La Rioja Alta, Vina Ardanza Reserva, Rioja 2016

Savory and complex with dried orange peel, cedar and plenty of sweet spices, walnuts, caramel, dried mushrooms and pine needles. Shows maturity here, with a medium body and superb freshness. Incredibly long finish with lots of truffle and walnut. Lasts over a minute. Very complete now, but you can still hold it.

The 2016 vintage in Rioja is notable for its unusual character, marked by lighter wines compared to other years of the decade. Some producers capitalized on this rarity, as evidenced by the 2016 Gran Reserva Viña Ardanza. Crafted from 95% Tempranillo and 5% Graciano sourced from Rioja Alta, this garnet wine aged for three years in American oak barrels. It presents a balsamic nose with hints of cherry, herbs and raisins, complemented by dried flowers. On the palate, it offers a dry, silky, juicy texture. The influence of the cool year and an evolved mouthfeel contribute to a light, flavorful and enduring finish. This is a classically styled Rioja wine—balanced and capable of aging gracefully.

The 2016 Viña Ardanza Reserva was produced with 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha that matured in used American oak barrels for three years, where it was hand-racked from barrel to barrel six times in the case of Tempranillo and five times for the Garnacha, as it had a slightly shorter élevage of 30 months. Against all odds, I found the 2016 to be fresher than the 2015 and less developed, despite the fact that winemaker Julio Sáenz told me he considers it a warmer year. But I have found many wines I like in 2016, and the wine feels very clean and quite harmonious, younger and less developed, with more primary notes and a velvety mouthfeel. 600,000 bottles produced. The wine was bottled in June 2020.