La Rioja Alta: Gran Reserva 904 Seleccion Especial 2016

La Rioja Alta: Gran Reserva 904 Seleccion Especial 2016

Zum Winzer

Tempranillo 90%, Graciano 10%
rot, trocken
14,0% Vol.
Trinkreife: 2026–2051
voluminös & kräftig
tanninreich
seidig & aromatisch
Lobenberg: 96–97/100
Parker: 96/100
Suckling: 97/100
Galloni: 97/100
Spanien, Rioja, Rioja Alta
Allergene: Sulfite,
96
/100

Parker über: Gran Reserva 904 Seleccion Especial

I tased again the stellar 2016 Gran Reserva 904, which is nothing short of being spectacular and a textbook example of the grand traditional style. It was produced with 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano from a selection of vineyards in search of balanced wines with silky tannins, good acidity, character, length and aging potential. The élevage is long, four years in used barrels that average 4.5 years of age, during which time the wine is manually racked every six months. It's ripe with 14.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.61 and 5.4 grams of acidity, but the wine is super fresh and complex, with aromas of cigar box, dry tea leaves, balsam, aromatic herbs, camphor, antique furniture and tobacco. It's elegant and intense, with pungent flavors and very good freshness, and it's silky-textured and nicely structured, with volume, clean, intense and long. This is a very complete year for this wine. It's ready, but it should last; it hasn't really moved an inch from last year. 120,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2021.

97
/100

Suckling über: Gran Reserva 904 Seleccion Especial

This shows tobacco leaf, smoky charcoal, red cherries. This is extremely elegant, with super polished tannins and a savory touch, long but almost ethereal in the expression of fruit. Long and detailed. This comes from vineyards planted in Briñas and Villalba close to the mountains. Drink or hold.

97
/100

Galloni über: Gran Reserva 904 Seleccion Especial

The 2016 Gran Reserva 904 from Rioja Alta is composed of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano. It aged for four years in American oak barrels, 20% of which were new. This has a slightly sun-kissed profile, opening with pronounced oaky aromas followed by classic tertiary notes of clove, licorice, vanilla and caramel, alongside hints of tobacco leaf and bay. This is complex in its maturity, offering good volume, creamy texture and a seamless flow across the palate. A touch of camphor appears at the finish, adding energy to the approachable character. The extended aging in oak defines the long, composed finale.

Verkostungsnotiz

Weingut über: Gran Reserva 904 Seleccion Especial

Probably one of the freshest, most sophisticated, and elegant Gran Reserva 904 in our history. The key lies in the extraordinary ripening of our Tempranillo and Graciano. Everything in its place at the perfect moment. I foresee a long and promising life in the bottle”. An outstanding vintage in both quality and quantity, with wines that stand out for their depth and persistence. Moderate and well-distributed rainfall throughout the cycle mitigated the effects of drought and summer temperatures. The wines exhibit remarkable acidity-alcohol balance, high aromatic intensity, and excellent tannin maturity. For us, a VERY GOOD (+) vintage, internally rated at 95 points. Handpicked in small crates, with an initial cluster selection in the vineyard, starting with Tempranillo, followed by Graciano a few days later. The grapes were transported refrigerated to the winery to preserve their integrity. After a second selection on an optical sorting table, natural alcoholic and malolactic fermentation took place. The selected wines were aged for four years in our own American oak barrels, with an average age of 4.5 years. Traditional racking was carried out every six months, and the wine was bottled in May 2021. Deep garnet red, with a bright and lively ruby rim. On the nose, it stands out for its high intensity and aromatic complexity. Initial notes of wild red berries, black cherry, and blueberries give way to an extensive range of aromas from its barrel aging—tobacco, black pepper, tea leaves, coffee, mocha, vanilla, and cinnamon—creating a fruity and balsamic bouquet. The palate is refined, balanced, and elegant, with outstanding freshness and smoothness thanks to polished, silky tannins that contribute to a sophisticated finish. Long, complex, and harmonious aftertaste. A wine for aging, yet in an ideal moment for enjoyment.

Jancis Robinson über: Gran Reserva 904 Seleccion Especial

Mid smudgy garnet. Sweetly mature with senescent fruits, sweet American oak with a touch of vanilla and the start of leathery, undergrowth tertiary notes. Invitingly complex and layered. And yet still fragrant with fruit. Just perfect for drinking now as all the flavours are intertwined and evolving and everything evolving evenly. Super-smooth, fresher than I had anticipated from the analysis but some alcoholic heat on the finish. Rounded, complete and complex. Old-school Rioja and none the worse for that. Smooth but still chewy tannins. A classic and satisfying wine with a long finish which showed itself fully as it opened in the glass. (JH)

Mein Winzer

La Rioja Alta

La Rioja Alta wurde 1877 in Haro gegründet und ist ihrer traditionellen Linie ohne Stilbruch stets treu geblieben. Als wohlverdientes Resultat einer derartigen Qualitätsphilosophie zählt das Haus gestern wie heute zu den renommiertesten der Rioja und ganz Spaniens.

Gran Reserva 904 Seleccion Especial 2016