TASTING NOTES
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2009 Gran Reserva 904
La Rioja Alta S.A., Rioja Wine Region, Spain
Drinking Now 2037
Tasting Notes
Rioja Alta’s Gran Reserva 904 stands out for its remarkable complexity and outstanding ageing potential. It is a classic Rioja which is released in exceptional vintage. The 2009 reveals a bouquet of great aromatic complexity. Cassis and wild berry characters give way to delicate spices and sweet balsamic notes. The palate builds on the expansive aromas with concentrated sweet cherry flavours and notes of smoky tobacco and cedar spice balanced by refreshing acidity and silky smooth tannins. A blend of 90% Tempranillo with a seasoning of Graciano, this beautifully complex wine was matured in barrels for four years followed by a further three years in bottle. Although delicious for drinking now, it has the capacity to age for another twenty years or more.
Armit Wines
Reviews & Scores
Reflecting the excellence of the vintage, as well as its power, this is the latest in a superb run of 904 Gran Reservas. Combining Tempranillo with 10% Graciano for added backbone and grip, it’s a wine that is (as ever) supremely drinkable on release, but will reward further cellaring. Spicy, aromatic and enticing, with the vanilla sweetness of American oak, savoury tannins and a core of stylish, balsamic-edged fruit. Traditional Rioja with a modern accent.
96 points, Tim Atkin MW
Gloriously smoky American oak. The palate is all about American oak too, but the blend of Vanilla and berries is irresistible.
96 Points, Sarah Jane Evans MW
Time flies, and the 904 for sale is already the 2009 Gran Reserva 904, as they didn't bottle it in 2008. They are only going to bottle their top wines in very good and excellent vintages, so there will...
be a 2010 and 2011 but no 2012, 2013 or 2014. This super classical cuvee showcases the wines from Haro, silky and elegant after long aging in oak and a good future in bottle. 2009 was a powerful vintage, ripe but with good balance. The blend is approximately 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano, fermented in stainless steel with a 78-day natural malolactic. The aging was in four-year-old American oak barrels crafted by their own coopers; the wines aged from April 201 0 until April 2014. During that time, the wine was racked every six months, to be finally bottled in November 2014. This is usually my favorite wine from the portfolio, where the balance between aging and youth reaches its highest point. It's developed but it keeps some fruit character, plenty of spices and balsamic aromas. The palate is polished but has some clout, with clean, focused flavors and a long, spicy and tasty finish. This represents good value for the quality it delivers. 150,000 bottles produced.
95+ Points, Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
Lovely sweetness and vigour here, with the acidity supporting the mellow texture and fruit. A superb classic Rioja.
95 Points, Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW
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95+ Points, Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
Lovely sweetness and vigour here, with the acidity supporting the mellow texture and fruit. A superb classic Rioja.
95 Points, Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW
An amazing, classic style with unique aromas, round tannins and a velvety texture, finishing suave and gorgeous.
95 Points, Pierre Mansour
Outstandingly intense cherry-red; clean and bright. The nose reveals a bouquet of great aromatic complexity, with balsamic notes of vanilla, toasted caramel, mint chocolate, tea leaves and cinnamon that gives way to elegant notes of stewed fruits and prunes. Creamy, well-balanced mouthfeel, with a harmonious freshness and smooth, well-tamed tannins that leave an elegant, complex finish.
Julio Saenz, Winemaker
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