After offering the 2005 vintage of La Rioja Alta’s Gran Reserva “904” last year, we were inundated by emails from overjoyed customers, so we thought it would be a disservice not to offer the newly released 2007. It’s an absolute stunner, and every time the cork is pulled on a bottle of 904 I hear Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” as the wine splashes into my glass.
It is a timeless wine that highlights elegance, finesse, and, most notably, maturity upon release. Few wineries in Rioja—or anywhere in the world, really—continue the kinds of classic practices that are still the norm at La Rioja Alta. If the vintage isn’t perfect, the answer is simple: they don’t make 904. And in the select years they do, you won’t be able to see or taste the wine for ten years on average. La Rioja Alta is the embodiment of dedication and heritage, and tasting their 2007 Gran Reserva 904 reminds me of why I fell in love with wine in the first place. It is truly a testament to consistency, pleasing critics on every release ('Wine Enthusiast' named the ’05 vintage their “Wine of the Year”) and delighting newcomers and repeat customers alike. How could it not? It’s a perfumed, powerful, world-class red wine with bottle age at a price that simply defies logic.
In 1890, five wine-loving families came together and formed a wine society specific to Rioja. Soon after, in 1904, two of the estates—La Rioja Alta and Bodegas Ardanza—merged into one and it is this date that Gran Reserva 904 pulls its name from. Since then, La Rioja Alta has expanded their production, added on estates, and secured vineyards from the most exceptional parcels throughout the region. They have also worked assiduously to build a cooperage in-house, which is incredibly expensive, time-consuming, and above all, rare. Their oak is bought and imported from America and then built by their very own coopers. Upon completion, each barrel air-dries for at least two years before being circulated into wine production. Their barrel inventory now numbers over 30,000—a magnificent feat.
The 2007 vintage was longer than most in recent history and it provided the grapes with premium ripeness upon harvest. The grapes are farmed organically from 60+ year old vines within La Rioja Alta, which is known for its iron and limestone-rich clays. On average, La Rioja Alta’s 904 wines are released nearly a decade after harvest. They undergo a minimum four years ageing in American oak that is no younger than four years old. Every six months of ageing, they gently rack the wine into another barrel in order to slowly remove sediment and aerate the aging wine; roughly five years after the original harvest, the wine is finally bottled—but not sold. It is rested in bottle in La Rioja Alta’s cool cellars beneath the historic wine town of Haro until deemed ready for commercial release—in this case nearly five additional years in bottle. Essentially, they do everything in their power to make sure the wine sings when it arrives at your doorstep.
The 2007 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904 displays a deep garnet core leading to an orange, ‘brick’-inflected rim. On the nose, it summons memories of the celebrated ‘05: dried red plum, sawdust, coconut husk, tobacco and leather. The palate, however, goes a step further by showing a layer of richness with notes of kirsch, black cassis, orange peel and vanilla bean. Fine tannins and bright acidity lead this wine into an elegant finish that unfolds for several minutes. The concentration and rusticity here gives this wine a wonderful sense of Riojan terroir while toeing the line of affordability. Opening it now will provide you with an immediate payoff since the bulk of aging has already been done for you, but as you now know the wine is meticulously crafted throughout its decade-long upbringing so it will be a showstopper for the next quarter century and beyond, if desired. Regardless of whether you drink it now or in 2040, I assure the quality will astound you. Decant for 30-45 minutes and serve at 60-65 degrees in large Bordeaux stems; as this wine is starting to show off some complex secondary aromatics, I think it’d be great with game birds such as guinea hen or quail, especially off the grill. Check out the attached recipe and don’t be afraid to eat with your hands if that’s what it takes—this is fine wine, for sure, but it doesn’t have to be fussy. Enjoy!
