La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904 1997

Rioja’s Gran Reserva 904 is in a league of its own. It’s from the team at La Rioja Alta, trailblazers of traditional Rioja since 1890. Everything here gets kid glove treatment, from the cherished vines in the estate’s own vineyards to the cutting edge winemaking equipment in the modern, purpose built cellars. However, many of the old ways are still the best and the estate continues to use its century old cooperage to make the cellar’s barrels. After hand picking and hand sorting, grapes are pressed, fermented and aged in seasoned oak for five years. The wine is racked into new barrels every six months to gently remove sediment, prior to bottling. It will be superb over the next decade with roast lamb, game or perhaps a mushroom croustade.