Rioja Alta is easily my favorite producer – this was my first taste of the 890, and what a treat. This is a very well made wine clearly in its window… maybe getting to the latter end… but really kept my attention.

Double decanted 4 hours, drank over the ensuing 4.
Deep Ruby with a brick rim.

Opened with a gorgeous nose of leather, vanilla, earth and those signature LRA spices.

On the palate; cherry, leather, smoke, tobacco, vanilla, cedar, spice, and some prune/ old raisin.

The wine opened big, but, I felt like it thinned a bit on the back end as the acidity came forward (hours 6-8.) The spice on the finish remained which I appreciated.

Some on cellar tracker suggest this wine needs another 5-10 to reach full potential. Obv subjective, but I’m not sure… although im certainly curious if anyone has experience with these or the 904’s at 25-30+ years old? What are we talking about?

Over all this was a very good wine, clearly built to last, but to me the price point is probably not justified, especially if I need to wait 30 years for it to perform at its best.

Back to the Ardanzas.

by Desperate-Tadpole-55

3 Comments

  1. mr1elee

    If you like Riojas, Alta and Rameriez De Ganuza’s are my top 2 currently. Amazing winemakers.

  2. carcarbuhlarbar

    Well reviewed. Thank you for not throwing arbitrary numbers at the end!

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