La Rioja Alta Vina Alberdi Reserva 2016

Gorgeous nose of creaming soda, nutmeg, cherry, raspberry and thyme. Plush and round in shape, with strong oak influence and some tertiary notes poking through. Aniseed, sandalwood, cinnamon, vanilla and sweet Jamon. These I suspect will become more prominent with time. Utterly idiosyncratic and a beautiful introduction to traditional Rioja. Waters Wine Co

Aromas of subtle red fruit with plums, spice and cedar. Some dried flowers and dried spices. It’s medium-bodied with some pretty, ripe fruit in the centre palate, fine tannins and a citrus and cedar undertone to the finish. 93 points – James Suckling

Few would dispute that La Rioja Alta is the leading quality-focused producer in Spain’s most famous wine region. Since the coming together of five growers to form the estate 130 years ago, they have produced some of the most highly regarded and longest-lived examples of Rioja. These superb wines are ready for consumption on release, but will keep many more years in bottle – decades in some cases.

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