2017 Vina Ardanza Reserva

2017 was not an easy harvest, but it produced some beautiful and classical wines, like the 2017 Viña Ardanza Reserva, which shows a little more advancement and polish and is ready to drink. It was produced with 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha from their vineyard La Pedriza in Tudelilla. It fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts and matured in American oak barrels, 36 months for the Tempranillo and 30 for the Garnacha (that was harvested 15 days later), with six rackings. It's ripe and aromatic, tertiary, with 14.5% alcohol and mellow acidity, a medium-bodied palate and sleek tannins. It has a pungent note of clove and pepper, some licorice and ink and the cherries in liqueur from the Garnacha. An updated classical Ardanza. 600,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2021.

Viña Ardanza is a wine that embodies the long history of Rioja. The 2017 Gran Reserva Viña Ardanza is a blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha sourced from Rioja Alta and Oriental. Aged for up to 36 months in American oak, it presents a ripe profile with aromas of black fruit, earth and balsamic, complemented by cedar and vanilla. On the palate, it is dry and rich, with a juicy texture and fine, polished tannins that culminate in a bold and lingering finish. This is a vibrant red wine with harmonious balance.