×

La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 890 2005 750ml

size
750ml
country
Spain
region
La Rioja
appellation
Rioja
JS
98
VM
97
DC
96
WA
95
WS
95
Additional vintages
JS
98
Rated 98 by James Suckling
The aromas to this are stunning with dried strawberry, stone and fresh mushroom. Full body and very tight with incredible depth and structure. It goes on for minutes. One of the greatest ever? The new 1964? Available January 2018. ... More details
Image of bottle
Sample image only. Please see Item description for product Information. When ordering the item shipped will match the product listing if there are any discrepancies. Do not order solely on the label if you feel it does not match product description

La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 890 2005 750ml

SKU 879491
Case Only Purchase
Long-term Pre-Arrival
$1199.64
/case
$199.94
/750ml bottle
Quantity
* This is a Long-term Pre-arrival item and is available for online ordering only. This item will ship on a future date after a 4-8 months transfer time. For additional details about Pre-arrival Items please visit our FAQ page.
Professional Ratings
JS
98
VM
97
DC
96
WA
95
WS
95
JS
98
Rated 98 by James Suckling
The aromas to this are stunning with dried strawberry, stone and fresh mushroom. Full body and very tight with incredible depth and structure. It goes on for minutes. One of the greatest ever? The new 1964? Available January 2018.
VM
97
Rated 97 by Vinous Media
Shimmering garnet. Aromas of dried cherry, potpourri, vanilla, cigar box and exotic spices; a smoky mineral quality builds in the glass. Sweet, concentrated and seamless on the palate, offering cherry compote, red currant and rose pastille flavors that put on weight and pick up a spicy nuance on the back half. Conveys a suave blend of power and delicacy and closes sweet and gently tannic, with superb persistence and an echo of candied flowers and red fruits. This bottling and the 2001 are the only Selección Especial versions of the 890 Gran Reserva that have been produced by La Rioja Alta.
DC
96
Rated 96 by Decanter
Tempranillo with 5% of Graciano and Mazuelo. Blackcurrant and citrus-peel-like notes bring a pleasing touch of bitterness. Savoury too, coffee and a dusting of vanilla. Overall very harmonious and deep, with that utter pleasure that comes from age but not over-age – superbly polished, with fine tannins and a peacock’s tail finish.
WA
95
Rated 95 by Wine Advocate
I tasted the 2005 Gran Reserva 890 again, and I liked it better this time than in my previous review, even if I normally like the Gran Reserva 904 better than this bottling, as I find it better balanced. I tend to feel less energy in this wine, as it spends a very long time in barrel, six years in this case. 2005 was an excellent vintage, and they implemented some improvements in the harvest, introducing 350-kilo boxes and refrigerated transport to the winery, which they think provides better grapes and potentially better quality of the wines. The palate is medium-bodied, the tannins have mostly melted, and it has lively acidity that lift the wine up. This is a very classical and polished Rioja. 57,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2012.
WS
95
Rated 95 by Wine Spectator
#4 Top 100, 2018. Cedar and sandalwood aromas give way to flavors of tea, tobacco, dried cherry, forest floor and orange peel in this expressive red. Round on the palate, supported by muscular tannins and juicy acidity. Big but graceful, mature yet lively, in the traditional style. Drink now through 2030. 4,753 cases made.
Winery
Ruby-red with an incipient brick rim. Classic aroma. Intense, with notes of cured leather, stewed plums and raisins, tobacco and sweet spices, vanilla and dark chocolate. Elegant, mature, complex mouthfeel. Outstanding structure and well-balanced acidity with silky tannins. Its classic Rioja bouquet stands out, big, complex and round, with an elegant finish.
Product Details
size
750ml
country
Spain
region
La Rioja
appellation
Rioja
Additional vintages
Overview
The aromas to this are stunning with dried strawberry, stone and fresh mushroom. Full body and very tight with incredible depth and structure. It goes on for minutes. One of the greatest ever? The new 1964? Available January 2018.
green grapes

Varietal: Tempranillo

Without any doubt, the flagship grape varietal of Spain is the Tempranillo. This fine grape varietal has since been grown in several other countries around the world, and continues to be respected and admired for its deep ruby red color, its strong tannins, and the complex and delicious flavors it carries so well. Plum, vanilla, leather, tobacco and herb are just some of the characteristic flavors found in this black skinned grape varietal, and its power and fullness of features makes it a common grape for use in blended wines of exceptional quality. Tempranillo grapes thrive best in regions with a combination of bright, hot sunshine, and cooling breezes, where they can ripen fully and then be aged in oak barrels to mellow, become more rounded and allow their fascinating nature to come forward.
barrel

Region: La Rioja

La Rioja is undoubtedly the jewel in the crown of Spain's wine regions, and the deliciously drinkable, complex and fascinating single red wines and blended wines of this special region have gone down in history as some of the finest on earth. La Rioja is located in the north of Spain, close to the Atlantic coast, but shielded from the cold and wet weather by the expansive Cantabrian mountains. As such, the climatic conditions in La Rioja are ideal for ripening the Tempranillo and Garnacha grapes used in the production of the fine red wines the region is famous for. Wineries in La Rioja take great pride in their heritage and traditions, and the winemakers of the region employ a range of time honored techniques alongside more modern methods to make the most of their superb crops each year.
fields

Country: Spain

Spanish wines are renowned world-wide for carrying all the passion and character of the Spanish culture within them. Any lover of Spanish wine would undoubtedly be able to confirm this notion, as the variety and range of flavors and aromas coming from the high end of Spanish produce is truly impressive, and continues to delight and fascinate both newcomers and the more experienced. Spain benefits massively from an ideal climate for wine production and vine cultivation, with its long, scorching hot summers and far reaching oceanic breezes working perfectly with the native and imported grape varietals, which thrive on the mineral rich soils that cover much of the country. With centuries of knowledge, and generations of expertise under their belts, Spanish wineries continue to focus on raising the quality of their nation's wines, helped along the way by relatively new laws and regulations regarding regional excellence and representativeness.
More wines available from La Rioja Alta
Long-term Pre-Arrival
1.5Ltr - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $404.88
No doubt about it: ‘This is the best 890 in our history,' declares Julio Sáenz, technical director of La Rioja...
DC
97
WE
96
Long-term Pre-Arrival
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $209.34
This is really refined and complex, with dark mineral, savory berries, mussels, walnuts, sweet spices, truffles,...
JS
99
DC
98
Sale
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $521.94 $525.00
#57 in Top 100 Wines of Spain, 2024. 2011 is a forgotten vintage after the famous 2010, but you shouldn't forget it...
JS
98
WNR
97
750ml
Bottle: $251.90
#57 in Top 100 Wines of Spain, 2024. 2011 is a forgotten vintage after the famous 2010, but you shouldn't forget it...
JS
98
WNR
97
Long-term Pre-Arrival
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $198.56
Bright red. Sexy, oak-spiced aromas of raspberry, cherry compote and pipe tobacco. Smoky, sweet and penetrating,...
VM
92
More Details
Winery La Rioja Alta
green grapes

Varietal: Tempranillo

Without any doubt, the flagship grape varietal of Spain is the Tempranillo. This fine grape varietal has since been grown in several other countries around the world, and continues to be respected and admired for its deep ruby red color, its strong tannins, and the complex and delicious flavors it carries so well. Plum, vanilla, leather, tobacco and herb are just some of the characteristic flavors found in this black skinned grape varietal, and its power and fullness of features makes it a common grape for use in blended wines of exceptional quality. Tempranillo grapes thrive best in regions with a combination of bright, hot sunshine, and cooling breezes, where they can ripen fully and then be aged in oak barrels to mellow, become more rounded and allow their fascinating nature to come forward.
barrel

Region: La Rioja

La Rioja is undoubtedly the jewel in the crown of Spain's wine regions, and the deliciously drinkable, complex and fascinating single red wines and blended wines of this special region have gone down in history as some of the finest on earth. La Rioja is located in the north of Spain, close to the Atlantic coast, but shielded from the cold and wet weather by the expansive Cantabrian mountains. As such, the climatic conditions in La Rioja are ideal for ripening the Tempranillo and Garnacha grapes used in the production of the fine red wines the region is famous for. Wineries in La Rioja take great pride in their heritage and traditions, and the winemakers of the region employ a range of time honored techniques alongside more modern methods to make the most of their superb crops each year.
fields

Country: Spain

Spanish wines are renowned world-wide for carrying all the passion and character of the Spanish culture within them. Any lover of Spanish wine would undoubtedly be able to confirm this notion, as the variety and range of flavors and aromas coming from the high end of Spanish produce is truly impressive, and continues to delight and fascinate both newcomers and the more experienced. Spain benefits massively from an ideal climate for wine production and vine cultivation, with its long, scorching hot summers and far reaching oceanic breezes working perfectly with the native and imported grape varietals, which thrive on the mineral rich soils that cover much of the country. With centuries of knowledge, and generations of expertise under their belts, Spanish wineries continue to focus on raising the quality of their nation's wines, helped along the way by relatively new laws and regulations regarding regional excellence and representativeness.