LA RIOJA ALTA SA Rioja Gran Reserva 'Vina Arana' Rioja Alta 2016/17 Bottle

Description

La Rioja Alta S.A., formed in the late 19th century, is an iconic name in fine wine, renowned for its traditional Rioja style. Their Viña Arana Gran Reserva 2016 is a masterful expression of Tempranillo and Graciano, showcasing elegance and complexity. With a vibrant ruby colour and intense aromas, it reveals balsamic notes of brioche, vanilla, and toffee, alongside dark fruits like black plums and ripe blackcurrants. The palate is well-structured, balanced, and fresh, featuring smooth, polished tannins from careful oak ageing. Scoring 94 points from Wine Enthusiast, this wine marries bold intensity with refinement. Ideal for pairing with meats, stews, or chocolate desserts, it promises to elevate any dining experience. Enjoy now or cellar until 2026.

*****

Formed by five families in the late 19th century, the La Rioja Alta S.A. winery is one of the most iconic names in Fine Wine, and a benchmark for the traditional style of Rioja. Their Tempranillo-led reds are aged for remarkably long periods in barrels from the producer’s cooperage, and they are one of the last remaining producers to rack their wines by hand and by candlelight – which they do every six months. While they always upheld standards and tradition, La Rioja Alta S.A. never stopped experimenting and pushing for better quality, offering some of the purest, more precise expressions of Tempranillo in the world.

Clean and bright, with an elegant ruby colour, medium-high intensity and garnet rim. The nose is intense and fragrant and reveals a complex array of balsam notes, brioche, toasted bread, vanilla, toffee and cinnamon as well as fine aromas of black plums, wild strawberries, ripe blackcurrants and red berries, creating a fruity and balsamic bouquet. On the palate, the wine is well structured and balanced, with a pleasant freshness and smooth, polished tannins, thanks to its careful ageing in oak barrels. The finish is fresh and delicate, with a lingering aftertaste. Particularly recommended with all kinds of meats, stews, seasoned fish, and desserts with chocolate couverture or red berries. Perfect as an after-dinner drink.

WINE ENTHUSIAST 94 points
Bold, forthright, generous, this Rioja has intensity and freshness with plenty of length. Aromas and flavors of bruised, dark fruits, truffles, spices, earthiness and a refreshing lift of something almost minty. Refined, persistent tannins and palate stimulation bring satisfaction. — Elaine Chukan Brown

JAMES SUCKLING 94 points
Beautiful transparency here with fresh flowers, green tobacco, pine needles, crushed stones and sandalwood. Dark fruits in the center. Full-bodied with a wonderful balance of fruit and fine tannins as well as mineral, fresh bark and delicate purple fruit. Subtlety with energy. Youthful now and drinkable, but even better in 2026.

JANCIS ROBINSON 17.5+ points
Mature notes of coffee and black chocolate layer over the very savoury dark fruit; yet there is also tons of freshness, and the tannins are very elegantly integrated. The perfumed finish goes on forever. (FG)

THE WINE ADVOCATE 93 points
Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez
Drink Date: 2024 - 2032
The 2016 Viña Arana Gran Reserva is an elegant blend of Tempranillo with 5% Graciano matured in used American oak barrels for three years. During this time, the wine was manually racked from barrel to barrel, with the help of a candle, six times. It's ripe at 14.5% alcohol, with pungent notes of forest floor and truffles, dark spices and an earthy touch. It has a powerful palate, with very good freshness and acidity, reflecting the cooler year. It has some tannins that would welcome food. 60,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2021.

The Gran Reserva 904 carries the mention "Selección Especial" in the 2015 vintages for the first time in its 120 years of history. It follows the 2011 vintage and was released in April 2023. They now have 587 hectares of vineyard that allow them to produce 100% of the grapes they use for their 1.5 million bottles. This is one of the most traditional addresses in Rioja. and they release the wines quite late and have the equivalent of eight years in stock.
Published: Feb 29, 2024

DECANTER 90 points
Tasted by: Natalie Earl
(at London, 17 Apr 2024)
Drinking Window: 2024 - 2034
With its complex evolved characters and general grand stature, this seems a good wine to take to a special birthday or a long lunch. Vanilla and toast merge into notes of leather and horse saddle, cinnamon, cedar, bark, dried fruit and plum compote. Drink this sooner rather than later.