La Rioja Alta, Rioja, Gran Reserva 904, 2016

Name: La Rioja Alta, Rioja, Gran Reserva 904
Brand: La Rioja Alta
Price: 640 GBP

Available Vintages

all 2016

justerini & brooks tasting note

There’s a fluency and elegance to the 2016 and given a little air this lithe blend of Tempranillo with 10% Graciano takes on vast stature and breadth. It is perfectly judged, just on the right side of traditional, being refined, complex, unforced and harmonious, whilst also being sleek and generous in ripe fruit character. It is redolent with bruised cherry, sour plum, blackcurrant, blood orange, cocao nib, balsamic and polished mahogany. Dried leaves, wild sage, rosemary, oolong tea and pipe tobacco develop on the supremely long finish, with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg, which add a hat tip to the perfectly balanced American oak integration.

critic reviews

97/100Joaquin Hidalgo,Vinous

The 2016 Gran Reserva 904 from Rioja Alta is composed of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano. It aged for four years in American oak barrels, 20% of which were new. This has a slightly sun-kissed profile, opening with pronounced oaky aromas followed by classic tertiary notes of clove, licorice, vanilla and caramel, alongside hints of tobacco leaf and bay. This is complex in its maturity, offering good volume, creamy texture and a seamless flow across the palate. A touch of camphor appears at the finish, adding energy to the approachable character. The extended aging in oak defines the long, composed finale.

DRINKING WINDOW 2025 - 2050

date of review 05/2025

96/100Luis Gutierrez,Robert Parker Wine Advocate

I find the 2016 Gran Reserva 904 to be spectacular and a textbook example of the grand traditional style. It was produced with 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano from a selection of vineyards in search of balanced wines with silky tannins, good acidity, character, length and aging potential. The elevage is long, four years in used barrels averaging 4.5 years of age, during which time the wine is manually racked every six months. It's ripe with 14.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.61 and 5.4 grams of acidity, but the wine is super fresh and complex, with aromas of cigar box, balsamic, dry tea leaves, aromatic herbs, camphor, antiquary furniture and tobacco. It's elegant and intense, with pungent flavors and very good freshness, and it's silky, textured and nicely structured, with volume, clean, intense and long. This is a very complete year for 904. It's ready, but it should last. 120,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2021.

DRINKING WINDOW 2025 - 2040

date of review 02/2025