From one of the most iconic wineries in Europe, this is a Gran Reserva that is age-worthy yet offers incredible drinking pleasure from the moment it is released.
In its 50th Anniversary bottling, this is a stunning wine that balances freshness with intensity, body and sophistication.
This is not a bruising powerhouse of a Gran Reserva, it is an elegant showing an intense, fragrant and layered nose with flavours of balsam, toasted brioche, vanilla, toffee and cinnamon over ripe black plums, strawberries, red and blackcurrants filling out a bouquet that you'd happily sit with for hours. The palate is incredibly finely structured with a delightfully approachable freshness and incredibly smooth, polished tannins, on account of the careful ageing in hand-made, American oak barrels, all of which are made on site in the winery's own cooperage.
One of the iconic wines of the region, this is available in very limited quantities.
Made from a blend of 95% Tempranillo and 5% Graciano, the grapes are grown on vines with an average age of 60 years, that come from some of the most sought-after vineyard areas in the whole of Rioja, let alone the Rioja Alta subzone. They really do get the pick of the best sites: they demand it because they are so important: they are so important because they are just so good.
Established in 1890 the winery of La Rioja Alta began as a co-operative of five Rioja and Basque families as a vehicle for making wine from the grapes they grew. The building was strategically placed in the 'station district' of the town of Haro, where it still is today, so as to be able to transport wine to export markets with relative ease. Their first president was Doña Saturnina García Cid y Gárate and the first winemaker was a chap called Monsieur Vigier, who, like so many French winemakers, left the phylloxera-ravaged vineyards of his own land to look for winemaking opportunities in other European countries. The first Reserva made in 1890 was the predecessor of today's Gran Reserva 890. And in 1904 one of the founding members, Don Alfredo Ardanza, suggested a merger between the new La Rioja Alta winery and the other winery that he owned, Bodega Ardanza, and the structure was set for the subsequent 120 years. They celebrated that merger with a Reserva that they called 1904, which was the predecessor of today's 904 Gran Reserva. In 1974 they replaced their very traditional "6 Años" with Viña Arana Gran Reserva and it has become a key part of the offering in their range, sitting alongside their Reserva offerings of Ardanza and Alberdi.
It is a very special bottle and the winery themselves describe it as an ideal wine for meat, seafood and chocolate desserts and mention that it's best without spicy food, finishing up by saying that it is ideal as an after-dinner drink. They really are our kind of winery...
Arana Gran Reserva 2016 scores
95 Points James Suckling
96 Points Guia Peñin
93 Points Parker
Region: Rioja Alta
Country: Spain
Grape(s): Tempranillo, Mazuelo, Graciano, Garnacha
Style: Svelte, Soft, Smooth, Silky, Pure, Profound, Perfumed, Organic, Medium Bodied, Meditation, Iconic, Fruity, Fresh, Elegant, Complex, Bright, Balanced
Best food matches: Wild Boar, Warm Salads, Venison, Veal, Steak, St Stephen's Day, Soft Cheeses, Sausages, Salads, Roasts, Red Meats, Poultry, Mature Cheeses, Lamb, Hard Cheeses, Grills, Grilled Vegetables, Game, Fine Dining, Duck, Christmas Dinner, Cheeses, Charcuterie, Beef
Alcohol: 14.5%
