Clean and bright, with an elegant ruby colour, medium-high intensity and garnet rim. The nose is intense and fragrant and reveals a complex array of balsam notes, brioche, toasted bread, vanilla, toffee and cinnamon as well as fine aromas of black plums, wild strawberries, ripe blackcurrants and red berries, creating a fruity and balsamic bouquet. On the palate, the wine is well structured and balanced, with a pleasant freshness and smooth, polished tannins, thanks to its careful ageing in oak barrels. The finish is fresh and delicate, with a lingering aftertaste.
95 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. (October 2023)
95 Decanter Viña Ardanza is one of those wines that makes friends everywhere, consistently over-delivering on quality. While I have given my heart to La Rioja Alta's 890, that wine is only made in the best years. Year in, year out, Ardanza is the essence of Rioja. After three years in barrel, it's balanced by notes of sumptuous Garnacha fruit. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2032. (March 2024)
