- 95%Tempranillo,3% Graciano & 2% Mazuelo from estate-owned vineyards
- Winemaking follows a very meticulous selection process. Only the best clusters were taken to the winery in small refrigerated boxes.
- A second selection occurs after the winter
- Aged for 6 years in house-coopered American oak barrels
- During the 10 rackings, a further selection of the barrels is made for the final blend
Info
Producer:
Vintage:
2010
Country:
Spain
Region:
La Rioja
Appellation:
Rioja
Variety:
Tempranillo-Based Blend
Color:
Red
Farming Practice:
Practicing Organic
Sizes Available
| Full Bottle | ES-LRA-31-10 | 6/750ml |
Press & Reviews
James Suckling
Score
99
Date
2023-08-24
"#4 Top 100 Wines of Spain 2023: This is really refined and complex, with dark mineral, savory berries, mussels, walnuts, sweet spices, truffles, dried oranges, forest floor and cocoa powder. Beautiful acidity with vertical and velvety tannins. Tense, dimensional and very long. Drink or keep holding."
Decanter
Score
98
Date
2023-02-28
"I have no doubts that this wine will live longer than its ancestor. Indeed, I think that today's 890s are the best ever. Since the magic 2001, these wines have acquired an extra layer of concentration, without losing any freshness, and an admirable mastering of oak ageing. The wines need many years in bottle to release their complex expression, and have an amazing capacity to keep an open fruit expression for very long time. Definitely a wine to keep, and a very likely victim of price speculation in the next years. Enjoy it while it is still affordable."
Tim Atkin, MW
Score
98
Date
2022-05-26
Wine Advocate
Score
97
Date
2022-07-18
Wine Enthusiast
Score
97
Date
2025-07-01
"Beautiful, refined, finessed and filled with complexity, this is an example of wine worth waiting for. Flavors of tobacco, licorice, mixed fruits and an aromatic, floral lift. Ample while melting tannins pleasantly coat the mouth then carry into a long, stimulating finish. Impressive. IT Public Relations. —E.C.B."
Vinous
Score
96
Date
2024-04-18
"The 2010 Gran Reserva 890 is a blend of 95% Tempranillo, 3% Graciano and 2% Mazuelo from Rioja Alta. Aged for six years in American oak, this light garnet wine with a brick sheen unfolds a bouquet of leather and cigar box, along with caramel, licorice, dried fruits and a faint balsamic note. On the palate, it is dry and silky, with a nimble and juicy flow that soars with a light, flavorful, nervously lasting note. A classically styled Rioja in the midst of its evolution, its intricate bouquet offers a glimpse into its promising future over the next decade."
Wine Spectator
Score
95
Date
2024-05-08
"Aging gracefully, this red is traditional in the best sense of the word, integrating notes of tobacco and loamy earth with firm, sculpted tannins. Shows an expressive core of plum sauce, dried raspberry, red licorice and espresso flavors. The interplay on display is enticing and deft through the long, plush finish. Drink now through 2035. From Spain.—A.N."
Jancis Robinson
Score
17.5
Date
2024-04-26
"Very delicate and elegant, with a mix of mocha, milk chocolate and white flowers (reminds me of Kenyan coffee). The tannins are firm but so melted and elegant. Long and savoury, with a fresh and salty finish. Very classy. (FG)"
REVIEWS FROM PAST VINTAGES
2011
James Suckling
Score
98
Date
2024-11-11
"#57 Top 100 Wines of Spain 2024: 2011 is a forgotten vintage after the famous 2010, but you shouldn't forget it if you are a smart buyer. Aromas of vanilla, orange peel, black walnuts, truffles, toffee, black sesame, balsam and moss. So savory yet juicy and vibrant, with a long, long finish. So much pleasure here. A little less vertical than the 2010, but so linear and endless. Drink or hold."
2011
Tim Atkin, MW
Score
97
Date
2025-02-27
"An impressive follow up to the 2010 release, produced in the warmer 2011 vintage, this cuvée of Tempranillo, 3% Graciano and 2% Mazuelo uses grapes from Brinas, Fuenmayor, Labastida and Villalba and is one of the glories of Rioja. Complex, balsamic and appealingly traditional, it has layers of clove, leather and tobacco leaf, some sweet Asian spices, and raspberry and wild strawberry fruit complemented by a volatile lift. 2027-2040"
2011
Wine Advocate
Score
96
Date
2024-02-29
"After the otherworldly 2010 comes the 2011 Gran Reserva 890, their longest-aging red, matured in used American oak barrels for six years and produced just three or four times per decade. It's mostly Tempranillo with 3% Graciano and 2% Mazuelo, with the Graciano vinified separately. 2011 was a warm and ripe year, but the wine has medium ripeness and 14% alcohol, with a pH of 3.7 and 5.8 grams of acidity. It has a tertiary nose, with notes of wet fur, leather, truffles, spices, earth and forest floor, decayed leaves and a hint of smoke. The palate was velvety, with fully resolved tannins and a long and very tasty finish. 60,956 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2016."
2011
Vinous
Score
95
Date
2025-05-22
"The 2011 Gran Reserva 890 from Rioja Alta is a fully evolved red. Already mahogany in hue, it's steeped in tertiary complexity. Aromas include wild herbs like thyme and oregano alongside hints of cola and licorice, clearly revealing its maturity. This is silky and vibrant, with tension and finely polished tannins that glide across the palate. There's precision to the development here. This gradually unfurls notes of black olive, a faint tarry edge and a medley of herbal tones. It is a classic Rioja of depth and elegance. The animal whiff on the finish is subtle, more an indication of character than a flaw, adding an extra layer to its sophisticated composition."
2005
James Suckling
Score
98
Date
2018-01-18
2005
Decanter
Score
97
Date
2020-02-28
2005
Vinous
Score
97
Date
2021-04-20
2005
Wine Spectator
Score
95
Date
2018-05-30
2005
Wine Advocate
Score
95
Date
2019-06-28