US$44.47 Rioja Gran Reserva 904, 2005, La Rioja Alta, Spain – HKD 345/btl Having enjoyed an immensely successful release earlier last year for the 2004 vintage, we are excited to bring to you the 2005 vintage which is equally stunning and also enjoys a whopping 96pt rating! One of the benchmarks for Rioja over the years, the 904 Gran Reserva is known for turning out great examples of traditional Rioja. “The 2005 Gran Reserva 904 is a superb blend of Tempranillo from the villages of Briñas, Labastida and Villalba with 10% Graciano from Briones and Rodezno. The grapes were destemmed and crushed and fermented in stainless steel for 18 days at 25 C. Malolactic fermentation was spontaneous and lasted 38 days. These wines are marked by a long aging in used American oak barrels following the most strict Riojan tradition; four years during which time the wine was manually racked eight times. This is usually my favourite wine from La Rioja Alta and 2005 is one of its best showings, going back to the quality of the vintages of the 1950s and 60s. The nose is very balsamic with notes of camphor, hints of mint, leather and hung game wrapped around a core of cherries in liqueur. Together it is balanced, subtle, truly elegant and classical. The palate is only medium-bodied but with great concentration of flavours that are very tasty, mineral, almost salty and framed by ultra-fine tannins and smashing balance. A great classic. This wine will be released in October 2015, a full ten years after the vintage. At this quality level this is a bargain.” 96pt Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate