La Rioja Alta : Gran Reserva 904 2016

Tasting Notes and Serving Advice for Gran Reserva 904 2016 from La Rioja Alta

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays a deep garnet-red color with a bright, vibrant ruby rim.

Nose

The nose reveals remarkable aromatic intensity, opening on notes of wild red berries, black cherry, and blueberry. The bouquet then evolves toward a complex range of tertiary aromas: tobacco leaf, black pepper, tea leaves, coffee, mocha, vanilla, cinnamon, and balsamic touches.

Palate

On the palate, the wine unfolds a refined balance between freshness and ripeness. The tannins are gentle, polished, and silky, creating an elegant, sophisticated texture. The attack offers lovely volume and a creamy texture with a harmonious flow across the palate. The mid-palate develops layers of complexity that reflect the expression of the terroir and the character of barrel aging. A hint of camphor appears on the finish, bringing an energetic nuance to an approachable profile despite the wine’s considerable depth and structure. The finish lingers at length with refined complexity.

Food and wine pairings

This wine pairs perfectly with fine meats, especially grilled lamb. It also complements red meats, game, and hearty stews. Fish in sauce makes an interesting match, with the wine’s acidity balancing the richness of the preparations. Aged and smoked cheeses are ideal partners. Dark chocolate-based desserts create harmony with the wine’s balsamic, coffee, and mocha notes.

Serving and cellaring

Gran Reserva 904 2016 can be enjoyed now while offering outstanding aging potential through around 2050.

A traditional Gran Reserva from La Rioja with outstanding aging potential

The estate

Founded in 1890 in Haro, La Rioja Alta has remained family-owned for six generations. Recognized as the third most admired winery in the world in 2025, it now oversees 900 hectares of vineyards across Spain, including 587 hectares in Rioja. Guillermo de Aranzabal Bittner, representing the sixth generation, currently leads the estate as CEO. Under the technical direction of Julio Sáenz since 1996, the winery continues a philosophy that blends traditional methods with technological innovation, prioritizing quality over volume.

The vineyard

Gran Reserva 904 2016 comes from carefully selected parcels in Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa. The tempranillo is sourced from vineyards in Villalba, Briñas, and Rodezno, renowned for producing grapes with optimal acidity and aromatic finesse. The graciano comes from the historic Montecillo estate in Fuenmayor. These terroirs benefit from moderate Atlantic climatic influences, fostering ideal ripening conditions for wines with the freshness, acidity, and structure required for long aging.

The vintage

The 2016 vintage was rated as magnificent for La Rioja. The growing season benefited from moderate, well-distributed rainfall throughout the year, effectively mitigating the effects of drought and summer heat. These conditions yielded grapes with unusual vibrancy, freshness, and aromatic intensity, combined with excellent tannin ripeness.

Winemaking and aging

Harvesting was carried out by hand in small refrigerated crates to preserve the fruit’s integrity. Gran Reserva 904 2016 is the first vintage to benefit from complete optical sorting berry by berry, removing around 10% of the grapes. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentations took place naturally after destemming, with alcoholic fermentation lasting 21 days in tank. The wine was then aged for four years in American oak barrels made by the estate’s cooperage, with an average age of 4.5 years, including 20% new barrels. Eight traditional manual rackings were performed every six months before bottling in May 2021.

Grape varieties

Tempranillo (90%)
Graciano (10%)