2010 Ardanza & 2015 Gravonia

What a pair of stunners. Rioja is frequently cited as a region of tremendous value- these two (~40 USD!) bottles are an excellent demonstration of why.

2015 LdH Viña Gravonia:

A beguilingly beautiful wine. Nearly impossible to describe, like the smell following a heavy rain. I want a candle of both.

Nose: Honey, beeswax, and something I can only describe as the funk of a freshly cut ripe cantaloupe. Dead yeast and ozone.

Feel: Thick! A mouth coating viscosity followed by a bracingly mouth-purging acidity. A finish that tails on for days.

Taste: Citrus (almost like warheads candy), melon, wax, and honeyed nuts. There’s a pleasant iron/ oxidized quality, almost bloody.

2010 La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza:

A different vintage of this was my first true wine love, the one that opened my eyes, etc. The last of four 2010s that I had. I will remember this excellent vintage fondly, though this bottle felt a little more disjointed than the others.

Nose: Immediate oak and vanilla. Muted fruit and some sort of earthiness in the background. Kind of barnyard-y, which I haven’t noticed in Ardanza before. Wondering if anyone else has experienced that.

Feel: Strong acidity. Tamed tannins, just a mild grip on the tongue. Good finish.

Taste: Tart cherry! Still a very strong American oak character- vanilla and dill. Delicious but a little out of sync.