Rioja Gran Reserva, '890'

Score

98

"Blueberries, violets, tea, dried herbs and a subtle earthy nuance on the nose. The palate is crystalline, with subtle, focused tannins and a faint saline edge. Cohesive and well crafted, with notable aromatic intensity. A wine to return to, exceptional in its balance and precision. Drink or hold."

Score

97

"A special wine, newly released from an excellent vintage, the 2011 Gran Reserva 890 is a vineyard-selection of high-altitude sites and includes 3% Graciano and 2% Mazuelo. The Mazuelo was co-fermented with the 95% Tempranillo and spent six years in American oak, during which the best barrels were selected for this wine, followed by six years in bottle; bottling took place July 2018. Tannins attack the front of the medium-bodied palate and melt, finding an enduring freshness through the midpalate and lengthy finish. There™s a savory woody character that dominates over subtle red plum and cherry fruit. This should continue to age well a good 10-12 years."

Score

97

"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"

Score

95

"The 2011 Gran Reserva 890 (95% Tempranillo, 3% Graciano, 2% Mazuelo; Rioja Alta) was aged six years in barrel with 10 traditional rackings, the final selection made through tasting and analysis. Its nose opens in a fully tertiary register, with tar, ink, camphor, damp earth, clove, mushroom and menthol. On the palate, intensity is matched by poise, moving toward dried fruits and balsamic tones before finishing on dried flowers. A wine built on bouquet rather than primary fruit, it is refined in form and deeply expressive."

Score

95

"There's no new 890 until 2028, so this year, I once again tasted the 2011 Gran Reserva 890, their longest-aging red, which 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 is velvety, with fully resolved tannins and a long, very tasty finish. It's by far the most evolved of the wines I tasted this time, with some rustic character, starting to show notes of iodine and an earthy touch. It might not be as long lived as I initially anticipated. It finishes with a slight bitterness. 60,956 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2016."

Score

94

"Fragrant wafts of iodine and eucalyptus on the nose transition on the palate, where an overtone of roasted vanilla and resin brings rich detail to the flavors of sun-dried black and red cherry, plum sauce, iron, dried mint, and toasted cumin and paprika. An intriguing, savory red, long and supple, integrating a mouthwatering tang of salinity and fine-grained tannins."