2001 La Rioja Alta S.A. Vina Ardanza Reserva, Rioja DOCa, Spain

£140.00

This is legendary Rioja. In particularly good vintages (so far only 1964, 1973 and 2001), this wine is labeled as this bottle is ‘Reserva Especial’ It is in great nick with levels just above the foil. Special stuff indeed.

Description

Very well regarded by both critics and wine enthusiasts, 17.5 JR Drink until 2040!!!

Critic tasting note: (2001 vintage) “Ruby. Cassis, blueberries, some spices, exotic notes, detailed nose, minerals. Scented. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, spices, juicy, nuanced, layered, elegant, playful, long. Superb.” – Christer Byklum

6/18/2025 – Keith Levenberg Likes this wine:96 Points

This was superb. Glad to see many other recent notes in agreement because there was a time when people were saying this took a nosedive. Nope. It’s in a glorious state of near-maturity with effusive aromatics that smell like a leather factory, commensurately developed fruit while still having that sweet, saucy pop from the grenache, and a glossy texture from the fruit and mostly resolved structure.

5/7/2025 – GBFan Likes this wine:95 Points

My last bottle of many. Glorious. In great shape, and drinking beautifully now. Given the original price, this was a tremendous bargain.