Viña Ardanza Rioja Reserva 2020
Viña Ardanza Rioja Reserva is a truly iconic, world-renowned Spanish red wine crafted by the historic La Rioja Alta estate in northern Spain. Celebrated for its incredible consistency and classic style, this wine brings together the very best of the region by blending pure Tempranillo with a generous splash of Garnacha. The grapes are grown on high altitude slopes, where warm sunny days and cool nights allow the fruit to develop a remarkable depth of flavour while maintaining a beautiful, refreshing elegance. In the cellar, the winemaking team follows time-honoured traditions, maturing the wine for three years in American oak barrels that are carefully crafted by the estate's own in-house coopers. This patient resting period weaves a luxurious layer of sweet spice and silky texture through the wine. In the glass, it opens with a highly fragrant perfume of ripe red cherry, wild strawberry, and crushed sweet vanilla. Every sip is incredibly smooth and beautifully balanced, delivering generous waves of red summer fruit, gentle baking spice, and a savoury hint of tobacco that leads to a long, highly polished finish. Ready to be enjoyed straight away but capable of resting comfortably in the cellar for years to come, this is an absolutely spectacular bottle to open for a grand weekend dinner. Decant it an hour before pouring to allow those rich, spicy aromas to fully expand. It makes a magnificent partner for traditional, flavour-packed dishes—pair a bottle with slow-roasted lamb shoulder, a rich chorizo and bean stew, or a selection of mature hard cheeses.
