La Rioja Alta

Reserva Viña Ardanza Rioja Tempranillo Garnacha

9.1659 ratings
9.175 pro ratings
La Rioja, Spain
Tempranillo, Garnacha
Lamb, Tomato-Based, Polenta, Hard Cheese, Pork, Beef, Pasta, Mushrooms, Soft Cheese, Chicken, Venison, Exotic Spices, Potato, Turkey, Beans & Peas, Herbs, Baking Spices, Pungent Cheese, Duck, Salami & Prosciutto, White Rice, Chili & Hot Spicy, Lasagna, Pizza, Barbecue, Mexican Cuisine, Onion, Shallot, Garlic, Paella
Top Notes For
Tom Kobylarz

Always a winner and always a great deal. 2015 marks 125 vintages of wine made by La Rioja Alta. Bright red and savory fruit, excellent acidity and fine grain tannin. Elegant plum, cherry, and strawberry spiked with spice, meat and a touch of leather. Refined and mature wine does not get better than this at this price (abt $25). 80% Tempranillo from Rioja Alta and 20% Garnacha (Grenache) from vineyards in the eastern Baja section of #rioja #spain
#reserva #lariojaalta

Always a winner and always a great deal. 2015 marks 125 vintages of wine made by La Rioja Alta. Bright red and savory fruit, excellent acidity and fine grain tannin. Elegant plum, cherry, and strawberry spiked with spice, meat and a touch of leather. Refined and mature wine does not get better than this at this price (abt $25). 80% Tempranillo from Rioja Alta and 20% Garnacha (Grenache) from vineyards in the eastern Baja section of #rioja #spain
#reserva #lariojaalta

5 people found it helpfulOct 4th, 2015
Mike Lee

Beverage Manager/Sommelier Catch Miami

8.8

Soft & round. Fine grain tannins, peppery cherry, ripe raspberry, blackberry & plum, plus a ton of spice in the nose. Nicely transferred to the palate. Seems like a hot vintage.

Soft & round. Fine grain tannins, peppery cherry, ripe raspberry, blackberry & plum, plus a ton of spice in the nose. Nicely transferred to the palate. Seems like a hot vintage.

4 people found it helpfulNov 28th, 2014
Wil Demandt

2005
drank at sea between Helsinki and Stockholm 🍷

2005
drank at sea between Helsinki and Stockholm 🍷

2 people found it helpfulAug 5th, 2016
Scott Wren

Can taste the American oak. A little hot. Not a fan.

Can taste the American oak. A little hot. Not a fan.

Oct 19th, 2016
Charles Rivas

2005 and showing some age that only lends to the complexity. Good fruit still remains and lingers on the finish.

2005 and showing some age that only lends to the complexity. Good fruit still remains and lingers on the finish.

Oct 10th, 2016
Tom Riley

2005. Been away from such pronounced American oak for a while. Jarring on its own but meshes nicely with a grilled ribeye steak. Classic Rioja profile. You'd never know it's 11 years old. Fruit is bright and clean; concentration and structure in spades. Happily the oak is beginning to fade an hour in. Acid is perky. A wine that insists you pay attention to it.

2005. Been away from such pronounced American oak for a while. Jarring on its own but meshes nicely with a grilled ribeye steak. Classic Rioja profile. You'd never know it's 11 years old. Fruit is bright and clean; concentration and structure in spades. Happily the oak is beginning to fade an hour in. Acid is perky. A wine that insists you pay attention to it.

Sep 4th, 2016
Anna Marie Dos Remedios

Rich. Burnt caramel. Roasted. Smoky. Nice mouthfeel. A circus girl's pantaloons. Yes. We just said that.

Rich. Burnt caramel. Roasted. Smoky. Nice mouthfeel. A circus girl's pantaloons. Yes. We just said that.

Aug 6th, 2016
Peter Sultan

Grainier, less smooth & svelte than 2001, but just as enjoyable. If anything more like a Rio Alta than that uber vintage...

Grainier, less smooth & svelte than 2001, but just as enjoyable. If anything more like a Rio Alta than that uber vintage...

Apr 19th, 2016
Daniel Penhos

Intense vanilla and cinnamon aromas. Tart and green tannins. Red fruits such as raspberry and cherry with a long finish.

Intense vanilla and cinnamon aromas. Tart and green tannins. Red fruits such as raspberry and cherry with a long finish.

Mar 26th, 2016
Cannon Smith

Wow...I heart this. I wish I had decanted it about 6 hours earlier. Opened into ripe plums and stone with round tannins.

Wow...I heart this. I wish I had decanted it about 6 hours earlier. Opened into ripe plums and stone with round tannins.

Jan 25th, 2016