2001 Vina Arana Reserva
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Tasting notes
(95% tempranillo) Medium red. Complex aromas of dried red berries and cherry, with complicating notes of cured tobacco, cedar, smoky minerals, vanilla and rose. Smooth, nicely concentrated and sweet, offering cherry-vanilla and candied floral flavors supported by soft tannins. This fully mature Rioja finishes with alluring sweetness and a lingering note of dusty, dried flowers.
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Average Score
Josh Raynolds
Josh Raynolds
More reviews and scores
Light brick-red color. Red berries, cherry, cedar and graphite aromas are complemented by subtle vanilla and musky herbs. Medium in weight, with saline cherry-vanilla and sweet raspberry flavors betraying no rough edges-or tannins, for that matter. Became muskier and sweeter with air, taking on notes of leather, botanical herbs and candied flowers. This is already complex, and would make an excellent companion to red meats or salty sheep's milk cheeses.
The 2001 Reserva Vina Arana has an aged appearance, medium ruby in color with a brick rim. The aromas also reveal some aged character with notes of forest floor and mushroom as well as cedar and spicy red fruits. On the palate the wine is elegant, supple, and silky but in need of a bit more concentration. Drink it over the next 3-4 years. La Rioja Alta continues to be one of the benchmarks for traditionally produced Rioja. What the wines may lack in power, they make up for in finesse and complexity. The winery has just released its first “modern-styled” Rioja, called Marques de Haro, and it is a success. Importer: Christopher Cannan, Europvin; www.riojalta.com
About the producer
Based in Haro, La Rioja Alta is one of Rioja’s most famous, traditional wine producers – alongside the likes of López de Heredia, Muga and CVNE.