Viña Alberdi Selección Especial Reserva 2021 Red

La Rioja Alta is one of the few houses in Rioja to shape its range of wines according to the quality of each vintage; in some years, it forgoes making a Reserva altogether. Exceptional vintages are singled out with the Selección Especial distinction.

This is no recent practice. In Rioja, the term 'Especial' historically formed part of the name of certain wines that were only released in exceptional vintages with long-term ageing potential.

When 2001 turned out to be one of the most age-worthy vintages of recent decades, La Rioja Alta promptly revived the Selección Especial distinction for Viña Ardanza 2001, released in 2009. Prior to this, the designation had only been conferred on the 1964 vintage, now considered legendary, and 1973. Since then, it has appeared just once, in 2010, bringing the total to only four instances since the brand was registered in 1940.

Within the Gran Reserva tier, the status of Selección Especial was introduced in this century. It was granted to the 2001 and 2005 vintages of the flagship 890, and only to the 2015 vintage in the case of the 904.

The same applies to Viña Alberdi: the 2001 vintage was the first Selección Especial and it now reappears with the 2021 release. According to Julio Sáenz, the group’s technical director, 2021 stands as the natural heir to 2001 in terms of grape quality. It was a cool year, with some rain in early September easing summer drought conditions   across Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa. Most importantly, the grapes ripened slowly and evenly. The combination of sunny days and cool nights yielded wines with notable balance and excellent ageing potential.

The 2021 Viña Alberdi is made from grapes grown in the estate's own vineyards in Rodezno (Mayorita, Las Monjas, El Palo and El Bardal) and Labastida (Alto del Rey). It is fermented in stainless steel and aged for just over two years in American oak barrels. The first year is spent in new oak, seasoned in-house at the winery’s own cooperage. From the second year onwards, it is aged in four- and five-year-old barrels.

One notable change with the 2021 vintage is its classification in Spain as Reserva, rather than Crianza, aligning it for the first time with how it is typically positioned in export markets. This may cause some confusion, but it reflects the structure of La Rioja Alta’s range and the fact that all its wines comfortably exceed the minimum ageing requirements set by the Regulatory Board. In practice, Viña Alberdi could qualify as a Reserva, just as Viña Ardanza could be labelled a Gran Reserva. Indeed, a few years ago, the former Viña Arana Reserva was relaunched as a Gran Reserva, offering a more accessible entry point into the category than the super-premium 904 and 890, which are now among the most sought-after classic Riojas. Whether Viña Alberdi will ultimately be elevated to the status of  Reserva in Spain remains undecided.

Beyond classification, what makes the 2021 Viña Alberdi particularly interesting is the step up in terms of both intensity and consistency. While it retains the hallmark spice and vanilla notes imparted by American oak, there is more fruit and vibrancy, giving the wine a more contemporary feel. It is a textbook example of what a top-quality vintage can deliver, and is an excellent buy. We particularly recommend it to those who haven't tried Viña Alberdi in recent years.

14% abv.
650,000 bottles
€17 
Score: 93