniolo
- arbois
- Arbois-Pupillin
- arboreus
- argile
- Arinto
- Arnaud Ente
- arnot roberts
- Arnot-roberts
- asili
- atalier
- atoine foucault
- Aubert de Villaine
- Auguste Clape
- auslese
- Australia
- austria
- austrian
- aux combottes
- Aux Malconsorts
- auxey duresses
- Auxey-Duresses
- avize
- avni
- ayler
- baby margaux
- back vintage
- Baden
- Baga
- bairrada
- balnc
- balthazar
- bandol
- Barbaresco
- Barbera
- barbera d'alba
- Barolo
- Barossa Valley
- Barraida
- barrigards
- bartelemy
- bassenon
- Basso
- bastardo
- batard montrachet
- Bates Ranch
- BB
- bea
- Beaujolais
- Beaujolais-Villages
- Beaune
- beauroy
- Beaux Bruns
- Beer
- Benanti
- benchmark
- benedict
- benje
- benje tinto
- bentrock
- Bereche
- bernard
- Bianco
- bien nacido
- bienvenues
- bienvenues batard
- Bierzo
- bilbro
- bildstock
- biodynamic
- biondi
- blanc
- blanc de blancs
- blanco
- blau
- blonde
- Blot
- blue fruit
- Bockenauer
- boisson
- Bollinger
- bonnes mares
- Bordeaux
- boudignon
- boudots
- boulay
- bourg
- Bourgogne
- bourgogne blanc
- Bourgogne Rouge
- Bourgueil
- bouschet
- Branco
- bressandes
- bretonniere
- Breze
- brovia
- BruEmm
- brunate
- brunate-Le coste
- brune
- Brunella di Montalcino
- Brunello di Montalcino
- brut
- brut nature
- bruyeres
- Buddha's Dharma
- bugundy
- bunker hill
- burguet
- Burgundy
- Cabernet Franc
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- california
- camino
- Campania
- Canary Islands
- canneyt
- cannubi
- cannubi (san lorenzo)
- Cappellano
- cappuccio
- carema
- Carignan
- carinyena
- carmenere
- caroline morey
- Carricante
- Cascina
- cascina franca
- Cascina Francia
- Cassis
- castell
- cava
- Caves San Joao
- celler
- ceps centenaires
- Cerasuolo di Vittoria
- cerbaiona
- cerrete
- certified
- cevins
- Chablis
- chache
- Chaillot
- chalk
- chambertin
- Chambeyron
- chambolle
- Chambolle Musigny
- Chambolle-Musigny
- Champ Gain
- Champagne
- champange
- champans
- champs gains
- chapelle des bois
- Chardonnay
- chardoonay
- Charlemagne
- charlie trotter
- charlopin
- Charmes
- charpentrie
- charvin
- Chassagne Montrachet
- Chateau
- Chateau Thivin
- Chateauneuf-du-Pape
- Chavaroche
- Chave
- Chavignol
- Chenas
- chenes
- chenin
- Chenin Blanc
- Cherbaudes
- chevalier
- chevalier montrachet
- chevalieres
- chianti
- Chianti Classico
- Chichee
- chinato
- Chiroubles
- chiusa spagnolo
- Christiane
- Christoph Schaefer
- Cinque
- cinsault
- Ciro Picariello
- citrine
- Clair-Dau
- Clairette
- Clape
- Classique
- clos
- Clos David
- clos de guichaux
- Clos de la Grand Coeur
- clos de la grand cour
- clos de la marchale
- Clos de la ROche
- Clos de la Roilette
- Clos de la Rue
- clos des aigrots
- clos des chenes
- Clos des Ducs
- Clos des Mouches
- clos du bourg
- Clos du Chapitre
- clos du chateau des ducs
- clos du roy
- Clos du Verseuil
- CLos Prieur
- clos rougeard
- Clos Saint-Joseph
- clos st. jacques
- Clos Vougeot
- Club de Cosechadores
- clusel roch
- co
- Coastal
- Coche
- Coche-Dry
- Colin
- collier
- Collines Rhodaniennes
- Collio
- collio goriziano
- Collita Roja
- Combe Aux Moines
- combottes
- complantee
- Comte de Vogue
- Comtes Lafon
- conterno
- contrada
- contrada barbabecchi
- contrada campo RE
- contrada feudo di mezzo
- contrada zottorinoto
- Corbieres
- Corison
- Cornas
- cornelissen
- cornu
- Corse
- Corsica
- Cortese
- corton
- corton-bressandes
- coste
- Cotat
- cote
- Cote Brune
- Cote de Brouilly
- cote de nuits
- Cote Rotie
- Côte-Rôtie
- Coteaux Bassenon
- coteaux champenois
- Coteaux de Dijon
- Cotes de Provence
- Cotes du Rhone
- Coulee de serrant
- county
- CR
- Cras
- Crinquand
- crozes
- Crozes-Hermitage
- cru
- cry
- CS
- cuvee
- cuvee alexandrine
- cuvee reserve
- Cuvee Syrah
- Cuvee Tradition
- cuvee vigne alte
- d'alba
- d'angerville
- Dagueneau
- dard
- dd
- de
- De Montille
- de valtuille
- del
- dervieux
- dessus
- dexter
- Di Co
- Di Costanzo
- Dogliani
- Dolcetto
- Dolomites
- domaine
- Domaine Chave
- Domaine de la Cadette
- Domaine de la Cote
- Domaine de la Cras
- domaine de la romanee conti
- Domaine du Bagnol
- domestic
- dominik Huber
- dominique
- Domprobst
- double magnum
- DRC
- dry
- duc des nauves
- Dujac
- dutraive
- east block
- Echezeaux
- edmond
- Egon Muller
- Egon Müller Scharzhofberger
- Eichberg
- El Marciano
- el rapolao
- electric
- eleven madison park
- emidio
- emilien
- En Champans
- En Combe Roy
- en coteaux
- en reugne
- encinas
- enfield
- enfield wine co
- Eola
- eric
- estate
- Etna
- Evening Land
- experience
- extra brut
- Falanghina
- Farella Vineyard
- fass 12
- fass 7
- faury
- faviken
- fellom ranch
- Felseneck
- figari
- Fiorina
- Fixin
- Fleurie
- folatieres
- Fontanasanta
- food tread
- for ross-seaview
- Foradori
- forest
- forets
- forjas del salnes
- fossati
- fourrier
- fox hill
- France
- francesco
- Francia
- franco fiorina
- Francomar
- frank
- Frappato
- Frauenberg
- frederic
- Freisa
- french laundy
- fresh
- freu
- fritz haag
- Friulano
- Friuli
- Frohlich
- Fronholz
- Frühlingsplätzchen
- fruity
- Fuoripista
- G.B. Burlotto
- Gamay
- Garnacha
- Gattinara
- Gaudry
- Gavi
- Genevieres
- Genevrieres
- gentaz
- gerard
- Germain
- German
- Germany
- gevrey
- gevrey chambertin
- Gevrey-Chambertin
- geyserville
- GG
- ghemme
- Ghislaine Barthod
- giacomo
- Gigondas
- Gilles
- ginger
- giulia
- giuseppe
- gnemiz
- godello
- gold standard
- Goldkapsel
- goliardo
- gonon
- Gouges
- Goulots
- Gour de Chaule
- Goutorbe
- Graach
- graillot
- Gramenon
- gran reserva
- Granato
- granbussia
- grance
- grand
- grand chaillot
- Grand Colline
- Grand Cru
- Grands Charrons
- Grands-Echezeaux
- Granite Terroir
- graviers
- Greco di Tufo
- Grenache
- Grenache Gris
- greves
- griffe de marquis
- Grille midi
- griotte
- Griotte Chambertin
- Griotte-Chambertin
- grolleau
- Grosjean
- Grotte Alte
- gruenchers
- gruner veltliner
- gruyaches
- guiberteau
- hajo
- halbtrocken
- Halenberg
- halgans
- happy canyon
- Haro
- haut
- haut medoc
- haute-cotes de beaune
- Hautes cote de nuits
- hayne vineyard
- haynes
- haynes chardonnay
- hectare
- henri jayer
- Henri Roch
- hermitage
- Hermitage Blanc
- Hermtage
- heron lake
- Herve
- Hills
- hillsides
- himmelreich
- Hirotake ooka
- hommage
- hope well
- Hubacker
- hubert
- huet
- IGP
- IGT
- indiana jones
- iron fist
- italian
- Italy
- jaboulet
- Jacky
- jacques
- Jacquesson
- jamet
- jasmin
- jean luc
- jean michel stephan
- jean-marie
- Jean-Michel
- jeroboam
- jewel
- jj prum
- joao
- joguet
- john lockwood
- Joly
- Joseph Drouhin
- Juge
- julian haart
- Jura
- kabinett
- Kallstadter
- Karthäuserhof
- keller
- king
- kings vineyard
- kirschenmann
- Klaus Peter Keller
- koehler
- koehler-ruprecht
- Kronos Vineyard
- kupp
- kye
- l'esprit
- l'etonnat monsieur victor
- l;ultime
- La Baronne
- La Bidode
- La Charme Aux Pretes
- la charmes aux pretres
- La Chatelaine
- la chavaroche
- la claudrina
- la combe
- la del vivo
- la fresnaye
- la Geynale
- La Ghibellina
- La guiraude
- la landonne
- la madonne
- La Rioja Alta
- la ripaille
- la taille aux loups
- La Tournebride
- la vitoriana
- lafarge
- langhe
- Languedoc
- lanson
- Late Release
- Latour
- Lavaux Saint Jacques
- le chapitre
- le clos
- le coste
- le cupole
- le haut-lieu
- le macchiole
- le mesnil
- le mont
- Le Pied de la Rue
- le poutet
- le pur
- Le trame
- le trezin
- Ledru
- Leflaive
- leroy
- Les Amoureuses
- les arboises
- Les Arvelets
- Les Barrigards
- les baudes
- les beaux regards
- Les Bons Batons
- les caillerets
- Les Cazetiers
- les chaffots
- les champs canet
- les champs perdrix
- Les Chapaudaises
- les chaumees
- les chevalieres
- Les Crais
- les cran
- Les Cras
- Les Fuees
- les grandes places
- les grands charrons
- Les Grands Epenots
- les longeroies
- Les macherelles
- les manyes
- Les Minots
- Les Mitans
- les monts fournois
- les motelles
- les moulins
- Les Pallieres
- Les Petits Monts
- Les petits Vougeots
- les peyrouses
- Les Pezerolles
- Les Referts
- les rieux
- Les Rougeots
- Les Rugiens
- Les Rugiens-Bas
- Les Sentiers
- Les Suchots
- Les Taillepieds
- Les Tillets
- les tosses
- Les Veroilles
- Lessona
- Levet
- library
- Lieu Dit en Papolet
- lieu-dit
- lignier
- Limestone
- limit
- lisbon
- listan blanco
- listan prieto
- little hill
- little hillwest block
- loibner
- loire
- Loire Valley
- Lopez de Heredia
- Lousas
- Lovamor
- low sulphur
- lust
- lychee
- lytton springs
- Macabeau
- Macon
- Maestro
- magic
- Magma
- Magnon
- magnum
- mahle
- mailloche
- Mainin
- malbec
- Malvasia
- Manzoni Bianco
- Marc Roy
- margalagua
- Margaux
- marl
- marquis
- marsannay
- marsanne rousanne
- martinenga
- Mascarello
- Maxime
- Mazis-Chambertin
- McLaren Vale
- mead ranch
- Mediterranean
- medoc
- Meix Chavaux
- Melon
- Melon de Bourgogne
- Mencia
- mendocino
- Mercurey
- Merlot
- Mersault
- mes favorites
- messorio
- Meursault
- michel lafarge
- migan
- mimis mind
- mind bending
- mineral
- mix pack
- moccagatta
- Moillard
- Mondeuse Blanche
- monfortino
- Mongeard
- monopole
- montbenault
- Monte bello
- montee de tonnere
- Montee de Tonnerre
- montefico
- montevertine
- Monthelie
- montmains
- montrachet
- monttrachet
- monvigliero
- morey
- morey saint denis
- Morey-Saint-Denis
- Morgon
- Mosel
- mosel saar ruwer
- moulin de tricot
- Moulin-a-Vent
- mount carmel
- mount eden
- mountains
- mourvedre
- Muenchberg
- Mugneret
- mugnier
- munjebel
- Muscadet
- musigny
- musingy
- N block
- N-Block
- Nahe
- nanclares
- napa
- Napa Valley
- narvaux
- native yeast
- natur
- Nebbiolo
- nerello
- Nerello Mascalese
- Nero d'Avola
- Nero di Lupo
- niellucciu
- no additives
- non-vintage
- north coast
- Northen Rhone
- northern California
- Northern Rhone
- Nosiola
- nouvelle R
- Nuits
- nuits saint george
- nuits saint georges
- Nuits-Saint-Georges
- NV
- oak
- oberberg
- Occhipinti
- off dry
- oger
- old vine
- Oregon
- organic
- osso san grato
- Ostertag
- oubilee
- ouilee
- outis
- outlier
- Overnoy
- oyster
- PA
- palo blanco
- paolo
- paolo bea
- paraje mina
- parcela novo
- parcela seoane
- Pardas
- Parr
- paso robles
- patchwork
- Patrick Baudouin
- pauillac
- pax
- pearl
- pelican
- Penedes
- pepe
- pergole torte
- pernand vergelesses
- perre
- Perrieres
- persan
- peter lauer
- peter martin ray
- petillant
- petit verdot
- Petite Arvine
- petite syrah
- Peyrouses
- Pezerolles
- Pfalz
- Pfersigberg
- pian del ciampolo
- pichon
- pie
- Pie franco
- pie rupestris
- Piedmont
- piedmontese
- pierre
- pierre gonon
- pierre Yves Colin Morey
- Pietra Marina
- pigs stomach
- Pinot Grigio
- Pinot GRis
- pinot meunier
- Pinot Noir
- piuze
- Plaisir
- Ploussard
- Poco do Lobo
- podere
- Podere le Boncie
- Podere S. Giuseppe
- Poignee de Raisins
- Pommard
- ponca
- porcaria
- porto
- Portugal
- poruzots
- poruzots-dessus
- Poulsard
- pre-phylloxera
- premier
- premier cru
- premier cry
- pretty horses
- priorat
- Produttori
- produttori del barbaresco
- Prousots
- Provence
- PT
- pucelles
- puffeney
- pugnane di castiglione
- puligny
- Puligny Montrachet
- Puligny-Montrachet
- pulingy montrachet
- puy
- PYCM
- QBA
- qualitatswein
- R
- rabaja
- Raj
- Rajat
- Ramonet
- raul perez
- ravera
- Rayas
- raymond
- red
- red blend
- reduction
- reflet d'Antan
- reiserva speciale
- remensis rose
- remi jobard
- Renaissance
- Rene Engel
- reserva
- reserve
- Reynard
- rheinberg
- rheingau
- Rheinhessen
- Rhone
- rias baixas
- ribeira sacra
- ribo
- Ribolla Gialla
- Ridge
- ried
- Riesling
- right bank
- rinaldi
- Rioja
- riserva
- roasted slope
- Robert michel
- roberto santana
- Roccalini
- rodchen
- rodrigo mendez
- romanee
- ronco
- rosae
- Rose
- rose-marie
- rosso
- rosso de veo
- Rosso di Montalcino
- rostaing
- Rouge
- Rougeard