The presentation of Gran Reserva 904 Selección Especial 2015 to clients and sommeliers in Madrid was rounded off with a tasting of historic bottles, including fascinating years such as 2001 and 2010. Despite these and other memorable vintages, the winery had never previously granted the Selección Especial distinction, which marks the house's truly exceptional years, to the 904. Interestingly for collectors, it has done so for Viña Ardanza 2010 and 2001, and Gran Reserva 890 2005 and 2001.
The Gran Reserva 904 was first named 1904 (although on old labels it also appeared as Reserva 904) to honour the merger with Bodegas Ardanza, owned by one of the founders of La Rioja Alta. Its older brother, the Gran Reserva 890 (then 1890), was also created to commemorate the date of the winery's foundation by three Basque families, who provided the funding, and two Riojan families, who lent their expertise in the wine business.
The Aranzabal family, headed by its current president, Guillermo Aranzabal, is the main shareholder. His son, Guillermo Jr, who joined the company a few years ago, is now focused on exports. Both are pictured below in a photograph taken at the latest edition of La Cata del Barrio de la Estación in March 2022.
Although the Gran Reserva 904 blend has evolved a bit over the years, as this tasting of old vintages shows, it has remained consistent for several decades as a blend of Tempranillo and around 10% Graciano. Another important feature is the ageing in American oak barrels. In fact, the winery continues to import wood from the US, drying it in the open air for two years and crafting all the American oak barrels it needs in its own cooperage.
The 904 embodies the delicate, silky, elegant style of Rioja suitable for ageing. Produced on average four to five times in a decade, it is the most difficult style to make in the context of climate change. For the time being, the cool, Atlantic character of Rioja Alta's highest vineyards helps, in villages such as Villalba or the area surrounding Haro. Since the early 1990s, Graciano has been sourced from warmer areas in Briones, Rodezno and Fuenmayor, where it can fully ripen. Theses vineyards are part of the 515 hectares that La Rioja Alta owns in the region, enabling the winery to meet all its grape needs.
According to winemaker Julio Sáenz: "The succession of sunny days followed by cool nights after the San Mateo festival (20 September) is essential to ensure that the grapes mature slowly and with balance". In 2005, for example, there were a considerable number of days with these characteristics. According to the technical director of La Rioja Alta, it is essential that these wines "have the potential to mature without becoming old".
The winemaking process combines technology and tradition. The grapes are hand-picked, transported to the winery in refrigerated vehicles and placed on optical sorting machines. Perhaps this is why La Rioja Alta prefers to talk about evolution rather than revolution, and is always keen to separate fashion (which it has no intention of following) from trends. In this respect, Guillermo Aranzabal underlines the risks that this would entail, considering the number of years it takes for the wines to be released. "We have the equivalent of eight years' sales in stock at all times," he points out.
Rackings are still done in the traditional way, using a candlelight, for the whole range: from Viña Alberdi, which spends a shorter time in oak, to the Gran Reserva 890, which is aged for six years in barrels. The only noticeable change in recent years has been the elimination of racking in the final stages of ageing, so that the wines are fresher on release. Ageing for the 904 is four years in barrel plus a further four years in bottle. Average production is about 120,000 bottles.
So confident is La Rioja Alta in its philosophy that it sometimes lets the wines take the big decisions. The release of the new Selección Especial 2015, for instance, was delayed for a year because they felt the wine was not ready. This required them to deal with pressures from their clients and to shoulder the financial cost of an extra year's fixed assets. However, says Guillermo Aranzabal, "time is the real luxury".
Gran Reserva 904 1997. Pale ruby with a tawny rim, as expected at this stage. Classic aromas of spices (vanilla), tobacco and nuts. Brandied fruit, reminiscent of a fine cabinetmaker's workshop. Medium to light bodied, with a silky palate that is anchored by the wine's acidity, finishing with a light, earthy note. This was the lighter vintage in the flight, charmingly showing the style of the old days, which would probably be very difficult to replicate today. 13% abv.
The vintage was officially rated "good". The winter was wetter than usual with mild temperatures; the summer was abnormally rainy and cool, but the sun in September helped the grapes to ripen fully. This wine came close to not being released because it couldn't really compete with its predecessor, the excellent 1995. La Rioja Alta decided to forgo the vintage, but fortunately there was no urgency to uncork the bottles. When it was tasted again a year and a half later, the wine had changed completely, becoming one of the most highly rated vintages up to that point.
Gran Reserva 904 2001. Ruby colour with a shaded brick rim. Serious nose with layers of preserved fruit, tobacco, sweet spices (cinnamon) and aniseed and nutty notes on the background. This is fuller and richer than the 1997 with a lot of everything in the style of the 904: tannins, acidity, length and beautiful texture. A truly great vintage with a long life ahead, as the wine somehow manages to retain its youth. I have tasted it on several occasions and consider it an icon of the elegance that Rioja can deliver, as well as its most refined and endangered style. 12% abv.
2001 is one of Rioja's greatest vintages of the 21st century (for many, the finest). The grapes ripened fully and slowly and were extremely healthy and balanced. It was rated excellent.
Gran Reserva 904 2005. Ruby garnet colour. A wine of great depth, retaining red and black fruit notes. Beautifully scented nose with aromas of dried flowers, liquorice and vanilla. It is almost spherical on the palate, and somewhat rich but still retaining its distinctive silky texture. The acidity is more integrated and the palate is juicy and flavoursome, firm and long. A wine that will appeal to wine lovers who like full-bodied wines, as it comes from a slightly more structured but beautifully handled vintage. 13.5% abv.
2005 was rated excellent. The spring saw moderate, well distributed rainfall. September was almost perfect, with moderate daytime temperatures and cool nights. Some improvements were introduced this year, such as transporting the grapes to the winery in refrigerated vehicles.
Gran Reserva 904 2010. Ruby garnet colour. A bit tight at the beginning, with leathery and nutty aromas, evolving into sweet spices (vanilla, cinnamon), candied fruit, bakery and a pleasant peppery note. Fresh, elegant and refined on the palate, with a toasted, reductive note that adds class. Vibrant acidity and silky tannins make it approachable, but this is one to lay down. The balance is superb. 13.5% abv.
Also rated excellent, 2010 is another of the finest vintages of the 21st century: fresh, with lots of Atlantic influence, healthy grapes and moderate yields. The bunches were loose with small berries.
Gran Reserva 904 Selección Especial 2015 Tinto. Ruby garnet colour. Complex, fragrant and deep nose with fully ripe red fruit and toasted notes over a minty background with tobacco aromas. Attractive ripeness on the palate with remarkable depth, firm but well wrapped tannins that create a silky texture. Great length with some spices (pepper) on the finish. 110,000 bottles produced. 14.5% abv.
Rioja's Regulatory Bobard rated 2015 as very good, but for La Rioja Alta it was another great Atlantic vintage with a perfect September, alternating sunny days with the cooling influence of the Cierzo wind and cool nights. Once again, healthy, perfectly balanced grapes were harvested. The moderately vigorous vineyards in cooler areas and at higher elevations performed particularly well.
I asked Julio Sáenz to what extent they were concerned about the increase in alcohol, given that the 2015 vintage had risen to 14.5% abv. In a nod to his predecessor as head of winemaking, he said: "Many of José Gallego's Gran Reservas at 12% and 12.5% abv were great wines. Alcohol is not a problem as long as it is balanced with the acidity. In 2003, for example [the first vintage of extreme heat], we were short on acidity. Corrections can be made in wines intended to be drunk in the short term, but not in a Gran Reserva. The natural acidity we need can still be found in certain areas of Rioja, such as old vineyards at 700 metres above sea level.
Despite being over 14% abv, the 2015 is an excellent wine that reflects the style and complexity that distinguishes the Gran Reserva 904. Each new vintage true to this style is a triumph and a sign of resilience.
