La Rioja Alta : Vina Arana Gran Reserva 2016

Characteristics and tasting advice for La Rioja Alta’s Vina Arana Gran Reserva 2016

Tasting

Appearance
The color displays a beautiful ruby hue.

Nose
The bouquet is intense and fragrant, revealing a complex array of balsamic notes, brioche, toast, vanilla, caramel, and cinnamon, accompanied by subtle aromas of black plum, wild strawberry, ripe blackcurrant, and red berries.

Palate
On the palate, the wine is well-structured and balanced, offering pleasant freshness and smooth, polished tannins, the result of careful aging in oak barrels. The finish is fresh, delicate, and persistent.

Food and wine pairing

This Vina Arana Gran Reserva pairs perfectly with rice or pasta starters, small game stews, and charcoal-grilled meats.

Serving and cellaring

It is recommended to serve this Vina Arana Gran Reserva 2016 between 60.8 and 64.4°F (16–18°C).

The vibrancy and richness of a Gran Reserva from Rioja

The estate

La Rioja Alta, founded in 1890 by five winemaking families, remains a family-owned estate to this day. This bodega stands out for its in-house cooperage and extended oak aging for its crianza, reserva, and gran reserva cuvées.

The vineyard

The grapes come from the El Palo and Las Monjas vineyards located in Rodezno in Rioja. These plots, planted in 1973, lie on loamy soils and are farmed using sustainable viticulture favoring low yields per hectare.

The wine

This 2016 vintage celebrates the 50th anniversary of this cuvée’s creation.

The vintage

2016 is marked by moderate rainfall spread throughout the growing season, which enabled the vineyard to withstand the summer heat well.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes are harvested by hand, with an initial selection in the vineyard, then transported in refrigerated vehicles to preserve their quality. After a second optical sorting, alcoholic and malolactic fermentations occur naturally. In March 2017, the best lots were selected for three years of aging in American oak barrels, with traditional racking by candlelight.

Grape varieties

This wine is composed of 95% Tempranillo and 5% Graciano.