La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904 Tinto 2005
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Parker
Robert -
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Suckling
James -
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Spectator
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Product Details
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Winemaker Notes
Bright, deep cherry-red in color, with a light brick rim. Intense, elegant and complex aromas, with outstanding balsamic, vanilla, coconut, chocolate and truffle wrapped around a core of candied fruit. Well-balanced in the mouth, with elegant acidity and fine, silky, enveloping tannins. A long and complex finish, with hints of roasted coffee, spices, and candied fruit. A wine that continues to evolve and develop even more finesse and elegance in bottle during the passage of time.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2005 Gran Reserva 904 is a superb blend of Tempranillo from the villages of Briñas, Labastida and Villalba with 10% Graciano from Briones and Rodezno. The grapes were destemmed and crushed and fermented in stainless steel for 18 days at 25 C. Malolactic fermentation was spontaneous and lasted 38 days. These wines are marked by a long aging in used American oak barrels following the most strict Riojan tradition; four years during which time the wine was manually racked eight times. This is usually my favorite wine from La Rioja Alta and 2005 is one of its best showings, going back to the quality of the vintages of the 1950s and 60s. The nose is very balsamic with notes of camphor, hints of mint, leather and hung game wrapped around a core of cherries in liqueur. Together it is balanced, subtle, truly elegant and classical. The palate is only medium-bodied but with great concentration of flavors that are very tasty, mineral, almost salty and framed by ultra-fine tannins and smashing balance. A great classic. This wine will be released in October 2015, a full ten years after the vintage. At this quality level this is a bargain.
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Wine Enthusiast
One look, one whiff, one taste and you’re swooning. This mature, tawny, ready-to-drink gran reserve with aromas of lemon peel, cedar and dried cherry is the epitome of elegance. A juicy, supple palate is highly approachable, while flavors of vanilla, orange peel, saffron and dried plum don’t waver on the finish. Drink through 2027.
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James Suckling
Aromas of pine needles, ginger, red fruits and cedar. Mushroom too, plus bark and mint. Complex. Full body, ultra fine tannins and a tangy and bright finish. Makes you want to drink it. Made from 90% tempranillo with 10% graciano from 40+ year-old vineyards in the Briñas, Labastida and Villalba. Drink or hold.
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Wine & Spirits
A cellar selection from close to 20 estate parcels in Rioja Alta where the vines are at least 40 years old, this was bottled at the end of 2010, after aging in four-year-old barrels (La Rioja Alta changed its aging regime in 2001, shifting from longer aging in 15-year-old barrels to a shorter time in younger barrels). The firm makes its own barrels, from staves they age in-house, which may account for the finesse of the oak influence on this wine, and the cushioned gentleness of its texture. The fruit selection would account for its tremendous length of flavor, a combination of fruitiness and earthiness that parallels what you might find in a truffle. Delicate and luscious, this is a pleasure to drink now, though the reason to buy this wine is for the way it will taste and how the texture will feel in another five to 15 years.
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Wine Spectator
This old-school red delivers dried cherry, floral, licorice and leather flavors in a smooth texture, supported by light, firm tannins and orange peel acidity. The flavors are harmonious, the finish long and juicy.
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Decanter
It’s rare to see mature wine at this price tag; it is even rarer at this quality. Rated as an exceptional vintage, this 2005 is showing beautiful development with notes of sweet red cherry followed by a sweet spice and leather bouquet. While it is a powerful wine, it is also quite restrained and elegant thanks to the refreshing acidity, the subtle vanilla notes and the well-integrated tannins. This is the perfect match for roast lamb or even roasted game birds.
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Always evolving quality, elegance, innovation, evolution... They are the pillars on which the five founding families erected our winery in 1890 and built a way of living, feeling and producing wines of the highest quality that continue to evolve subtly, perfectly adapting to new tastes. This is how the permanent pursuit of excellence started; a pursuit that continues into the 21st century with identical enthusiasm. We draw the best from our winemaking tradition and wisdom —our own cooperage, manual racking, long ageing periods, etc.— and combine it with the most modern winemaking technology. Today, our wines are an international exemplar of the great wines of Rioja and our brands are present in the best restaurants across all continents.
Hailed as the star red variety in Spain’s most celebrated wine region, Tempranillo from Rioja, or simply labeled, “Rioja,” produces elegant wines with complex notes of red and black fruit, crushed rock, leather, toast and tobacco, whose best examples are fully capable of decades of improvement in the cellar.
Rioja wines are typically a blend of fruit from its three sub-regions: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental, although specific sub-region (zonas), village (municipios) and vineyard (viñedo singular) wines can now be labeled. Rioja Alta and Alavesa, at the highest elevations, are considered to be the source of the brightest, most elegant fruit, while grapes from the warmer and drier, Rioja Oriental, produce wines with deep color, great body and richness.