We have secured a good volume of stock at an attractive price and are able to offer this wine at the same price whether you order magnums or bottles. Based on yesterday’s tasting the wine is drinking well now, although there is clearly considerable potential for cellarage. Our advice to those looking to store this vintage over the longer term is to buy magnums as this format will slow the wine’s natural evolution.
A recent tasting threw the new vintage of a favourite from last year into the limelight, namely 2004 Vina Ardanza, Rioja Reserva – the latest release from La Rioja Alta. This is comfortably one of the great Rioja estates, melding traditionalism with the clarity of modern wine-making. In short, this estate has delivered great value over the years; wines that drink upon release and yet are capable of surprising in their later years.
The 2001 vintage that we released last year may have been given the designation of Reserva Especial but frankly our impression of the 2004 puts the more recent vintage it ahead. Interestingly, wine critic Neal Martin, who writes on Robert Parker’s website is of the same thought, awarding each wine an identical score: 93/100.
2004 Viña Ardanza Reserva, La Rioja Alta
£110 per six bottles in bond
£220 per six magnums in bond
93 points, Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate
The 2004 Vina Ardanza is a blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha from 30-year-old vines in Fuenmayor and Cenicero. It is aged for 36 months in four-year-old American oak. It has a very enticing bouquet with dark cherry, Christmas cake, dried fig and espresso with fine delineation and bags of exuberance. The palate is medium-bodied with taut tannins, underpinned by a keen citric thread that cuts through the licorice-tinged, dark berry and allspice-tinged fruit with style. It is simply delicious on the bittersweet finish. Drink 2013- 2020+
My note from yesterday afternoon:
This vintage is deep in the glass with aromas of soft-skinned dark berry fruit, fruitcake, vanilla and tobacco leaf. There is a greater vibrancy here than I recall in the 2001 – this is a more aromatic, lifted style. This impression is confirmed on the already captivating palate that shows terrific complexity for a Rioja of this level. What impresses most is the silkiness of the tannins – this is an incredibly sleek, refined Reserva, the extended maturation in oak has clearly rounded the abundant dusky berry fruit and yet retained that slightly tangy citrus note that is common to many wines from La Rioja Alta. An impressive wine and, for me , the finest Ardanza Reserva I can recall. Drinking now until 2018, perhaps beyond if in magnum.
Please let us know at your earliest convenience of your interest.