La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza Reserva 2020

La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza Reserva 2020 is an iconic, highly refined Spanish red wine produced by La Rioja Alta in the heart of Rioja. Displaying a medium-high ruby red color with brick-orange highlights, it opens with complex aromas of ripe black cherries, wild strawberries, dried figs, incense, cedar, and vanilla, underpinned by hints of tobacco and leather. On the palate, it is medium-to-full-bodied with a velvety, polished texture, vibrant acidity, and fine-grained, well-integrated tannins leading to a long, savory finish.

Food Pairing: Pairs superbly with roasted lamb, grilled ribeye steak, venison, slow-cooked beef stews, duck breast, or cured Spanish manchego cheese.

95 Points - James Suckling

94 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The subtle, balsamic, structured and elegant 2020 Viña Ardanza Reserva is a blend of Tempranillo from Rioja Alta and around 20% Garnacha from Rioja Baja. It fermented destemmed in stainless steel and aged in American oak barrels, 20% of them new, for a period of 36 months in the case of the Tempranillo and 30 months for the Garnacha, then the two wines are blended before bottling. It's a textbook example of the label, with the perfume and elegance of the Garnacha and the clout from Tempranillo. It has clean aromas and is still quite fresh, only starting its tertiary phase. It comes in at 14.5% alcohol and keeps a pH of 3.57 and 5.7 grams of acidity. It's balanced, seamless and well-built, and its tannins are mostly resolved. It should live long in bottle. 500,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2024.

93 Points - Wine Spectator

A harmonious red, offering a lovely range of baked cherry and wild strawberry fruit, licorice root, tea rose and dried fig, all set on a plush texture as this unfolds, with refined, sculpted tannins. Savory mineral, herb, leather and spice notes linger on the finish. Tempranillo and Garnacha. Drink now through 2040.