2011 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 890, Rioja

2011 is a forgotten vintage after the famous 2010, but you shouldn't forget it if you are a smart buyer. Aromas of vanilla, orange peel, black walnuts, truffles, toffee, black sesame, balsam and moss. So savory yet juicy and vibrant, with a long, long finish. So much pleasure here. A little less vertical than the 2010, but so linear and endless.

98 points James Suckling

A special wine, newly released from an excellent vintage, the 2011 Gran Reserva 890 is a vineyard-selection of high-altitude sites and includes 3% Graciano and 2% Mazuelo. The Mazuelo was co-fermented with the 95% Tempranillo and spent six years in American oak, during which the best barrels were selected for this wine, followed by six years in bottle; bottling took place July 2018. Tannins attack the front of the medium-bodied palate and melt, finding an enduring freshness through the midpalate and lengthy finish. There’s a savory woody character that dominates over subtle red plum and cherry fruit.

97 points Jeb Dunnuck

There are few wines in Spain that carry the weight and reverence of Gran Reserva 890. First released to mark the founding year of La Rioja Alta in 1890, this is only made in exceptional vintages, a wine built on patience, tradition and an uncompromising approach to ageing. The estate itself remains one of Rioja’s great historic houses, still coopering its own American oak barrels and ageing wines far longer than most would dare.

Drawn primarily from old vine Tempranillo with a touch of Graciano and Mazuelo, sourced from top vineyards across Rioja Alta, this is classic Rioja at its most refined. Long ageing in barrel and bottle shapes the wine into something far beyond primary fruit, layering savoury complexity over time.

Deep garnet with a brick rim, the aromatics are immediately captivating and deeply evolved. Dried cherry, plum and redcurrant sit alongside tobacco leaf, cedar, leather and polished wood. There are notes of vanilla and sweet spice from extended oak ageing, intertwined with earthy, almost truffle like complexity.

The palate is seamless and beautifully resolved. Silky tannins carry flavours of red and dark fruit, now softened into something more savoury and nuanced. Layers of spice, cigar box, dried herbs and a gentle balsamic note unfold slowly, with a line of acidity that keeps everything fresh despite its age. The finish is long, elegant and persistent, echoing both fruit and tertiary character.

This is a wine made for the table and for time. Roast lamb, suckling pig, or slow braised dishes all sit effortlessly alongside its depth and savoury complexity. It also pairs beautifully with aged cheeses, where its evolved character really shines.

Ready to drink now and offering immense pleasure, though it will continue to evolve for decades in a well kept cellar.

There is something quietly profound about this wine, a reminder of what patience, tradition and great vineyards can achieve when given the time they deserve.