2007 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904 Magnum (1.5 L) Magnum

Without question, La Rioja Alta is one of the best (if not the best) producers of traditional Rioja, long known for their commitment to quality and remarkable cellaring time prior to release. In short, it's a winery that requires little introduction. 

We first tried La Rioja Alta just over a decade ago in New York City. We’d heard about a tapas restaurant on West 10th St. that, according to several in-the-know sommeliers, had an impressive wine list dotted with older vintages of the best Spanish wines, all at ridiculously low prices. The owner felt everyone should experience the best Spain has to offer, and his generosity didn’t go unnoticed by the city’s thirsty wine community.  

We sat at the bar, and after surveying the list there really was no question, we ordered the La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904. That bottle opened our eyes to how Rioja, like Burgundy and Piedmont, can lead wine lovers on a life-long journey: At its pinnacle, there really isn’t any other wine like it, and since that night, we have never stopped seeking out the Tempranillos of La Rioja Alta.  

Today we are thrilled to share the 2007 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904,  which comes from 60-year-old vines from La Rioja Alta’s top vineyard sites of Briñas, Labastida, and Villalba, and each four years in barrel before bottling. These magnums are well worth a couple of slots (or more!) in your cellar, and would make amazing centerpieces to any dinner you are hosting with like-minded friends, this season or ten years from now.