Wine Along The 101
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    • 2023 Articles >
      • Simply Italian Great Wines US Tour 2022, A Brief Look at the Complex World of Italian Wine
      • A Night of Sicilian Wine, Spotlighting Cambria and Madaudo Wineries
      • Yealands Wines, “Think Boldly, Tread Lightly”, Leading the World Toward Sustainable Winemaking
    • 2022 Articles >
      • Further Defining the Single Vineyard Cru Wines of Barolo and Barbaresco, the Rise of the MGA
      • The Barolo Cru Wines of Beni di Batasiolo
      • Pyros Wines Sparks World-Class Malbec
      • AlloraVino Imports, a Love Affair with Italian Wine
      • Maisons Marques & Domaines Wine Portfolio: Prestige, Glamour and Good Taste for the Holidays
      • The Original Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI, a Condiment and a Culture
      • Rocca delle Macìe, Taking Chianti Classico to New Heights
      • Alluring and Iconic, The World of Chianti Wines
      • Paso Robles Weaves a Thrilling Tapestry of World-Class Wine
      • LXV Wines, The Spice of Paso Robles
      • The Mouthwatering Sauvignon Blancs of Chile
      • The Wines of Portugal, Discover a World of Difference
      • Domaines Albert Bichot, An Exceptional Approach to Burgundian Wine
      • The Wines of Abruzzo Undergo a Renaissance of Quality
      • Ketcham Estate, Exceptional Wines From The Heart of the Russian River Valley
      • La Rioja Alta, S.A., Innovation and Tradition That Stands the Test of Time
      • Vega Sicilia Celebrates 40 Years of Winemaking Excellence
      • Planeta of Sicily Embraces the Past While Reaching For the Future
      • The Spirit of Renaissance is Alive and Well in “South of Somewhere”
      • Gambero Rosso Returns to LA, With the Best of Italian Wines
      • Falanghina and Aglianico del Taburno, Sannio's Ancient Wine Stars
      • Tablas Creek Vineyard Embraces Regenerative Organic Farming
    • 2021 Articles >
      • Make Merry With Domaine Bousquet Sparkling Wines
      • Discover These Enchanting Italian Wines, From the Fog of Piedmont to the Island Breezes of Sardinia
      • Rodney Strong Vineyards and Winery, Revitalizing an Iconic Brand
      • Thanksgiving Tips for the Best Wine and Food Pairing
      • Escape to Paso Robles, a Wine Country Oasis
      • Escape to Paso Robles, a Wonderland of Wine
      • Smith-Madrone Wines, a Napa Valley Pioneer Celebrates Fifty Years of Excellence
      • Oregon’s Willamette Valley, the Land of Pinot Noir
      • Irvine & Roberts Vineyards, Exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Southern Oregon
      • BARRA of Mendocino Wines, an Original Organic Wine Play
      • The Opulent and Thrilling Wines of Denner Vineyards
      • L’Ecole No. 41, Expressive Wines That Pass the Test of Time With Flying Colors
      • France's Loire Valley, a Fairytale Land of Storybook Castles and Magical Wines
      • Craft Wine, Shining the Spotlight on America’s Small Wine Producers
    • 2020 Articles >
      • Margerum Wine Company, the Nexus of Sublime Santa Barbara County Wines
      • Catena Zapata, Malbec on High
      • Long Meadow Ranch, the Circle of Life in a Glass of Wine
      • Fontanafredda Barolo Forges a New Future
      • Bordeaux Wine 2017, Surprises in a Challenging Vintage
    • 2019 Articles >
      • The Rising Wine Country of Southern Oregon's Rogue Valley
      • Discover Ashland and the Rogue Valley, Southern Oregon's Serenade to the Good Life
      • Napa Valley Grille, New Fall Menu Paired with European Wines
      • Embrace Your Wine Geek with PRIE Winery & Vineyards
      • Castello di Albola, Chianti Classico on High
      • Nicolas-Jay Wines, the Journey of a Lifetime
      • The Expanding Complexity of New Zealand Wine
      • Prosecco DOC, Splendor in the Glass
      • On the Oregon Wine Trail
      • Albariño and Rioja Star in Spain’s Great Match
      • Exciting and Eclectic, the Wines of Alentejo
      • Blaufränkisch Propels the Red Wines of Austria Into the Spotlight
      • Fascinating Greek Wines of the Cava Spiliadis Collection
      • Revolution In Rioja Wine
    • 2018 Articles >
      • Temecula Valley Celebrates 50 Years of Winemaking
      • The Stellar Wines of Sardinia
      • Italian Wines Prescribed by Doctor Wine
      • The Alluring Wines of Tunisia
      • Gambero Rosso’s Top Italian Wines for 2018
      • Velenosi Wines, From Le Marche to the World
      • Sauvignon Blanc, a Rising Star in Napa Valley
      • Frank Family Vineyards Celebrates 25 Years
      • Markus Wine Co., Sleek New Red Wines Up the Ante for Lodi Reds
      • Lodi Wine, Over 100 Varieties Strong
      • Ramona Valley Wine Country, an Up and Coming Wine Region
      • Hertelendy Vineyards, the Pursuit of Excellence
      • Napa Valley Wine, Nirvana in a Bottle
      • Wine Stroll: Explore Downtown Paso Robles Wineries
      • The Beautiful Shades of Lodi Rosé Wines
      • Doubling Down on Gold Medal Wines: The San Francisco International Wine Competition
      • The Exotic Wines of Lebanon
      • Australian Wines, Rediscover the New Frontier
      • New Zealand Wines, Expanding beyond Sauvignon Blanc
      • Visit France in 2018, a Feast of Food, Wine, Culture and History
      • Bordeaux Wine 2015, A Very Good Year
      • Portugal's Treasure Chest of Wines
      • Livermore Valley, California’s Original Wine Country Reborn
      • Concannon and Wente Vineyards, California’s Pioneers of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay
      • Livermore Valley Wine Country, the Future Looks Bright
    • 2017 Articles >
      • Viña Ardanza Rioja Turns 75, an Enchanting Wine Gets Even Better
      • The VIP Sparkle of Prosecco Superiore
      • Lodi Wine Country, Seriously Good Wine From A to Z
      • Lodi Wine Country, Old Vines and Great Wines
      • Lodi Wine Country, Winegrowers and Winemakers Focused on the Future
      • Lugana White Wine, Better With Age
      • Santa Barbara Winemakers Road Trip to LA
      • Sweetzer Cellars, a Life Changing Journey of Wine
      • Lugana and Valpolicella, the Yin and Yang of the Veneto
      • Three R’s of Summer Wine, Rosé, Riesling, and Ramato
      • Familia Martínez Bujanda, Wines Without Borders
      • Codorníu Cava, the Ars and Anna Collection
      • New and Exciting Wines from the 2017 Santa Barbara Vintners Spring Weekend Celebration
      • Sensual Delights on Display at Savor Italy Los Angeles
      • Pizza and Franco Pepe, Italy’s Best Comes to LA
      • Montes Wines, Wisdom in Wine From Father to Son
      • Passionate Pinot Noir Lovers Unite at the 2017 World of Pinot
      • Vignalta, Wines of the Highest Order
      • Santa Lucia Highlands Sensational Wines
      • Gambero Rosso’s Top Italian Wines for 2017
      • Law Estate Wines: Quality by Design
      • Taittinger and Calvisius: Champagne and Caviar Dreams
      • Riding High on American Rhone Wines, The Rhone Rangers LA Tasting
      • Discover Monterey Wine Country, wine and so much more
      • Wines of Portugal, the Perfect Dinner Companion
      • Gruet's Enchanting Sparkling Wines
    • 2016 Articles >
      • The Art of Italian Living, SoCal Style
      • Wines of Alsace: Perfect for the Holidays
      • Oso Libre Winery; Vines, Wines, and Angus Beef
      • Best Wines for Thanksgiving
      • Simply Italian Great Wines US Tour Sweeps Through Los Angeles
      • Santa Barbara Winemakers Road Trip: Chardonnay
      • Santa Barbara Winemakers Road Trip: Pinot Noir
      • Santa Barbara Winemakers Road Trip: Rhône Varietals
      • Santa Barbara Winemakers Road Trip: Bordeaux Varietals
      • Achaval-Ferrer, Exceptional Wines from Argentina
      • Celebration of Harvest Grand Tasting 2016 Highlights
      • The Celebrity Sparkle of Ferrari Trento Wines
      • Santa Barbara Wine Country’s Celebration of Harvest 2016
      • The Garagiste Festival, Off the Beaten Path Wines
      • Explore SLO Wine Country, Central California’s Hidden Gem
      • Byron Winery, The Grand Pinot Noir Experiment
      • Crocker & Starr Wines, Organically Elegant
      • Escape to Santa Maria Wine Country
      • The Elegant White Wines of Domäne Wachau
      • Champagne Palmer: The New Champagne on the Block
      • Holman Ranch & Vineyards: Making Memories & Wine at Romantic California Hideaway
      • Luminous Wines of France's Loire Valley
    • Examiner.com Articles >
      • Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards: Wines Without Compromise
      • All Stars of Pinot Noir Rock the 2016 World of Pinot
      • Ampelos Wines' Biodynamic Brilliance
      • Artisan Uprising: Blood Into Wine
      • Bodegas Beronia Rioja: The Magic of Oak
      • Crawford Family Wines: Unlocking Varietal Flavor
      • Dolin Malibu Estate Vineyards' Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs Shine Bright
      • Hahn Family Wines: Santa Lucia Highlands' Sweet Spot
      • Kimmel Vineyards: Good Wine Flows from Challenging Times
      • Larner Vineyard: Sweet Spot for Syrah and Grenache
      • LOCA for Lodi Wine
      • Lompoc Wine Ghetto
      • Sanford Winery & Vineyards, Delicious Wines That Tell a Tale
      • The Diverse and Divine Wines of Santa Barbara County
      • Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail
      • The Stellar Wines of California's Sta. Rita Hills
      • Skinner Vineyards, Destiny and Determination
      • Wines of Portugal, The Art of the Blend
  • Wine Reviews
    • The Dynamic Lavico Etna Wines of Duca di Salaparuta
    • The Sangiovese Stars of San Felice Wines
    • Lucky Rock Wine Co. 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, in Can and Bottle
    • Coen Malbec Reserve 2019, a New World Wine with Old World Sensibilities
    • Sangre de Toro Rosé, A Light and Bright Summer Thirst Quencher
    • Summer and Sauvignon Blanc, Lucky Rock Wine Co. Style
    • Lucky Rock Wine Co. County Cuvée Pinot Noir 2019
    • Monte Velho, Fascinating Wines and Value-Priced
    • Grassl Glasses Add Depth to Wine Enjoyment
    • Domaine Bousquet Sparkling Rosé Brut Makes Everyday a Holiday
    • Festive Ferrari Trento Sparkling Wines For All Occasions
    • Bodegas CARO, the Best of Both Worlds
    • Kosher Wines For the Jewish High Holidays Are Highly Recommended Anytime of Year
    • Oak Farm Vineyards, a Rainbow of Delicious Lodi Wines
    • Lucky Rock Wine Co. Sauvignon Blanc 2019
    • Ron Rubin Wines, The Dream Series
    • Lucky Rock Wine Co. County Cuvée Pinot Noir 2018
    • Lucky Rock Wine Co. Sauvignon Blanc 2018
    • Crus Bourgeois Bordeaux, Expressive Wines at Everyday Prices
    • Légende Collection of Bordeaux Wines
    • Five Contemporary California Wines To Try
    • Alternative Sparkling Wines For a Celebration
    • A Toast to Prosecco Superiore
    • Celebrate with this Pair of Spanish Red Wines
    • A Quartet of Summer Red Wines
    • Spanish Albariño, a Wine For All Seasons
    • Ciù Ciù Wines, Quality That Shines Through
    • A Trio of Red Wines for Holiday Merrymaking
    • Terre de la Custodia Montefalco Rosso 2012
    • The Sultry Arnaldo Caprai Collepiano Montefalco Sagrantino
    • Pop the Cork on Charles Heidsieck Champagne and Bisol Prosecco
    • Garnacha Wines from DOP Cariñena, Beautiful Bang for the Buck
    • A Pair of Greek Wines for a Spring Feast
    • A Dynamic Duo of Sassy Spanish White Wines
    • Anderra Carménere
    • Artesa Chardonnay/Pinot Noir
    • Avignonesi Grandi Annate
    • Château Saint-Maur Rosé
    • La Miranda de Secastilla, Old Vine Garnacha Gems
    • Intriguing Israeli Wines
    • Leviathan
    • Domaines Paul Mas Wines Trio
    • Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc, intensely refreshing and delicious
    • Perticaia Trebbiano Spoletino
    • Stay Cool With These Two Charming White Wines
  • Events
    • Garagiste Wine Festival: Urban Exposure 2022 Highlights Hidden California Wine Gems
    • Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival 2019
    • World of Pinot Noir 2019, A Magical Mystery Tour
    • Journey to Planet Pinot at the 2018 World of Pinot Noir
    • Great Wines of Italy Comes to LA
    • Wine Along the Beach at Garagiste Wine Festival 2017
    • Santa Barbara Vintners Spring Weekend Celebration 2017
    • Orbit the World of Pinot Noir at the 2017 World of Pinot
    • Rhone Rangers Los Angeles 2016
  • Wine Travel
  • Videos
    • Celebration of Harvest
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    • Que Syrah, Shiraz!
    • Paso Robles Wine Festival
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    • Clos Pepe's Prince of Pinot
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  • Who We Are
    • About Patricia Decker
    • About Fabian Rodriguez
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Viña Ardanza, a blend of Tempranillo and Garnacha, is the epitome of fine wine, opulent and elegant, intense with cherry fruit and spice, yet intriguing with coffee bean and cigarbox notes, structured yet ripe and balanced, with silky tannins and an extraordinarily long finish.  It’s reminiscent of the finest French Burgundy and Bordeaux wines, hauntingly beautiful on the nose, fascinatingly exquisite on the palate, with a mesmerizing finish that wraps itself around your senses.
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Viña Ardanza is the icon wine of La Rioja Alta, S.A., one of Rioja’s most venerable and acclaimed wineries.  Elevated by its successful trio of wines, the 890 and 904 Gran Reservas and the Viña Ardanza Reserva, they are committed to crafting a classic style of Rioja wine.  Not an easy path to take, since the supple and savory traditional style has been giving way to the rich and fruity modern wines of the region.  Taking the midpoint, La Rioja Alta, S.A. channels tradition while embracing modern winemaking techniques, today making wines with more fruit and structure, but striving for a delicate elegance that echoes the past.  It’s this historical Spanish accent that permeates the transparent ruby color of the wine, hidden in the swirl of aromas and flavors, a whisper of the delicate Tempranillo from the Rioja Alta vineyards atop the plateau, with a bass note of the more powerful Garnacha from the low-lying Rioja Baja.  Captivating in the same way as some of the best Burgundian wines, ethereal and subtle, it is different in it’s full orchestral complement of aromas and flavors; fruit, earth, spice, tobacco, cocoa, and oak notes of vanilla and cinnamon.
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Courtesy La Rioja Alta, S.A.
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Courtesy La Rioja Alta, S.A.
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Courtesy La Rioja Alta, S.A.
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Courtesy La Rioja Alta, S.A.
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Courtesy La Rioja Alta, S.A.
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Courtesy La Rioja Alta, S.A.
Over 127 years ago, La Rioja Alta, S.A. was founded by five Rioja families.  Shortly after, in 1904, La Rioja Alta merged with Ardanza Winery but it took until 1942 to register the brand Viña Ardanza, which would become it’s crowning jewel.  Over 20 years ago, a new state-of-the-art winery was constructed, and quality was increased among the wines.  Only fruit from estate vineyards, situated in the best areas of Rioja, planted mostly to Tempranillo, with some Graciano, Garnacha, and Mazuelo for blending complexity, is used for these stunning wines.  Tempranillo comes from the Montecillo and La Cuesta vineyards in Rioja Alta, Garnacha from Tudelilla vineyard in Rioja Baja.  Detailed viticulture and winemaking shape the character of the wines, and although vintage counts, more attention is paid to a natural approach.  Modern winemaking with traditional accents has allowed Ardanza to continually excite, in line with their motto, “Evolution not revolution”.  So dedicated to this process, La Rioja Alta, S.A., makes their own American Oak barrels, central to what makes Rioja so distinctive.  With the ability to age and store millions of bottles of Rioja wine, the consumer is the winner, able to purchase fully mature wines at a reasonable price.  And yet the wines still have the ability to age beyond that, a perfect choice for the home wine cellar.  Viña Ardanza is not made every year, but only when conditions are right for a great wine, maybe 5-6 times a decade.  But the greatest wines happen rarely, labeled Especial, they have only been made three times, in 1964, 1973, and 2001.  While classic Rioja can be a blend of Tempranillo, Graciano, Garnacha and Mazuelo, Viña Ardanza has been mainly 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha since 1994, which is the winemaker’s decision based on the harvest.
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A chance to chat and explore a new wine from Grupo Rioja Alta, Lagar de Cervera Albariño, with Guillermo de Aranzábal
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(L-R) Wolfgang Puck, Patricia Decker, Piero Selvaggio
To celebrate 75 vintages of Viña Ardanza and demonstrate it’s metamorphosis throughout the years, the President of La Rioja Alta, S.A., Guillermo de Aranzábal, came to Los Angeles with winemaker Julio Sáenz for a wine tasting luncheon with wine professionals at Wolfgang Puck at the Hotel Bel-Air Restaurant.  This was such a special event that Wolfgang himself participated, in addition to Piero Selvaggio of Valentino fame.  Six stellar vintages of Viña Ardanza were poured, from 1989 to 2008, exquisitely paired with Puck’s excellent cuisine.  Where the wines were enthralling by the glass, they rose to new heights when drank with food.
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Aranzábal outlined the philosophy of La Rioja Alta, S.A., “Everything we do is for the long term, we’re not too worried about short-term sales, about fashion.  We are a classic winery, because we age for the style of the wines and because we age for a long time.  Why we age the wines, we think wines improve with aging.”  Focused on identifying trends in wine, Aranzábal employs new sensibilities in their winemaking, by reducing the number of rackings to reduce oxidation, aging Tempranillo and Garnacha in separate lots rather than together, making their own oak barrels from imported American oak, and aging the wines in 4-year-old barrels for the Tempranillo, and 2-4 years for the Garnacha, exercising control over as many variables as possible in the winemaking process.  Adapting for the future, Aranzábal described La Rioja Alta, S.A. as “the new classics, the classics of today, we want to take the best of the tradition and the best of the innovation.  From tradition, we take the elegance of the wines; complexity, delicacy, long life.  From the new style wines, we take more color, more freshness, more fruit, more intensity.”  And this is the core of the evolution of Viña Ardanza, a wine that gets better every vintage from the blend of tradition and modern trends, yet still requires patience since aging is so important to its evolution.
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The older vintages, 1989, 1994, and 2000 were poured alongside the first course, “Sorpresine” Tortelloni Pasta, with Maine Lobster, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Brown Butter, “Viña Ardanza” Reduction, finished with a shaving of Australian Black Truffles.  The Viña Ardanza Reserva 1989, 70% Tempranillo, 25% Garnacha, and 5% Mazuelo and Graciano, was incredible, a holy smokes moment, a mature wine that had evolved but was still vibrant and alive, aromatic and supple with dried fruit and spice notes, and a touch of balsamic on the nose, cherry and strawberry fruit with orange peel and vanilla on the palate.  The Viña Ardanza Reserva 1994, 75% Tempranillo and 25% Garnacha, is an excellent vintage that yielded high quality grapes and made an intense, riper wine.  The Viña Ardanza Reserva 2000 is very good, but according to Sáenz, still very young, more of a soft Burgundy at this point, and needs more time in the bottle to reach its potential.
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The very "Especial" 2001 Viña Ardanza
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Winemaker Julio Sáenz expressed his enthusiasm for the many vintages of Viña Ardanza
Two enchanting vintages were poured alongside the Oakwood Grilled Sonoma Lamb, with a Ragout of Summer Shelling Beans, Braised Lamb Shoulder, in Natural Jus.  The Viña Ardanza “Reserva Especial” 2001 is just superb, 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha, it was the best of the tasting.  It is the pinnacle, only the third Reserva Especial in the history of the label.  Important to the evolution of La Rioja Alta, S.A., the 2001 marked the first year that the wines were aged in their own oak barrels, and more notable, a turning point for the character of Viña Ardanza, where spicy gave way to more blackberry fruit.  Explosive in its intensity and brightness, the vibrant color revealed an aromatic complexity of berry and spice, fruity, structured but smooth, with a blackberry jam accent on the extremely long finish.  The Viña Ardanza Reserva 2004, also 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha, was very similar to the 1994, intensely flavorful with a firmer tannin structure that gave shape to the wine.  Powerful yet delicate, it is elegant and balanced.
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Over a cheese plate and a Concord Grape Dulce de Leche Custard with a Frozen Pavlova, the Viña Ardanza Reserva 2008 really strutted its stuff.  This was the first vintage where 100% of the grapes came from estate-owned vineyards, and a new one, La Pedriza, whose Garnacha brings lively aromas and a spicy flavor to the wine.  Although 2008 wasn’t a great year for many Rioja producers, it was a very good one for Viña Ardanza, and with the passage of time, might even be considered another “Gran Reserva Especial”, according to Sáenz.  The 80/20 blend seems to be a keeper, with the 2008 seemingly very fresh, integrated and balanced, the cherry and blackcurrant fruit is interlaced with notes of balsamic, sweet spice, tobacco, coffee, chocolate, caramel and vanilla, pleasant and silky with a very long finish.  This is a wine to look forward to, as it ages and gains complexity, evolving into something masterful.
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As Aranzábal proclaimed, “Tradition plus innovation equals balance” and that is the beauty of Viña Ardanza, seamless and integrated, no one thing stands out, it is the sum of the aromas, flavors, acidity and structure that has you coming back for more, one that I find particularly intriguing, like a mystery never truly revealed.
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Viña Ardanza wines, in all their vintages, are ravishing beauties, that will mesmerize and captivate you with their heady swirl of aromas, and satisfy with their balance and depth of flavors.  This is a lot of wine for the price, and with the US their number one market for exports, there is more than enough to go around.  With the promise of another extraordinary “Especial” wine in the 2008, this might be a good time to indulge in drinking for today and cellaring for tomorrow.