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“Quite simply, these are some of the finest Riojas that can grace your cellar: complex, refined, classic but without compromising fruit intensity and to reiterate: wines that speak about where they come from.” Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate
“La Rioja Alta […] number among the world's most aromatically complex, food-friendly wines-wines that can truly stand comparison to the top Bordeaux and Burgundies.” Stephen Tanzer, Vinous Media
Viña Arana Gran Reserva 2012 is an exciting addition to the portfolio of La Rioja Alta, sitting below the highly-reputed 890 and 904 Gran Reservas in price, yet made with the same painstaking care and attention to detail.
The blend consists of 95% Tempranillo from 40-year-old vines in Las Cuevas, El Palo and Las Monjas in Rodezno, complemented with 5% Graciano from the Montecillo estate in Fuenmayor. The Graciano gives the wine an aromatic intensity and acidity, to carry the structure and elegance of the Tempranillo. The grapes are vinified separately in three-year-old American oak for three years, and racked as few times as possible. After blending, it was given a further three years in bottle to mature.
2012 was marked by drought in Rioja until rains arrived in September, refreshing the vines and allowing the grapes to attain perfect ripeness with superb concentration of flavour. These excellent conditions lead directly to the creation of Arana Gran Reserva.
The wine was named after one of the families that have long been at the helm of La Rioja Alta, a company founded in 1895. This wine will replace the original Arana Reserva, whose last vintage was 2011, and will only be made in vintages that meet the winemaker’s high standards.
"High aromatic intensity, with outstanding notes of ripe red fruit, red berries, wild strawberries and plum jam, leading to tertiary aromas from meticulous aging in oak: vanilla, cedar, tobacco, coffee, caramel and sweet patisserie notes. […] Balanced, with soft, flavoursome tannins. Elegant, complex finish, where the ripe red fruit and balsamic notes provide a splendid end." Julio Saenz, Winemaker
