La Rioja Alta

Rioja Reserva, 'Viña Alberdi'

100% Tempranillo from our Mayorita, Rebollar, and Bardal vineyards, as well as selected plots in El Palo, Rodezno and Alto del Rey, and Labastida. These vineyards are located at an altitude of 500-600 metres (1600-2000 ft) above sea level, planted in chalky-clay soils more than 40 years ago. After carefully selecting the grapes to be harvested, we placed the clusters in boxes that we immediately transported to the winery in refrigerated vehicles at a temperature of 14°C (57°F). The Bordeaux model was applied, destemming, crushing and vatting the grapes in tanks, where they underwent alcoholic and malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged for two years in American oak barrels manufactured in-house; the first year in new oak and the second in barrels averaging three years in age. The wine was manually racked four times by the light of a candle. Bottled in June 2017.

Info

Producer:

La Rioja Alta

Vintage:

2020

Country:

Spain

Region:

La Rioja

Appellation:

Rioja

Variety:

Tempranillo

Color:

Red

Farming Practice:

Practicing Organic

Sizes Available

Full Bottle

ES-LRA-01-20

12/750ml

Resources

General Shelf Talker

General Case Card

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Press & Reviews

James Suckling

Score

Date

2024-08-15

"A classical, typical Rioja Alta red with elegant notes of vanilla, coconut, smoked spices and strawberries. Refined and suave, with fine tannins and a long, creamy finish. Juicy and elegant. Really approachable now, but give it two more years to get more mushroom complexity."

Wine Advocate

Score

Date

2024-02-29

"The younger wine here is the 2020 Vi¤a Alberdi, a versatile version of the Haro reds. It was produced with Tempranillo fermented in stainless steel and matured in American oak barrels for two years (it's sold as Reserva in international markets and Crianza in Spain). It has 14% alcohol with a pH of 3.6 and five grams of acidity. It has a classical nose of ripe fruit, American oak and spices, the subtle notes of forest floor, still young. The palate is velvety and very balanced with polished tannins. Approachable but should also age. 650,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2023."

REVIEWS FROM PAST VINTAGES

James Suckling

Score

Date

Vinous

Score

Date

2021-04-20

Wine Advocate

Score

Date

Vinous

Score

Date

2021-04-26

John Gilman

Score

92+

Date

2023-07-10

Wine Advocate

Score

Date

2022-07-18

James Suckling

Score

Date

2023-09-13

"Attractive aromas of sweet spices, smoke and seaweed. Some roasted nuts. Hints of Iberico ham. Medium-bodied with a nice rounded character to the tannins and juicy fruit. Pure tempranillo. Drink now."

Jancis Robinson

Score

16.5+

Date

2024-04-26

"Lifted and expressive blue fruit layered with vanilla and coconut from the oak. The tannins are very fine-grained, almost dusty, and very well integrated. Toasty finish. (FG)"

John Gilman

Score

Date

2024-05-14

"The 2019 Rioja Viña Alberdi Reserva from La Rioja Alta is made entirely from tempranillo, with the vines at least forty years of age. The wine is aged entirely in small American oak barrels for two years, with the first year in new wood and the second in three wine barrels. The wine is excellent on both the nose and palate, with the bouquet offering up a complex blend of red and black raspberries, woodsmoke, a touch of spiced meats, chalky soil tones, cloves, nutmeg, a touch of nutskin and a nice mix of smoky and toasted coconutty oak scents. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, focused and complex, with superb depth of fruit, lovely soil inflection and grip, moderate, buried tannins and fine balance on the long, complex and classy finish. This is already very tasty, but it has plenty of well-integrated tannins still on the finish and 74 tucking it away in the cellar for four or five years will result in a more velvety and complex wine. Fine juice. 2024-2055+. 9"

Tim Atkin, MW

Score

Date

2024-09-29

Vinous

Score

Date

2024-04-18

"The 2019 Reserva Viña Alberdi is 100% Tempranillo, sourced from Labastida, Rioja Alavesa and aged for two years in American oak barrels. Garnet in color, the bouquet features vanilla and ripe plum notes along with hints of balsamic and caramel. Dry and juicy on the palate, the polished tannins and silky flow lead to a fairly nimble finish—a delicate Rioja red."

Wine Spectator

Score

Date

2024-01-03

"Offers hints of toast, smoke and spices that lace flavors of soft cherry and plum fruit, mandarin orange peel and dried flowers and herbs. A well-knit, medium-bodied red framed by lightly chewy tannins. Drink now through 2029. —A.N."

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La Rioja Alta

Rioja Reserva, 'Viña Alberdi'