Collection: Viña Ardanza Reserva - does Rioja get any better than this?

Few releases attract more attention at Honest Grapes HQ than the new vintage of Ardanza, and having just tasted the newly released 2020 last week, we can confirm this is another belter from La Rioja Alta. The last time Neal Martin tasted Ardanza, he remarked: “I will not taste a bottle that represents better value than this.” At £129 per case of 6 in bond, it’s rather hard to argue.
 
Quite simply, no cellar feels complete without a case tucked away somewhere, and the 2020 is a textbook example of why. Awarded 94 points by Luis Gutiérrez (Wine Advocate), it already shows a lovely touch of bottle development – classic Tempranillo notes of red fruit, saddle leather and spice, with hints of truffle and nutmeg, all carried by a bright line of acidity and that signature, beautifully judged oak.
 
Julio Sáenz continues to work his midas touch here, and the result is a wine that is as dependably delicious; the sort of bottle that over-delivers every single time you pull the cork.
 
Most of the team take a case or two each year, and the 2020 feels like an especially good moment to stock up. How about one case for the table and one for the cellar?