Name: La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva Vina Ardanza 2020 750ml
Brand: La Rioja Alta
SKU: 1035230
Price: 38.61 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 93.5 (4 reviews)

Items not labeled as Rapid Ship or Pre-arrival may require a transfer from the warehouse to our shipping facility before shipping, which can take 4–6 business days. Learn more on the Shipping Info page.

In-store Only Items

These items are available at our location to purchase in-store, or to choose in-store pickup at checkout.

Long-term Pre-arrival Items

Long Term Pre-arrival Definition: Ordering wine directly through us from our supplier partners in Europe in advance of the item’s physical arrival in the US.

Long Term Pre-arrival sales ensure you’re getting the best possible price and that you have also secured the product before it hits the normal retail supply chain. The lead time for Pre-arrival goods is generally 4–8 months, sometimes longer based on supply chain and the logistics of transporting goods overseas. The expectation, from our team, is to communicate to the customer the location of their purchase every step of the way.

Case Only Items

This product is offered as a full case purchase option, minimum order quantities may be applicable. When available, multiple case options will be presented. If you are purchasing a Pre-Arrival item you must order a solid case.

Rapid Ship

Items listed as "rapid ship" are in stock and available for immediate pickup or shipment. Those that do not have the "rapid ship" icon are housed with our supplier and must be transferred to our warehouse before they can be picked up or shipped. This requires 4-6 business days but usually occurs sooner. Some products will list both options of availability as there will be a certain number in stock, with the option to order additional bottles to be transferred from the supplier.

Item qualifies for 12 Ship FREE. Choose 12 bottles, get free shipping.

We offer FREE ground shipping and discounted upgraded shipping on orders with multiples of 12 qualifying bottles. Solid cases or mix-and-match, look for the yellow 12 FREE badge and save!

Learn More

See All 12 Ship Free Items

Enter your ZIP code to determine if we ship to your location

See our Shipping Info and FAQs pages for more.

Winery La Rioja Alta

Shop all from La Rioja Alta Learn more about this producer

Varietal Tempranillo

There are plenty of notable native Spanish grapes which have made a big impression on the wine world at large, but none are as renowned or as widely loved as the Tempranillo varietal. This black skinned grape has been used for wine making for centuries, with several ancient civilizations noticing the fact that it is highly versatile and holds some delicious flavors and aromas, perfect for those looking for a powerful yet elegant grape for their wines. Tempranillo often causes winemakers some trouble, however, as it is highly susceptible to many diseases. Despite this, plenty continue to persevere with this varietal, as it is perfect for producing delicious and complex single variety and blended wines, packed full of classic Spanish flavors and plenty of aromatic and intense surprises.

Country Spain

Ever since the Phoenicians and Romans brought their knowledge of vine cultivation to Spanish soils, the country's culture has grown alongside wine production, with wine being a vital part of Spanish identity and Spanish traditions. Each region of Spain has a wine quite distinct from the others, and it is produced by smallholders and families as much as it is by large companies and established wineries. From the relatively mild and lush regions of La Rioja to the arid plateaus that surround Madrid, grapes are grown in abundance for the now booming Spanish wine industry, and new laws and regulations have recently been put in place to keep the country's standards high. By combining traditional practices with modern technology, Spanish wineries are continuing to produce distinctive wines of great character, flavor and aroma, with the focus shifting in recent decades to quality over quantity.

Region La Rioja

La Rioja is by far the most famous wine region of Spain, and remains one of the world's great wine producing regions, consistently offering deep, complex red wines of character and distinction, partly due to the fact that La Rioja benefits from excellent soils, rich in minerals and nutrients, and plenty of sunshine. The climatic conditions allow the fine grape varietals to reach full ripeness and express plenty of the best features of their terroir, making La Rioja wines some of the most interesting to have ever come out of Europe. The Cantabrian mountains to the north provide the perfect shelter from the colder, wetter influences of the Atlantic oceans, and in the beloved vineyards of La Rioja, wineries have been cultivating exceedingly flavorful Tempranillo grapes for generations for the inclusion in their fine single variety and blended wines.

Appellation Rioja

Rioja, a renowned wine appellation in Spain, stands as an emblem of the country's winemaking heritage and innovation. What makes Rioja unique is its commitment to blending traditional and modern winemaking methods. Primarily crafted from Tempranillo, with Garnacha, Graciano, and Mazuelo as supporting players, Rioja wines showcase a remarkable balance of fruit, oak, and complex aging. Rioja's classification system, featuring Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva, delineates the aging periods, highlighting the region's dedication to quality. The use of American oak barrels imparts distinctive vanilla and coconut notes, contributing to Rioja's recognizable profile. The diverse terroir, from the high-altitude vineyards of Rioja Alta to the warmer Rioja Baja, adds depth and complexity to the wines. Exploring Rioja allows enthusiasts to savor the rich tapestry of Spanish winemaking, where historic bodegas coexist with modern practices, resulting in wines that seamlessly marry tradition and innovation, offering a glimpse into the soul of Spanish viticulture.

JS 95pts

James Suckling

This wine exhibits aromas of incense, spices and red cherries. It is medium- to full-bodied, elegant and polished, with clarity of fruit and underlying precise tannins. This will age forever. Drink or hold

WA 94pts

Wine Advocate

The subtle, balsamic, structured and elegant 2020 Viña Ardanza Reserva is a blend of Tempranillo from Rioja Alta and around 20% Garnacha from Rioja Baja. It fermented destemmed in stainless steel and aged in American oak barrels, 20% of them new, for a period of 36 months in the case of the Tempranillo and 30 months for the Garnacha, then the two wines are blended before bottling. It's a textbook example of the label, with the perfume and elegance of the Garnacha and the clout from Tempranillo. It has clean aromas and is still quite fresh, only starting its tertiary phase. It comes in at 14.5% alcohol and keeps a pH of 3.57 and 5.7 grams of acidity. It's balanced, seamless and well-built, and its tannins are mostly resolved. It should live long in bottle. 500,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2024.

WS 93pts

Wine Spectator

A harmonious red, offering a lovely range of baked cherry and wild strawberry fruit, licorice root, tea rose and dried fig, all set on a plush texture as this unfolds, with refined, sculpted tannins. Savory mineral, herb, leather and spice notes linger on the finish. Tempranillo and Garnacha. Drink now through 2040. 55,500 cases made, 6,100 cases imported.

VM 92pts

Vinous Media

The 2020 Viña Ardanza (80% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha) spent its first year in new oak and its second in seasoned barrels. More defined and brighter than the 2019, the nose shows red berries and a balsamic lift, framed by more restrained oak. On the palate, it is fine-grained and gently firm, still youthful, with slightly reactive tannins. It sits between the house's classical style and a more primary, fruit-forward expression. With time, it will gain integration and precision.

Winery Notes

Medium-high cherry red robe, with orange tinted tones on the edge of the glass, clear and brilliant. Intense and complex to the nose. Wild berry aromas predominate, blended with hints of coconut, cinnamon, tobacco and leather. Full-bodied and well structured to the palate, with silky and enveloping tannins. Long after-taste acquired from its lengthy time in bottle, where its elegant bouquet gains in intensity. This Viña Ardanza continues to evolve without losing its traditional qualities.