La Rioja Alta Vina Arana Gran Reserva 2016

Aromas of dark plum, raspberry, mocha, mushroom, chocolate, mocha, coconut and cigar box. Full-bodied with ripe, fine tannins and bright acidity. Balanced and supple with a velvety texture. Coffee notes on the long, succulent finish.

The 2015 Viña Arana Gran Reserva, which was a Reserva until 2011, wants to showcase a new Gran Reserva style that combines freshness and joy with intensity, sophistication and aging potential through a blend of Tempranillo from Rodezno with 5% Graciano from Fuenmayor. The grapes were put through optical sorting and fermented in stainless steel for 19 days, and the wine matured in American oak barrels for three years with rackings every six months. This is the classical Haro style of Rioja Claret. They found that some special vintages of this wine behaved like a Gran Reserva, with a style that was closer to their 904. So, they wanted to make this consistent from vintage to vintage, a new a style of Gran Reserva, easier to understand than the 904 or 890. From 2012, the wine changes and they replaced the Mazuelo that was used in the past with Graciano, which they think is a grape very apt for Gran Reserva wines.

Arana commemorates one of La Rioja Alta's historic families. The Tempranillo (95%) and Graciano (5%) are aged separately in American oak barrels for three years before blending, then for three years in bottle (two years less than the 904, and six years less than the 890). The winery's keynote to this Rioja is 'freshness'. I agree.

Dry oak aromas are the greeting, and this smells earthy and cheesy in a classical way; along with that, this offers ripe scents of raisiny berry fruits and vanilla. A full palate is rich while holding on to its balance. Flavors of balsamic plum, berry fruits and tobacco finish bold more than fine and elegant. Drink through 2032.

La Rioja Alta didn't make a 904 Gran Reserva in 2012, so some of the grapes went into this cuvée of Tempranillo with 5% Graciano. There's lots of sweet, coconutty American oak here framing the bramble and summer berry flavors and an appealing balsamic undertone. True to La Rioja Alta's enormously successful style. 2020-28