It's one of Rioja's great gifts to hold back wine in bottle under the aging requirements of the Gran Reserva designations. La Rioja Alta, alongside its legendary neighbor López de Heredia, stands at the pinnacle of traditional Rioja. In 2015, La Rioja Alta took its flagship "904" Gran Reserva to a new level, introducing optical sorting to select only the finest grapes—choosing berry by berry (not simply cluster by cluster). This precision-driven approach gave rise to a new designation: "Selección Especial."

This Gran Reserva comes from 60+-year-old vines, comprised of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano. Wines are traditionally aged in older American barrels. The 2015 vintage produced powerful wines in Rioja, yet what sets this bottling apart is the freshness and fine tannins.

 

You'll find the classic notes of cinnamon, leather, tobacco, coffee, red cherry, and plum up front. But the 904 impresses most by flaunting deeply layered textures, seamlessly woven with an ethereal and haunting finish embodying the pinnacle of Grand Reserva Rioja. Examples from La Rioja Alta dating back to 1973 have been some of the most memorable wine experiences I've ever had.

 

Five families in 1890 from Rioja and the Basque country founded Sociedad Vinícola de La Rioja Alta to make age-worthy, grand wines. Located just across the street from the iconic Lopez de Heredia, La Rioja Alta is also respected as the prime address for terroir-driven Rioja, emphasizing the elegance and transparency of Tempranillo.