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Red dry
La Rioja Alta Viña Alberdi Reserva 2021 Selección Especial - a very good example of the traditional Rioja Reserva style: concentrated, but more focused on elegance, aromatic complexity, soft texture and gastronomy. The aroma is dominated by ripe cherries, raspberries, red currants, complemented by vanilla, cinnamon, cedar, caramel, balsamic and lightly roasted tones. The wine is broad, harmonious, with soft, smooth tannins. Good structure is supported by lively acidity, so despite the ripeness and oak influence, the wine remains energetic. The aftertaste is long, with notes of red fruits, spices and delicate oak.
The grapes are hand-picked, selected already in the vineyard and additionally sorted using optical sorting systems. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentations take place in stainless steel tanks.
The wine is aged for 2 years in American oak barrels made in La Rioja Alta’s own barrel workshop: the first year in new American oak barrels; the second year in barrels that have been used for around 4.5 years.
2021 is a special year for this wine: La Rioja Alta has granted it the Selección Especial status, the first time in around 20 years. It is also the first Viña Alberdi vintage to be released as a Reserva rather than a Crianza on the Spanish market, due to its greater ageing potential and vintage quality.
Served at a temperature of 16-18 °C, the wine goes well with beef, lamb or game dishes, stews, and mature hard cheeses.
The 2021 Viña Alberdi Selección Especial is only the second vintage to receive the mention "Selección Especial"—the first was the 2001— pointing at a very special vintage for this wine. It was produced with Tempranillo from Mayorita, Las Monjas, El Palo and El Bardal in the village of Rodezno and Alto del Rey in Labastida. The lightly destemmed and crushed grapes fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts, and the wine matured in American oak barrels for two years, the first year in new barrels and the second year in well-seasoned ones with an average age of 4.5 years, during which time, the wine was racked from barrel to barrel four times. It has 14% alcohol with a pH of 3.57 and 5.7 grams of acidity—very good parameters and indicators of freshness and balance. It's very classical and very clean, showing incipient complexity and just a hint of evolution and tertiary notes. It has terrific balance and freshness and pungent, focused and precise flavors. Without a doubt, this is the finest Alberdi I can remember. 650,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2024.
Bodegas La Rioja Alta is undoubtedly a representative of old Rioja, exceptionally valuing and cultivating the region's traditional winemaking methods. Their “Gran Reserva” wine is aged for no less than six years in barrel and a further two years in bottle before reaching the consumer, embodying patience and mastery. The high-altitude vineyards of La Rioja Alta, with their unique conditions, lend a subtlety to the wines, sometimes even reminiscent of Burgundy’s ‘Pinot Noir’. While the La Rioja Alta group also includes wineries in Galicia (Rias Baixas) and Ribera del Duero (Burgos), it is their traditional Rioja style that remains their hallmark.
Wine Style
La Rioja Alta wines are characterized by elegance, complexity, and longevity. They reflect the harmony between Rioja terroir and traditional winemaking.
Prestigious Vineyards
La Rioja Alta manages high-altitude vineyards in the Rioja Alta region:
These unique vineyard characteristics and meticulous work in the vineyard are the foundation for the distinctive character of La Rioja Alta wines.
Aging and Drinking Window
La Rioja Alta wines are crafted for slow enjoyment. The long aging process in oak barrels and bottles imparts exceptional complexity and harmony. While these wines can be enjoyed in their youth, their true potential unfolds after many years of bottle aging. They are wines valued for their longevity and ability to improve over time.
