VIŅA ARDANZA
RESERVA 2004
The harvest
After two years without the right quality to make Viņa Ardanza, this Excellent-rated vintage evinced determining factors that allowed us to take a new step in the continuing evolution of the brand. Abundant water and snow in winter, an absence of pests in spring and marked fluctuations in temperature between day and night due to cold northerly winds just before grape harvest, were crucial for a slow, balanced development of our grapes, particularly Garnacha. In September, our vineyards enjoyed exceptionally good weather. This superb quality was reinforced by rational viticulture applied throughout the growth cycle, with moderate yields and a patient, selective harvest.
Composition
80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha. The Tempranillo grapes come from 30-year-old vines planted in our Viņa Ardanza vineyards in Fuenmayor and Cenicero. The Garnacha grapes come from old, goblet-pruned vines planted at an altitude of 600 m above sea level in Tudelilla (Rioja Baja), in plots adjacent to our Finca La Pedriza estate.
Vinification
Selective harvest in crates and refrigerated transport. After both fermentations, the wine was barrelled in April 2005. The Tempranillo wine spent 36 months in American oak barrels with an average age of 4 years, and the Garnacha wine was aged for only 30 months in 2 to 3 years old American oak barrels so the freshness and authenticity of this grape variety could be maintained. The wines were manually racked six times and bottled in December 2008.
Winetasting
Clean, bright dark-cherry red of medium depth with a pink rim. Notably expressive nose with spicy notes of coffee, chocolate, vanilla and cloves and fine wood aromas against a background of ripe dark fruit. It is a well-structured, balanced wine with a lively, enticing freshness that combines with polished tannins to fill the mouth with pleasurable sensations. Long aftertaste, marked by the subtlety of a brand whose traditional elegance, complexity and aromatic power are particularly enriched in this vintage.
An excellent wine to accompany charcoal-grilled meat, roasts, small game, medium-aged cheeses, Iberian cured sausages, etc.
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