2019 La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza Reserva, Rioja

The 2019 Vina Ardanza is a highly impressive, full-bodied blend of 80% older-vine Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha from two different parts of Rioja grown at the same altitude. The producer’s own American oak was used to age the Tempranillo 36 months and the Garnacha 30 months, 20% new. The fruity nose of black cherry and plum complements beautifully against Garnacha’s seductively spicy texture and mouthfeel. It’s lively, complex, and lengthy, with melty tannins. Age 10-15 years.

96 points Jeb Dunnuck

This has classic Rioja aromas of cherries, dried flowers, earth, spices and orange peel. The palate is medium- to full-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins. Juicy, with opulent fruit. Drink or hold.

95 points James Suckling  (Jacobo García Andrade)

No 2018 was produced, so after the 2017 I tasted last year, we jumped to the 2019 Viña Ardanza Reserva, produced with a blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha. It fermented destemmed in stainless steel and aged in American oak barrels, 36 months for the Tempranillo and 30 months for Garnacha, and was blended before bottling. 2019 is a very good year for them, a small crop of powerful and concentrated wines when they produced all their brands, an exception. This is spicy, structured, balanced and powerful in this warm year, reaching the customary 14.5% alcohol and keeping a pH of 3.54 and 5.5 grams of acidity. It's still very young and undeveloped, with the classical profile, generous in American oak aromas and flavors that should slowly integrate in the wine with years in bottle. For them, 2019 means a change in Ardanza, less spicy (but still quite spicy, with clove, vanilla and tobacco leaves) and with more fresh fruit from the Garnacha. But the year is a modern version of 2015. 

94 Points Robert Parker (Luis Gutiérrez)

A super-classic and great interpretation of Rioja reserva, this offers all the appealing sweet red berry fruit and American oak with serious struture and balance. Soft and inviting, this is surely a reference for reserva wines in the region. A blend of 80%Tempranillo – from two vineyards in Fuenmayor and Cenicero, northern Rioja Alta – and 20% Garnacha from Tudelilla in Rioja Oriental, a 17-day fermentation was followed by ageing in American oak barrels from the producer's own cooperage: 36 months for the Tempranillo and 30 months (in 20% new) for the Garnacha. Drink 2025-2031.

94 points Decanter (Beth Willard 

Viña Arana and Viña Ardanza represent two different sides of La Rioja Alta's Tempranillos. Arana is about structure, a classical expression with perfume from Graciano. A Spanish version of a classed Bordeaux, maybe. Ardanza is a broader and more generous wine, enriched with Grenache - slight leaning towards the Rhone spectrum of tings, if we keep to the French refernce points. The two are expressing two difefret sides of Rioja, and while they may sit within La Rioja Alta's broader hierarchy below the 904 and 890, they share the same philosophy and cooperage (sort of the second wines of a premium Bordeaux). 

80% Tempranillo, a blend of the La Cuesta (Fuenmayor) and the Montecillo (Cenicero) vineyards, both with alluvial soils rich in gravel and pebbles, and with vine age averaging over 30 years old. 20% Garancha (Grenache) from the high altitude (550m) La Pedriza vineyard in Tudelilla-Rioja Oriental planted 17 years ago on clay-limestone soils and deep pebble-rich terrains.

Hand-picked in boxes with a first cluster selection in the vineyard. Garnacha was harvested two weeks later. Grapes were refrigerated during transport to preserve integrity. After optical sorting, fermentation lasted 17 days, followed by natural malolactic fermentation. Aged in American oak barrels from the winery's own cooperage (36 months for Tempranillo, 30 months for Garnacha). 20% of the barrels used for the Grenache were new. Traditional manual racking by candlelight was done five times ahead of bottling in December 2023.

2019 might be one of the top three vintages of this century forRioja (alongside 2001 and 2015). An Atlantic-influenced year deliveried fresh, fruity, balanced Rioja Alta wines ideal for long aging. Julio Sáenz, the head winemaker, has added this: An exceptional vintage, one of the best in our history, concluding an extraordinary decade for Viña Ardanza. This wine offers great complexity and aging potential. I believe it is the Viña Ardanza that will improve the most in the coming years.

Tasting notes from the winery

Bright and vivid cherry red, medium-high intensity, garnet rim. Aromas of redcurrant, plum, and cherry, complemented by balsamic and spicy notes of black pepper, licorice, vanilla, clove, and nutmeg. Fresh and balanced on the palate, with sweet, elegant tannins and a long, lively finish, reflecting the wine’s distinctive balsamic and spicy character.