La Rioja Alta Viña Arana Gran Reserva 2014

La Rioja Alta Viña Arana Gran Reserva 2014

VINEYARD, GRAPES & AGEING
Tempranillo (94%) from Las Cuevas, El Palo and Las Monjas vineyards in Rodezno complemented with 6% Graciano from the Montecillo estate in Fuenmayor.

We started the grape harvest with the Tempranillo and, 20 days later, we picked the Graciano in Montecillo. All the grapes were placed in small boxes and taken to the winery in refrigerated transport to preserve their integrity. Alcoholic fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks, lasting 19 days.

After malolactic fermentation, in April 2015, we selected a number of wines that were transferred to American oak barrels (made in-house) with an average age of 4.5 years. They remained in barrels for three years, with a traditional racking every six months. In April 2018, we made the last blend, which we bottled in June 2018.

Reviews

Decanter – “Viña Arana commemorates one of La Rioja Alta’s historic families. The Tempranillo (94%) and Graciano (6%) 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.” (96 Pts)

James Suckling – “Lots of mushroom and walnut aromas with plum and leather, too. It’s full-bodied, but very soft and creamy-textured with lots of old wood, mushroom and ripe fruit on the finish. Some chocolate and hazelnut. Complex and gorgeous.” (96 Pts)