2011 Rioja Gran Reserva 890
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
Full bottle 1,293 g. 95% Tempranillo, 3% Graciano, 2% Mazuelo. After destemming and crushing, alcoholic fermentation took place over 16 days at temperatures below 26 °C. Tempranillo and Mazuelo were blended in the vineyard and fermented together, while Graciano was vinified separately. Malolactic conversion occurred naturally. After natural winter stabilisation, they selected the finest wines, which were then aged for six years in barrels, undergoing ten rackings. During this period, they selected, through tasting and analysis, the barrels that best represented the character of Gran Reserva 890. Bottled in July 2018. Beware of the cork: in the bottle I had it broke during extraction. A Durand might be best. Deep bricky/brown garnet. Invitingly mature aromas of undergrowth, earth and leather but still with some senescent fruit sweetness. Still remarkably intense on the palate, leathery and spicy and yet with so much life in a mature wine. There's a touch of mocha and even eucalyptus, so many layers. Fabulous balance between freshness and fruit sweetness in a dry wine. Still so rich in fruit even though all the flavours are so evolved. Full-bodied, spicy and complex with a very long finish. Benchmark mature Gran Reserva. (JH)
Critic scores
Average Score
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
A special wine, newly released from an excellent vintage, the 2011 Gran Reserva 890 is a vineyard-selection of high-altitude sites and includes 3% Graciano and 2% Mazuelo. The Mazuelo was co-fermented with the 95% Tempranillo and spent six years in American oak, during which the best barrels were selected for this wine, followed by six years in bottle; bottling took place July 2018. Tannins attack the front of the medium-bodied palate and melt, finding an enduring freshness through the midpalate and lengthy finish. There’s a savory woody character that dominates over subtle red plum and cherry fruit. This should continue to age well a good 10-12 years.
After the otherworldly 2010 comes the 2011 Gran Reserva 890, their longest-aging red, matured in used American oak barrels for six years and produced just three or four times per decade. It's mostly Tempranillo with 3% Graciano and 2% Mazuelo, with the Graciano vinified separately. 2011 was a warm and ripe year, but the wine has medium ripeness and 14% alcohol, with a pH of 3.7 and 5.8 grams of acidity. It has a tertiary nose, with notes of wet fur, leather, truffles, spices, earth and forest floor, decayed leaves and a hint of smoke. The palate was velvety, with fully resolved tannins and a long and very tasty finish. 60,956 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2016.
The 2011 Gran Reserva 890 from Rioja Alta is a fully evolved red. Already mahogany in hue, it's steeped in tertiary complexity. Aromas include wild herbs like thyme and oregano alongside hints of cola and licorice, clearly revealing its maturity. This is silky and vibrant, with tension and finely polished tannins that glide across the palate. There's precision to the development here. This gradually unfurls notes of black olive, a faint tarry edge and a medley of herbal tones. It is a classic Rioja of depth and elegance. The animal whiff on the finish is subtle, more an indication of character than a flaw, adding an extra layer to its sophisticated composition.
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.