One of the great estates for traditionally styled Rioja, the 904 is one of La Rioja Alta's extended-age bottles made in the Haro Style. 2016 is an incredible vintage for this wine and one of the best examples from this address to date. 2016 was the second vintage that the estate used optical sorting to select the best fruit berry by berry, thereby amplifying the quality to its strictest standard ever. Primarily old-vine Tempranillo with 10% Granchio added, the finest wines are selected to be racked multiple times in American oak, creating the traditional, incredibly age-worthy style that many have come to know and love. Profound in complexity, yet powerful and elegant, this is a magnificent bottling from La Rioja Alta and is one of the standout wines of the vintage for Rioja. This is one of the wines of the vintage for Rioja and is not a bottle to miss!
Vinous 97 points! "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."
Wine Advocate (Luis Guttierez) 96 points! "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 élevage 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."
2016 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904
2016 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904
One of the great estates for traditionally styled Rioja, the 904 is one of La Rioja Alta's extended-age bottles made in the Haro Style. 2016 is an incredible vintage for this wine and one of the best examples from this address to date. 2016 was the second vintage that the estate used optical sorting to select the best fruit berry by berry, thereby amplifying the quality to its strictest standard ever. Primarily old-vine Tempranillo with 10% Granchio added, the finest wines are selected to be racked multiple times in American oak, creating the traditional, incredibly age-worthy style that many have come to know and love. Profound in complexity, yet powerful and elegant, this is a magnificent bottling from La Rioja Alta and is one of the standout wines of the vintage for Rioja. This is one of the wines of the vintage for Rioja and is not a bottle to miss!
Vinous 97 points! "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."
Wine Advocate (Luis Guttierez) 96 points! "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 élevage 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."
