5% discount when you buy 12 bottles of the same wine!
Bodegas Altanza’s Lealtanza now rebranded as Altanza Reserva Rioja is classic Rioja with a modern feel; 100% Tempranillo rich spicy red wine aged in French oak for elegance
In stock
In stock
| Wine Style | Red Wine, Rich Spicy Red |
|---|---|
| Grape Variety | Tempranillo |
| Wine Region | Rioja |
| Country | Spain |
| ABV | 14.0% |
| Oaked | Yes |
| Cork | Yes |
| Lifestyle | Vegan, Vegetarian, Sustainable |
| Volume | 75cl |
| Drink By | 2028 |
Bodegas Altanza Altanza Rioja Reserva has been one of my go-to wines for a number of years. It used to be labelled Bodegas Altanza’s Lealtanza Reserva Rioja and this 2015 vintage is as spectacular as ever! There is so much Rioja on the UK market and much of it over-priced, over-oaked and rather characterless in style. Altanza Rioja Reserva 2015 is not such a wine; this comes from a new breed of producers combining modern technologies and traditional methods to get the best out of the Tempranillo grape. The result is a classic Rioja – with a modern feel.
In summary Bodegas Altanza Altanza Rioja Reserva 2015 displays aromatics, succulent fruit and spice flavours, good balance and easy tannins. Bodegas Altanza do not blend Tempranillo with other grapes in their Altanza Reserva – it is a relatively rare 100% Tempranillo – and they age the wine in French rather than American oak as they believe it produces a more elegant wine and does not mask the fruit aromas of the grapes. This is great value for a top quality, classic-style Rioja. Despite 18 months in oak barrels and three months in oak vats (note – 12 months in oak and a minimum 36 months total ageing is required for Reserva status up to the 2019 vintage), the fruit is not overpowered by intense vanilla like some Riojas. Instead it is a really fruit-driven wine with subtle sweet spices. On the nose, Altanza Rioja Reserva 2015 shows raspberries, blackberries, ripe plums, cloves and white pepper and the complex palate includes sweet black fruit – cherries, blackberries – plus raspberries, plums, sweet spices and a subtle hint of chocolate and leather. The tannins are really smooth; the wine has a lovely, velvety texture and a long, slightly sweet, fruity finish, characteristic of Rioja.
My updated blogpost on Rioja classifications is coming soon. For a more intense and equally elegant Rioja, try Granja Remelluri Rioja Gran Reserva.
Recommended to drink with game, duck, goose, steak and other red meats, paella – or on its own. This wine may benefit from being allowed to breathe for half an hour before consumption.
Serve at: 14 – 17°C
“You will be pleasantly surprised by our Reserva, the wine that defines the style and ethos of our winery and can be enjoyed at any moment.
Garnet in color with a slightly orange rim and a medium layer. Medium and complex intensity. It perfectly combines the freshness of red fruits such as raspberry and cherry and the complexity of its time in French barrels. Notes of pepper, subtle balsamic. Interesting entry, light to the touch but broad and round at the same time, with friendly tannins, medium-high acidity and a pleasant and persistent aftertaste.”
91 points – Wine Enthusiast – Jan 2022
“Violet red in color, this wine offers aromas of blackberry, violet and oregano. It feels good on the palate, with polished tannins and flavors of stewed plums, blackberry preserves, cigar box and rose water that wrap up in a cooling finish.”
90 points / Silver Medal – International Wine Challenge 2020
“Red currant and red fruits accompanied by forest nuances. Taut on the palate with soft, juicy notes of roses and blackberry. Lovely.”
© 2014-2024 Wines with Attitude Ltd | VAT Reg. No. 181 2419 22 | Registered in England 08918466 | Fiveways, 57-59 Hatfield Road, Potters Bar, Herts, EN6 1HS
