★

4.46/5

Rare wine

La Rioja Alta : Vina Arana Gran Reserva 2016

Name: La Rioja Alta : Vina Arana Gran Reserva 2016
Brand: La Rioja Alta
SKU: J2689/16
Price: 37.5 EUR
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.46 (140 reviews)

La Rioja

Rioja

- Red - See details

Parker | 93

J. Robinson | 17.5+

€225.00 Incl. VAT

(

€37.50 / Unit

)

Packaging : a box of 6 Bottles (75cl)

1 x 75CL

€39.40

6 x 75CL

€225.00

Only 1 available

In-Stock

All La Rioja Alta wines

Marks and reviews

/100

Robert Parker

Luis Gutiérrez

The 2016 Viña Arana Gran Reserva is an elegant blend of Tempranillo with 5% Graciano matured in used American oak barrels for three years. During this time, the wine was manually racked from barrel to barrel, with the help of a candle, six times. It's ripe at 14.5% alcohol, with pungent notes of forest floor and truffles, dark spices and an earthy touch. It has a powerful palate, with very good freshness and acidity, reflecting the cooler year. It has some tannins that would welcome food. 60,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2021.

/100

James Suckling

Beautiful transparency here with fresh flowers, green tobacco, pine needles, crushed stones and sandalwood. Dark fruits in the center. Full-bodied with a wonderful balance of fruit and fine tannins as well as mineral, fresh bark and delicate purple fruit. Subtlety with energy. Youthful now and drinkable, but even better in 2026.

/100

Wine Enthusiast

Elaine Chukan Brown

Bold, forthright, generous, this Rioja has intensity and freshness with plenty of length. Aromas and flavors of bruised, dark fruits, truffles, spices, earthiness and a refreshing lift of something almost minty. Refined, persistent tannins and palate stimulation bring satisfaction.

Description

Characteristics and tasting advice for La Rioja Alta’s Vina Arana Gran Reserva 2016

Tasting

Appearance
The color displays a beautiful ruby hue.

Nose
The bouquet is intense and fragrant, revealing a complex array of balsamic notes, brioche, toast, vanilla, caramel, and cinnamon, accompanied by subtle aromas of black plum, wild strawberry, ripe blackcurrant, and red berries.

Palate
On the palate, the wine is well-structured and balanced, offering pleasant freshness and smooth, polished tannins, the result of careful aging in oak barrels. The finish is fresh, delicate, and persistent.

Food and wine pairing

This Vina Arana Gran Reserva pairs perfectly with rice or pasta starters, small game stews, and charcoal-grilled meats.

Serving and cellaring

It is recommended to serve this Vina Arana Gran Reserva 2016 between 60.8 and 64.4°F (16–18°C).

The vibrancy and richness of a Gran Reserva from Rioja

The estate

La Rioja Alta, founded in 1890 by five winemaking families, remains a family-owned estate to this day. This bodega stands out for its in-house cooperage and extended oak aging for its crianza, reserva, and gran reserva cuvées.

The vineyard

The grapes come from the El Palo and Las Monjas vineyards located in Rodezno in Rioja. These plots, planted in 1973, lie on loamy soils and are farmed using sustainable viticulture favoring low yields per hectare.

The wine

This 2016 vintage celebrates the 50th anniversary of this cuvée’s creation.

The vintage

2016 is marked by moderate rainfall spread throughout the growing season, which enabled the vineyard to withstand the summer heat well.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes are harvested by hand, with an initial selection in the vineyard, then transported in refrigerated vehicles to preserve their quality. After a second optical sorting, alcoholic and malolactic fermentations occur naturally. In March 2017, the best lots were selected for three years of aging in American oak barrels, with traditional racking by candlelight.

Grape varieties

This wine is composed of 95% Tempranillo and 5% Graciano.

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