1985 Gran Reserva 890

La Rioja Alta new state-of-the-art vinification facility just outside Haro gives this superb producer the ability to harvest more carefully (the 35-hectoliter stainless steel vats are big but not huge by the standards of large producers in the region). The new destemmer and press are gentler, and the high-tech fermentation, which features automated pumping over, keeps the temperature below 30oC. Aging will remain strictly traditional, although the average age of the 100% American oak casks has been cut from eight to six years, and the amount of time the winery's top gran reservas spend in barrel has been reduced: from eight to six years for the 890 and from five to four years for the 904. The reason for shortening the period of barrique aging, according to managing director Guillermo de Aranzabal Agudo, is not just in response to the tastes of today's market but because the bodega is using younger barrels. La Rioja Alta will continue to reduce the average age of its barrels, adds de Aranzabal, but the ultimate objective will continue to be delicacy and elegance. La Rioja Alta controls about 300 hectares of vines, with yields averaging around 38 hectoliters per hectare, according to de Aranzabal. About 40% of the producer's wines come from old, owned vines, another 40% are from grapes bought via five-year contracts, and the rest come from regular suppliers. Production of the La Rioja Alta wines is about 200,000 cases a year; the house also makes 30,000 cases of Rioja from its Torre de O?a estate in Laguardia, which uses 50% French and 50% American barrels, as well as 30,000 cases of Albarino from 80% owned and 20% purchased fruit. De Aranzabal's take on recent vintages strays a bit from the regional norm: he considers '95 better than '94, and says that 1997 was stronger here than '96 or '98. 1996 had more acidity than '97, he added, but '97 boasts more color and alcohol and yielded more complete wines. Incidentally, La Rioja Alta will introduce a Baron de Ona-like estate wine from its 75 hectares in Ribera del Duero beginning with the '99 vintage. Although this land was purchased in 1987, La Rioja Alta had up until now sold off the grapes.