Viña Ardanza Reserva 2019 is a powerful yet classic Rioja, blending Tempranillo and Garnacha to deliver ripe cherry and plum fruit, dried flowers, orange peel and warm spice. Structured and youthful with fine-grained tannins, balanced oak and vibrant acidity, it offers depth, freshness and long ageing potential.

James Suckling | JS 95
Published: Jul 29, 2025

This has classic Rioja aromas of cherries, dried flowers, earth, spices and orange peel. The palate is medium- to full-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins. Juicy, with opulent fruit. Drink or hold.

The Wine Advocate | RP 94
Published: Feb 27, 2025
Drink: 2025-2038

No 2018 was produced, so after the 2017 I tasted last year, we jumped to the 2019 Viña Ardanza Reserva, produced with a blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha. It fermented destemmed in stainless steel and aged in American oak barrels, 36 months for the Tempranillo and 30 months for Garnacha, and was blended before bottling. 2019 is a very good year for them, a small crop of powerful and concentrated wines when they produced all their brands, an exception. This is spicy, structured, balanced and powerful in this warm year, reaching the customary 14.5% alcohol and keeping a pH of 3.54 and 5.5 grams of acidity. It's still very young and undeveloped, with the classical profile, generous in American oak aromas and flavors that should slowly integrate in the wine with years in bottle. For them, 2019 means a change in Ardanza, less spicy (but still quite spicy, with clove, vanilla and tobacco leaves) and with more fresh fruit from the Garnacha. But the year is a modern version of 2015. 500,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2023. No 2023 or 2024 will be produced either.

La Rioja Alta is introducing the sixth generation of the family with Guillermo and Alex de Aranzabal Bittner. The Haro winery has 587 hectares of vineyards and only produces wines from their own grapes. They age their wines in 35,000 barrels and produce an average of 1.5 million bottles per year. There's a stellar 2016 Gran Reserva 904 this year, but there will be no Gran Reserva 890 until they release the 2015 in 2028...

Wine Spectator | WS 91
Published: Dec 22, 2025

Hints of cocoa powder and anise wind through the warmed cherry, plum and fig fruit flavors on display in this plushly textured red, backed by lively acidity and lightly chewy tannins. Hints of iron and herbs linger on the finish. Tempranillo and Garnacha. Drink now through 2036. 41,666 cases made.

Riojalta.com

Possibly one of the top three vintages of this century, alongside 2001 and 2015. An Atlantic-influenced year, typical of Rioja Alta, delivering fresh, fruity, balanced wines ideal for long aging. Officially rated as EXCELLENT.

The Tempranillo (80%) comes from 30-year-old vines in our Cuesta (Cenicero) and Montecillo (Fuenmayor) vineyards. The Garnacha (20%) is from La Pedriza in Tudelilla, Rioja Oriental, a 40-hectare estate with unbeatable conditions for growing this variety.

Hand-picked in boxes with a first cluster selection in the vineyard. Garnacha was harvested  two weeks later. Grapes were refrigerated during transport to preserve integrity. After optical sorting, fermentation lasted 17 days, followed by natural malolactic fermentation. Aged in American oak barrels from our cooperage: 36 months for Tempranillo and 30 months for Garnacha (20% new barrels). Traditional manual racking by candlelight (5 times). Bottled in December 2023.

Bright and vivid cherry red, medium-high intensity, garnet rim. Aromas of redcurrant, plum, and cherry, complemented by balsamic and spicy notes of black pepper, licorice, vanilla, clove, and nutmeg. Fresh and balanced on the palate, with sweet, elegant tannins and a long, lively finish, reflecting the wine’s distinctive balsamic and spicy character.

Roast lamb, red meats, barbecues, large game, spicy fish casseroles, smoked and aged cheeses.