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Its lively ruby hue gives you the first insight that the ’97 Rioja Gran Reserva 904 stands as a testament to the crystalline beauty of a classic Rioja. Like a toreador, it’s both graceful and powerful, masculine and lithe. A profusion of ripe wild cherries and berries greets the nose and mouth; manly notes of smoke, forest, and new leather join in; and the silky finish lingers, caressing your palate. Mostly Tempranillo with a touch of Graciano, this is a beautiful Rioja that’s vibrant with acidity, making it an excellent food wine. Drinking for the next three decades, likely longer.
- Country: Spain
- Region: Rioja
- Subregion: La Rioja Alta
- Commune/Village: Haro
One of the true founders of traditional Rioja. The Bodega was formed in 1890 as a partnership of 5 quality-conscious growers keen to exploit the export potential for well-made, ‘modern’ Rioja. At this time, French vineyards were ravaged by phylloxera, and connoisseurs had to look elsewhere for supplies of fine wine. Rioja, with its excellent climate and soils, had already attracted attention, and experiments with Bordeaux-style vinification and barrique-aging were proving very successful. The region’s only real disadvantage was its remoteness, cut off from the lucrative markets to the north by the same mountains that ensured its favorable climate. This problem was solved by construction of the rail link to Bilbao, and it is no coincidence that Bodegas La Rioja Alta was established next to the Haro railway station in the same year it opened.
It is not traditional in the Rioja for the great bodegas to own vineyards, but La Rioja Alta currently has 300 hectares in order to control and secure grapes of the highest quality, most of them in the subareas of Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa. The maximum production of the vineyards is 20% lower than the authorized production in La Rioja, increasing the quality of the grapes. The vineyards are planted on Clay-Marl soil.
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