Product Overview
Winery's Notes
"Intense cherry red color, marking the garnet on the edge of the glass. Of great aromatic power, first of fruity character (cherry, currant, red plum) giving way then to balsamic and spicy notes (pepper, licorice, clove, vanilla, toasted caramel and nutmeg). Fresh and balanced in the mouth, with fine and silky tannins. Ample aftertaste that combines red fruits and spices with a fresh and long character."
Varietal Composition: 80% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha
Appellation: Rioja DOC
Aging: 36 months for Tempranillo, 30 months for Garnacha (to prevent oxidation), 20% new
Winemaker: Julio Sáenz
94 Points - Wine Advocate
"2017 was not an easy harvest, but it produced some beautiful and classical wines, like the 2017 Viña Ardanza Reserva, which shows a little more advancement and polish and is ready to drink. It was produced with 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha from their vineyard La Pedriza in Tudelilla. It fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts and matured in American oak barrels, 36 months for the Tempranillo and 30 for the Garnacha (that was harvested 15 days later), with six rackings. It's ripe and aromatic, tertiary, with 14.5% alcohol and mellow acidity, a medium-bodied palate and sleek tannins. It has a pungent note of clove and pepper, some licorice and ink and the cherries in liqueur from the Garnacha. An updated classical Ardanza. 600,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2021." -LG, 2/29/24
94 Points - Wine Enthusiast
"A blend of Tempranillo and Garnacha that escapes the excess heat of the vintage to deliver savory complexity with a core of ripe red cherries and berries deepened by tobacco and spice notes. The long finish carries a hint of pleasing sweetness." -ECB, 4/1/25
93 Points - Vinous
"Viña Ardanza is a wine that embodies the long history of Rioja. The 2017 Gran (sic) Reserva Viña Ardanza is a blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha sourced from Rioja Alta and Oriental. Aged for up to 36 months in American oak, it presents a ripe profile with aromas of black fruit, earth and balsamic, complemented by cedar and vanilla. On the palate, it is dry and rich, with a juicy texture and fine, polished tannins that culminate in a bold and lingering finish. This is a vibrant red wine with harmonious balance." -JH, Dec/2023 (Note from HWC: Vinous is incorrect. With 3 years of aging, Ardanza is always a Reserva, not a Gran Reserva. Gran Reserva requires 5 years of aging.)
92 Points - Wine Spectator
"Baked cherry, raspberry ganache and warm fig flavors are ripe and expressive, with a pleasing counterpoint and added detail from rich notes of loamy earth and leather, plus accents of bay leaf, vanilla and red licorice. There's a supple generosity on the palate, trimmed nicely by fine-grained tannins and a tang of orange peel acidity. Tempranillo and Garnacha. Drink now through 2032. 35,000 cases made, 9,000 cases imported." -AN, 8/31/24
