La Rioja Alta S.A., Gran Reserva 890, Rioja DOCa, Spain, 1975

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Bottle Condition: Purchased 9/3/2026 from Winewise - direct from Spain. Pristine condition besides some moisture spots on the label. Cork is in a solid position - not pushed or pulled. Fill is bottom neck - optimal for this 1975 specimen. A great find. 

Overview of the Wine
In 1890, Five Riojan and Basque families founded the "Sociedad Vinícola de La Rioja Alta" in Haro's Station District. Our first president was a woman: Doña Saturnina García Cid y Gárate. Monsieur Vigier, a Frenchman, was the House's first winemaker and the Reserva 1890 (predecessor of today's Gran Reserva 890) is the first wine he made. In 1904, Don Alfredo Ardanza, founder of La Rioja Alta and owner of the Ardanza Winery, proposed the merger of both companies. To commemorate the event, we made the Reserva 1904, which eventually became the Gran Reserva 904. In 1941, we took on the definitive name that persists today: La Rioja Alta, S.A.

Drinks International ranked us as the third most admired winery in the world in 2025.

Origin
Rioja, Spain

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
Clean and bright, with an intense garnet color and delicate brick-red edges. Remarkable intensity and aromatic complexity, embodying the essence of a classic Rioja Gran Reserva. Notes of raisins and candied black plums blend harmoniously with subtle aromas from barrel aging and bottle maturation: Lebanese cedar, tea leaves, cinnamon, dark chocolate, vanilla, pepper, and nutmeg. On the palate, seamlessly balancing the elegance and power of its tannins with refined freshness and equilibrium. The finish is broad and intense, with lingering balsamic and sweet spice notes that contribute to its long and elegant bouquet. An optimal drinking stage, which will continue to evolve, gaining even greater finesse and complexity over time.

Gran Reserva 890 is our most special wine. Recommended with main courses with light sauces, meat stews with herbs and desserts with chocolate. It is ideal as an after-dinner drink.

93 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (1973 Vintage)
The 1973 Gran Reserva 890 spent eight years in American oak vats during which it was racked 15 times before spending another six years in bottle. The nose is so entrancing that you just want to sit down and weep (with pleasure). Dark cherries, black truffle, freshly picked mint, ox-tail and dried blood all blossom from the glass with stunning delineation. The palate does not quite match the brilliance of the aromatics. But it is imbued with life-affirming freshness: a ferrous entry with sour cherry, orange rind, allspice, white pepper and a touch of cedar towards the finish which has a soupcon of austerity, suggesting that there was some Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. Drink now.  

Product size: 750ml