La Rioja Alta 904 Gran Reserva 1975

Wine: La Rioja Alta 904 Gran Reserva 1975

Winery: La Rioja Alta S.A. (Haro, La Rioja)
Appellation: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 85% Tempranillo, 15% Mazuelo and Graciano
ABV: 12.5%

Viticulture
A portion of the Tempranillo was sourced from the estate's oldest vineyards in the Rioja Alta sub-zone, primarily from the municipalities of Ollauri, Rodezno, and Cenicero. The Mazuelo and Graciano came from the Melchorón I and II estates in Briones and Rodezno. A small part of the blend was purchased from local growers’ finest plots (majuelos), under strict criteria: no white grape blending and a natural sugar content sufficient to reach a minimum of 12% alcohol.

Winemaking
Rigorous grape selection upon arrival at the winery. The wine spent 8 to 10 months in the winery’s foundational century-old large oak vats (of "grey wood"), where it completed malolactic fermentation and stabilized. It was aged for a minimum of 72 months in American oak barrels, undergoing 12 manual rackings to remove sediment and allow for gentle aeration. Bottled in mid-1982, followed by a minimum of 42 months of bottle aging prior to its commercial release.

 

Tasting Notes

 

Appearance: Brownish-ruby of medium depth; slightly cloudy with pomegranate highlights and a broad, brick-colored rim.

 

Nose: This red requires several hours of aeration (without decanting) to shed its reductive layers. Initially, notes of wine-soaked staves, seasoned wood, fine cabinetry, and lacquer dominate, with a distinct hint of "sacristy" and attic. After aeration, a recognizable wine emerges, defined by immense classicism and elegance. Ripe red fruit in liqueur prevails, alongside plum jam, chocolate bonbons, sour cherry, and cocoa butter, all over a perfumed backdrop of shaded forest floor, leaf litter, black truffle, cured leather, "barnyard," and horsehair. Complex, detailed, and beautifully mature. It continues to evolve with aromas of English tobacco, a subtle hint of pastry cream, cinnamon bark, bitter orange marmalade, and withered flowers.

 

Palate: It displays immense poise. This is the most powerful, structured, balsamic, and concentrated "904" tasted in years. Vibrant and savory, with luminous and present tannins and a sharp acidity that supports the ripe fruit perceived on the nose, all wrapped in an elegant framework of sophisticated toasted notes. The finish offers a perfumed trail of fine balsamic and earthy tones. Its strength is surprising, suggesting a Rioja with a long future that will continue to improve with further cellaring. Yet another example of the resilience and fortitude of the 1975 vintage—often undervalued, yet rivaling the legendary years of its era.

 

Personal Score: 93
Tasting Group Score: 95