Dear *|FNAME|*,

From superstar producer La Rioja Alta, the 2018 Viña Alberdi Reserva shows why their wines are among the best in terms of both quality and value in Rioja. This 100% Tempranillo is Alberdi’s highest-scoring vintage and their only wine from 2018! ‘Which means that all the Tempranillo grapes that were destined for (Gran Reservas) 890, 904 and all the other wines went to this wine. So, this is a super- Viña Alberdi,’ explains Wine Advocate’s Luis Gutiérrez.

Since 1890, La Rioja Alta has been known for producing ‘some of the finest Riojas that can grace your cellar’, says Neal Martin. ‘Complex, refined, classic but without compromising fruit intensity and to reiterate: wines that speak about where they come from,’ he continues.

2018 was a cooler vintage, allowing for wines of freshness and juicy acidities, along with incredible depth and fruit intensity because of the special vineyards used for this Alberdi Reserva.

Fill your boots with a case of this fantastic, probably once-in-a-lifetime Alberdi, or try our ‘La Rioja Alta Starter Pack’. It’s a pick and mix pack, which means you can easily change the quantities depending on what strikes your fancy. As with all their wines, ‘Solid value is the rule here, from top to bottom.’ – Vinous

Contact Jolette@winecellar.co.za for allocations of the super scarce Gran Reserva 890, which is only bottled in exceptional vintages. This is from 2010 – one of Rioja’s most heralded vintages.

Reply to this email or visit our website to place your order online.

Vinous regards,

Tasting notes

La Rioja Alta, Viña Alberdi Reserva 2018

‘A pretty nose of raspberries, cassis, fresh herbs, vanilla and sweet spices. It’s medium-bodied with round tannins. Creamy and fruity with chocolatey character on the mid-palate. Supple finish with excellent length. Tangy acidity. 100% tempranillo.’ – James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, 93/100

‘Their young and fresh red 2018 Viña Alberdi, already a Reserva (Crianza in Spain), matured in oak barrel for two years—in new barrels for the first year and in used barrels for the second year. During the élevage, they racked the wine manually from barrel to barrel four times. 2018 was a year of lower alcohol and more freshness in the wines, and they thought the wines were not designed for the long haul; so, they didn't produce any other wine, and so the only wine from 2018 IS VIÑA ALBERDI! Which means that all the Tempranillo grapes that were destined for 890, 904 and all the other wines went to this wine. They didn't use the Garnacha (which was sold in bulk). So, this is a super- Viña Alberdi, which shows more Crianza style in this cooler vintage but with very good depth and complexity, perhaps a more modern and fresher style. The wine has a seamless palate and a juicy texture, with more color than other vintages, more intensity, more fruit... It has grapes from very good vineyards and poor soils that were never destined for this wine. Highly recommendable and very versatile.’ – Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate, 92/100

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