La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904 Tinto (1.5 Liter Magnum) 2011
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James
Suckling -
Wilfred
Wong - Decanter
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Robert
Parker
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The 2011 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904 Tinto pours a glass that is medium-high in depth, cherry–red with a garnet rim. Very intense in aromas. Complex, with notes of plums and ripe grapes, jam of blackberries and red raspberries that give way to spicy and balsamic notes of tobacco leaves, cedar, licorice, vanilla, chocolate and ground coffee. Good entry. Fresh and balanced, with polished, silky tannins and a gentle, delicate finish. Long aftertaste, with balsamic notes of coffee and toasted caramel, candied fruits and licorice.
Pair this red wine with all kinds of meats, stews, main courses, and desserts with couverture chocolate. Ideal as an after-dinner drink as well.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Lovely dried red fruit, such as plums with just a hint of prunes. Cedar, walnut and leather undertones. Full-bodied with lots of fruit, considering its age, as well as hints of smoke, tobacco, bark and black tea. Some balsamic at the finish. Traditionally styled with lovely results. Drink or hold.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2011 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904 highlights the beauty and complexity of the Tempranillo grapes. These vines—over 60 years old—offer excellent and persistent richness. TASTING NOTES: This wine exhibits juicy, ripe berries and wood notes in its aromas and flavors. Enjoy it with braised meat dishes. (Tasted: June 2, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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Decanter
Oak and red fruit nose. The palate has mouth-watering acidity, fine-grained/well-knit tannins and notes of citrus peel, spice and baked brambles. Long finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
I usually prefer the 904 to the 890, but there will be no Gran Reserva 890 until the 2010 vintage (from the last vintage I tasted, 2005). So, the only one of the extended-aging Haro-style reds I tasted this time was the 2011 Gran Reserva 904, which had a hard act to follow after the 2010 vintage. It's a blend of 89% Tempranillo and 11% Graciano matured in American oak barrels for four years, and it was racked eight times from barrel to barrel during its élevage, which sounds a bit harsh for a vintage like 2011 when the wines were not as complete and robust as in 2010. It has the classic profile, aromas and flavors (decayed leaves, tobacco, sweet spices, a meaty touch and some black fruit), but the oak seems to take a more leading role and the palate feels less juicy. It finishes dry.
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Always evolving quality, elegance, innovation, evolution... They are the pillars on which the five founding families erected our winery in 1890 and built a way of living, feeling and producing wines of the highest quality that continue to evolve subtly, perfectly adapting to new tastes. This is how the permanent pursuit of excellence started; a pursuit that continues into the 21st century with identical enthusiasm. We draw the best from our winemaking tradition and wisdom —our own cooperage, manual racking, long ageing periods, etc.— and combine it with the most modern winemaking technology. Today, our wines are an international exemplar of the great wines of Rioja and our brands are present in the best restaurants across all continents.
Hailed as the star red variety in Spain’s most celebrated wine region, Tempranillo from Rioja, or simply labeled, “Rioja,” produces elegant wines with complex notes of red and black fruit, crushed rock, leather, toast and tobacco, whose best examples are fully capable of decades of improvement in the cellar.
Rioja wines are typically a blend of fruit from its three sub-regions: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental, although specific sub-region (zonas), village (municipios) and vineyard (viñedo singular) wines can now be labeled. Rioja Alta and Alavesa, at the highest elevations, are considered to be the source of the brightest, most elegant fruit, while grapes from the warmer and drier, Rioja Oriental, produce wines with deep color, great body and richness.