2020 La Rioja Alta S.A. Vina Alberdi Reserva, Rioja DOCa, Spain (750ml)

WINEMAKER'S NOTES: Intense and brilliant garnet color with a vivid ruby rim. On the nose, it stands out for its high intensity, with notes of red fruits—raspberries, wild strawberries, and redcurrants— wrapped in a marked balsamic aroma of caramel, vanilla, toffee, and roasted coffee. On the palate, it is long, balanced, and fresh, with fine and silky tannins. A long finish, where the initial balsamic and fresh red fruit aromas characteristic of Viña Alberdi reappear. Viña Alberdi is characterised by a notable food-pairing versatility. It is an ideal companion to appetisers, snacks and barbecues, perfect with rice, pastas and stews, and great with lightly-grilled meat and fish. TASTING NOTES: A classical, typical Rioja Alta red with elegant notes of vanilla, coconut, smoked spices and strawberries. Refined and suave, with fine tannins and a long, creamy finish. Juicy and elegant. Really approachable now, but give it two more years to get more mushroom complexity. - James Suckling, 93 pts. Glittering garnet in the glass with aromatic intensity and a succulent palate. Red currants andberries, caramel nougat, and mocha lift from the glassand carry into the palate with just a touch of molasses through the finish. Silky tannins carry into a fresh,lightly mineral finish. A classic. - Wine Enthusiast, 92 pts. Hints of tobacco, smoke and vanilla are a fragrant thread winding through the baked cherry and raspberry fruit, cocoa powder and red licorice notes on display in this lively, harmonious, focused red. Fine, crisp tannins firm the finish. - Wine Spectator, 91 pts. The 2020 Reserva Viña Alberdi is 100% Tempranillo sourced from various sites in Rioja Alta. Aged first in new American oak and then in used barrels, it offers ripe red fruit, a hint of jam and balsamic notes, with vanilla-laced oak in the background. Agile on the palate, with gentle grip and a soft, silky texture, this closes with lingering fruit and a subtle oak imprint. The 2020 is a warm-vintage classic. - Vinous, 90 pts.