Vina Ardanza Reserva 2012

Garnacha is an important component in the 2012 Viña Ardanza Reserva, where it represents 20% of the blend (the rest is, of course, Tempranillo). 2011 was a difficult vintage for Garnacha, so Viña Ardanza was not produced that year and they jumped from 2010, which had the mention "Selección Especial," to 2012, where it returns to the regular Reserva. The wine is a prototype of polished and aged Rioja with a ruby color with some orange and a developed nose with subtle aromas of decayed leaves, sweet spices and some cherries in liqueur even, quite complex and harmonious. The palate is velvety but rich, with resolved tannins and a fine chalky mouthfeel, sleek and elegant, terribly balanced. The flavors are pure and defined, and there is an overall sense of harmony that I like very much. Brilliant Ardanza! They produced no less than 600,000 bottles of this wine, which is remarkable. It has been in bottle since March 2016, so it's very approachable but should also age nicely in bottle. Drink or keep. La Rioja Alta has purchased Rioja Santiago, another of the historical names in the Barrio de la Estación from Haro. They currently have 467 hectares of vineyards that supply 100% of their grape needs to produce close to 1.5 million bottles per year. These are classical Riojas for the most-traditional American-oak-loving public

Score: 94

Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2020-2030 30 October 2020