La Rioja Alta, Vina Alberdi Reserva, Rioja

PnP. The cork broke and crumbled, even with the ah so, so I had do push the remaining cork into the bottle and pour the wine through a strainer for drinking. The wine was still fairly dark with little bricking, although it had very little nose. There was not much freshness left in this 2005 vintage but lots of mellow secondary flavors with good complexity. I think this is trending downward from a time perspective but was still a very …

2005 vintage

PnP'd with a '97 Dunn Napa. Showing full maturity but with enough fruit/tannins to still age. Leather, vanilla, oak, with fine tannins. This is in a a great drinking period and represents everything I love about aged riojas.

2005 vintage

Seems tired.

2005 vintage

Very smart. Good density, chocolaty. Recognisably Rioja without being too stinky.

2005 vintage

This is a wonderful Rioja - if I had only bought a couple of cases when I had the chance in 2016.

2005 vintage

Can't believe it's been 6 years since I had this wine. There has definitely been some positive evolution. Watery at the rim, imperceptible alcohol, almost too easy to drink, and the oak is in the background now. Once again, dark cherry and leather and forest floor and a hint of vanilla. A very nice time to drink this but of course it has decades if you want.

2005 vintage

More tertiary than the last time I tried the 3 years ago. Nose of butter, orange, leather, red berries, cedar. Palate is refined, red berries and the citric core is focussed. Still firm tannins on the long finish. Perfect acidity and balance makes this extremely morish. Still great day 2 with some mineralic notes becoming more pronounced on the finish.

2005 vintage

Beatiful now but has a long runway left.

2005 vintage

At perfect peak in my opinion. There's a depth to this that would fool you in a blind tasting. Gorgeous blue and black fruit. Tannins have softened but still there with enough freshness to tell you something of the robustness of this wine. Glad to have 2 more left and 1 of the 2004.

2005 vintage

Fantastic Rioja. Paired with Iberico presa steak tacos with guacamole, pickled jalapeños, cheese and sour cream.

2005 vintage

Almost 4 years since I stated that I needed to drink this up?! Wrong again… Medium garnet. Raisins, earth, leather, game palate. This still drinks well and probably a little better than in March 2022. 12 to go and I see that Decanter review from February 2023 suggests that it will drink well until 2060?!?! Guess I can relax..

2005 vintage

Consistent with previous tasting notes.

2005 vintage

Opened several hours and decanted for at least an hour or so. Very much better than the pop and pour a few weeks ago. Still seems on the young side to me, with classic american oak flavours still very much detectable along with the dark fruit profile. I don't love this, though I feel I ought to. I think I may like it better in another few years.

2005 vintage

I opened one of these a few weeks ago. I recall it as closed and too young and made a note to give it a long decant. I am going to try again tonight with a long slow ox and decant. Hopefully another note to follow.

2005 vintage

First bottle of a six pack bought on release. Absolutely gorgeous, wonderful aged tempranillo showing initial tertiary flavors- forrest floor, aged wood, dried/stewed fruit - medium to light body, carries very good acidity. Plenty of life ahead, specially is you like the style where is heading. 92-93.

2005 vintage

A bottle in peak condition. Nose marked by prominent oak with vanilla and deep dark fruit. Full-bodied with well-integrated tannins. The palate is elegant and refreshing, showing dark fruit, leather, tobacco and subtle hints of dill.

2005 vintage

Last one, what a beauty.

2005 vintage

Consistent with previous tasting notes.

2005 vintage

As before but better. In a lovely spot right now, but with no sense of waning.

2005 vintage

Consistent with previous tasting notes.

2005 vintage

Too woody for me.

2005 vintage

Consistent with previous tasting note.

2005 vintage

Three hour bottle decant needed. Dried cherry leather licorice. Good structure and acidity, well balanced. Early drinking window if you like the cherry notes. Hold if you like them more tertiary. This has a long way to go.

2005 vintage

Decanted 45 minutes before service. In the glass, dark maroon/red, with a hint of orange at the rim. On the nose, plums, currants, dill, and a secondary note of leather. On the palate, plums, blueberries, salt water, and equal parts dill and mint, carrying through the midpalate to a moderately long finish, with soft tannins present at the end. This feels like it's near the beginning of the drinking plateau - another 2-3 years will tell the tale.

2005 vintage

94/95. Bought this for 32-35 Euros which was well priced. Have 4 bottles left. feels like a classed growth Rioja. Has really superb lifted aromas of super clovey leathery blueberries, mint, flowers, raspberries. Its medium to full bodied full throttle yet elegant and satiny smooth well oaked blue and red fruits palate has lovely zinginess and ends super long and tapering. 13.5%. Youthful at 20 years old can be laid down for 20-40 yrs easily if you want to.

2005 vintage

Last of 6 bottles - drank beautifully. Cork broke but wine was in a great spot - still some sweet cherry, tart cherry and strawberry fruit with dirt, tobacco and savory notes. 93+/-

2005 vintage

Opened this 5 years since my last bottle. It has certainly improved. This still has the cherry fruit and the sweet dense body but it has gained complexity and lost some of the tannins in the finish. For me, the vanilla, coconut oakiness was still too prominent but my husband found some light smokiness and mint as well. With a prime Kansas City strip steak this did very well. Definitely a food wine. I still like this for another 5+ …

2005 vintage

OK to drink now, but no hurry at all. Notes of cedar and forest floor on the nose, with tart dark berries and orange peel on the palate. A hint of savory umami is emerging, which will only become more prominent with additional aging. An excellent Rioja.

2005 vintage

With a chicken and chorizo paella. Tastes a lot younger than quite a few previous bottles, even younger than the Magnum we had a few years back, almost like it’s putting on weight. Quite a deep, opaque colour - a sort of dirty purple - belying the 2 decades it already has under it’s belt, with a big initial hit of dark fruits. I’ve never really found 2005 to be dark fruited, so go figure, but it obviously expanded as …

2005 vintage

OMG, what a fantastic flavored wine to accompany a big pan of paella. Delightful taste of cedar, red dried berries and nice acidity. Glad I held on to this until it reached its peak. So good!

2005 vintage

A little confused by the final bottle of this wine. All bottles stored together in temperature controlled cellar. This was so much better than the wine I tasted/drank in December 2022. Still earthy/peaty nose. I got a little black fruit on the palate today with earth, cedar and dried fruit. Well balanced, tannins nicely integrated. Struggling with my relative negativity 2 years ago but really enjoyed this!

2005 vintage

Fantastiskt vin för en ringa peng. Baserat på just denna flaska, min sista 2005, bör man kunna spara denna i många år till.

2005 vintage

Not decanted but opened 5-6 hours before drinking. Very silky, elegant and has all the subtle flavours of aged Rioja. Note to self, don’t leave it too long to try another bottle. Re taste 2-3 years max.

2005 vintage

Sixth of twelve from a cage purchased directly from the winery, at Haro. Opened for lunch. LRA basic cork of medium quality. Beautiful cherry colour with orange edges. Intoxicating aromas of marzipan, stacked cedar, red berries, flesh, delicate spices and fireplace ashes. Expected olfactory combination. On the palate it has a reduced silky texture, an excellent acidity that gives structure and length. Pastry and charcoal drizzle aftertaste. Even in its begining of decline continues to be an easy Ardanza, especially …

2005 vintage

Beautiful nose of blackberry and blueberry with cedar notes. Palate is minimal tannins and high acid with evolving fruit going dark to rasin and prune. Try a quick decant.

2005 vintage

What a gem

2005 vintage

Wonderful and still has some life in it.

2005 vintage

Definitely on the downward slope but was still holding on and showing some nice characteristics tonight. Vanilla and oak still present, some residual fruits, lots or tertiary notes of course, the alcohol almost all dissipated. Nice wine.

2007 vintage

13022024: Celebrating 4th Day of Lunar New Year at Mika’s new home. My magnum bottle which I popped before drinking. Aged brownish rim with almost translucent garnet pour. Dried fruit, stewed cherries, potpourri, hint of orange peel, tobacco & old leather. Lifted acidity with well resolved tannins but persistent finish. Still very fresh on the palate. Really enjoyed this & best start of today’s session. No one guessed it as a Rioja 😜

2005 vintage

Last Bottle and happy to say that it was fine.

2005 vintage

Happy to say that this bottle was not like the last and was good. I have one more.

2005 vintage

Held this one too long and I have more. Hopefully not like this one. void of any flavor.

2005 vintage

Starting to drink quite well and better after a couple of hours air, still on the upslope. The oak is integrating and there’s some Xmas spice now on the nose

2005 vintage

Riojathon (London SW11) : Tasted in a pair. Dark colour, quite blue fruited nose. Young, fruity and a bit simple. Later this is unfurling and gaining complexity. Another fresh finish. I'd give this 5 years but it's just about in it's drinking window now, with some air.

2005 vintage

Bromley Wine Circle does Rioja - 16th November 2023 : Gorgeous nose here. Some hints of charred vine clippings (am reminded of lunch in Sauternes some years ago where steaks were cooked over these) with deep red and dark fruits and some grated dark milk chocolate. Also some plum butter with some air. Palate is very together and combines more peppery dark fruits and some creme brulee creaminess. My wine of the night a (very) short nose ahead of the …

2005 vintage

Riojathon (South West London) : Light on its feet. A delightful chocolate, savoury note to it. Really showed well in a pretty compelling field.

2005 vintage

I have not opened a bottle of the Ardanza Reserva 2005 since 2016. Back then, I noted significant bottle variation (maybe it is the corks as suggested by some of the notes below). Well, either this time I picked a bottle at the top end of the variation curve, or the wine has developed nicely over the last few years. Cork in perfect condition. Medium to dark ruby colour. Red fruit, leather, coffee, chocolate, dill, intense spice notes, vanilla, and …

2005 vintage

I like this wine but I am increasingly disappointed with (what is now a 100%) cork failure/breakage) rate. If you have it and unless it is my batch - prepare for a torturous decanting process.

2005 vintage

Opened using a Durand, no issue with the cork, seemed in fine condition. Nose was rather muted, not much happening there. In the mouth it was dusty red and black cherry up front mixed with herb/earth flavors on the back end. Decent length on the finish with fully integrated tannin. Didn't blow me away, but was very good. A bottle of 2005 Muga Rioja Selección Especial that I drank in December 2022 was much better at a similar price. Mature, …

2005 vintage

I like this wine but increasingly of the view it is past its best. Taste turning a tiny bit acidic initially. HOWEVER - what is really annoying me is the cork breakage. It is now every bottle (initially 30 - 50%) that the cork breaks - no evidence of oxidation ie not damp or dark just breaks. I understand from TWS this is quite common - annoying!

2005 vintage

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La Rioja Alta, Vina Alberdi Reserva, Rioja

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