2016 La Rioja Alta 904 Gran Reserva

90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano. The Tempranillo comes from vineyards in Villalba, Briñas and Rodezno, while the Graciano is sourced from Fuenmayor. 2016 was a great year for Rioja, both in quality and quantity. Hand-harvested into small boxes, followed by selection on the sorting table. Aged for four years in American oak barrels made by the winery itself, with rackings every six months. Tasted blind. Aromas of cocoa, chocolate, mocha and toasted wood. A very generous aromatic profile, already fully showing its evolved character. Silky tannins shaped by time, delivering a beautiful tertiary expression, with flavours of stewed fruit – a clearly recognisable, well-understood classic style. This kind of delight is only achieved through the slow passage of time and true mastery in the cellar. (FC)

A 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano, the 2016 Gran Reserva 904 is sourced from a selection of estate-owned vineyards from throughout the region. The vintage was high in quality and quantity and the producer could be selective in the vineyard. Aging took place four years in American barrel, most of them four years old, and four more in bottle. It tastes of coffee and dark chocolate, with high-toned acidity that underscores raspberry fruit. Still a touch grippy, the tannins are beginning to become supple. More time in bottle should be fine, drink now through 2036.

Full bottle 1,286 g. Tempranillo (90%) and Graciano (10%). Aged for four years in their own American oak barrels, with an average age of 4.5 years. Traditional racking was carried out every six months, and the wine was bottled in May 2021. TA 5.4 g/l, pH 3.61. Mid smudgy garnet. Sweetly mature with senescent fruits, sweet American oak with a touch of vanilla and the start of leathery, undergrowth tertiary notes. Invitingly complex and layered. And yet still fragrant with fruit. Just perfect for drinking now as all the flavours are intertwined and evolving and everything evolving evenly. Super-smooth, fresher than I had anticipated from the analysis but some alcoholic heat on the finish. Rounded, complete and complex. Old-school Rioja and none the worse for that. Smooth but still chewy tannins. A classic and satisfying wine with a long finish which showed itself fully as it opened in the glass. (JH)