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La Rioja Alta Viña Alberdi Reserva 2021 750ml
🇪🇸 Only the 2nd Selección Especial since 2001, Oscar Garcia Staff Pick.
La Rioja Alta Viña Alberdi Reserva Selección Especial — Rioja Alta 2021
Viña Alberdi is the entry-level Reserva of La Rioja Alta — and the 2021 vintage is something genuinely extraordinary. This is only the second vintage in the wine’s history to receive the designation “Selección Especial”; the first was the legendary 2001. Sourced from 40-year-old Tempranillo vines in Rodezno and ...Show More >
La Rioja Alta Viña Alberdi Reserva Selección Especial — Rioja Alta 2021
Viña Alberdi is the entry-level Reserva of La Rioja Alta — and the 2021 vintage is something genuinely extraordinary. This is only the second vintage in the wine’s history to receive the designation “Selección Especial”; the first was the legendary 2001. Sourced from 40-year-old Tempranillo vines in Rodezno and Labastida, harvested manually in boxes with cluster selection in the vineyard, and aged two years in American oak — new barrels the first year, four-year-old barrels the second — with four traditional rackings by candlelight. Wine Advocate awarded it 94 points. Vinous gave it 92. Wine Spectator 91.
Intense, brilliant garnet with a vivid ruby rim. The nose is high-intensity and expressive: raspberries, wild strawberries, redcurrants, wrapped in balsamic aromas of caramel, vanilla, toffee, and roasted coffee. On the palate, it is long, balanced, and fresh, with fine, silky tannins, terrific energy, and a long finish where red fruit and balsamic notes reappear with remarkable precision. Drink now through 2036.
Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021
Wine Advocate 94 — “Without a doubt, this is the finest Alberdi I can remember… very classical and very clean, showing incipient complexity. It has terrific balance and freshness and pungent, focused and precise flavors.”
Vinous 92 — “Marks only the second Selección Especial since 2001… its vintage quality shows clearly, lending energy and length to a very classical Rioja.”
Wine Spectator 91 — “A harmonious red, round and creamy, with a pure beam of ripe black cherry fruit married to supple tannins and accents of graphite, spice box and dark chocolate.”
Oscar Garcia, Wine Buyer, 67Wine — “One of the most classic and historic producers in all of Rioja. Medium-bodied with chewy tannins and ripe red fruit flavors. Beautiful finish with a lively acidity.”
- Producer: La Rioja Alta, Rioja Alta, Spain
- Vintage: 2021 — Selección Especial (only 2nd since 2001)
- Appellation: Rioja DOCa — Reserva
- Varietal: 100% Tempranillo — avg. 40-year-old vines, Rodezno & Labastida
- Aging: 2 years American oak (new + 4-year-old barrels), 4 rackings by candlelight
- Production: 650,000 bottles
- Size: 750ml
- Tasting Notes: Raspberry, wild strawberry, redcurrant, caramel, vanilla, toffee, roasted coffee, silky tannins
- Cellar Potential: Drink now through 2036
- Best Paired With: Charcuterie, barbecue, rice dishes, pasta, stews, grilled meats and fish
A 94-point Rioja Reserva Selección Especial at an honest price — Viña Alberdi 2021 is the benchmark for what classic Rioja Alta can be.
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Wine Information:
Country: Spain
Region: Rioja
Sub-Region:
Appellation: Rioja
Variety: Tempranillo
Type: Reds
Size: 750ml
Choose when time is of the essence
A wine with a high robe, bright, garnet colour and intense red cherry tones on the rim of the glass. On the nose, its aromatic intensity of ripe fruit, strawberries, raspberries and red berries stands out, rounding off the pleasant balsamic notes of vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. On the palate it is round, balanced, with a pleasant initial freshness and sweet, round tannins, giving way to a long, fruity and balsamic aftertaste, so characteristic of Viña Alberdi.
Luis Gutierrez writes: The younger wine here is the 2020 Viña Alberdi, a versatile version of the Haro reds. It was produced with Tempranillo fermented in stainless steel and matured in American oak barrels for two years (it's sold as Reserva in international markets and Crianza in Spain). It has 14% alcohol with a pH of 3.6 and five grams of acidity. It has a classical nose of ripe fruit, American oak and spices, the subtle notes of forest floor, still young. The palate is velvety and very balanced with polished tannins. Approachable but should also age. Drinking 2024 to 2029. - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 92
Zekun Shuai writes: A classical, typical Rioja Alta red with elegant notes of vanilla, coconut, smoked spices and strawberries. Refined and suave, with fine tannins and a long, creamy finish. Juicy and elegant. Really approachable now, but give it two more years to get more mushroom complexity. - James Suckling 93
One of the most classic and historic producers in all of Rioja. Medium-bodied with chew tannins with ripe red fruit flavors. Beautiful finish with a lively acidity.
Oscar Garcia, Wine Buyer, 67wine
