2011 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904 Rioja 750 ml

La Rioja Alta does not make 904 in every vintage, but when they do make it, it’s one of the icons of Rioja. The marquee bottling is always known for intense power, elegant aromatics, and mesmerizing complexity—and the 2011 is one of the best vintages the estate has ever produced.

It’s “surely one of the greatest wines in Spain (or anywhere)... [it’s] symphonic in scope and structure,” according to Decanter. The magazine didn’t stop there, naming it one of their Wines of the Year in 2021 and tacking on a 97-point score, cementing its status as a modern-day legend.

Harnessing the warm vintage with the experience gained from over 130 years making wines from some of Rioja’s best terroirs, the historic bodega turned out a stunning example from Spain’s most classic wine region. Boasting bold aromas of red cherries, blueberries, cigar box, and dried rose petals and a powerful palate that brings structure for a decade of aging, it’s one of the great red wines of Europe.

Formed in 1890 as a partnership between five smaller growers, La Rioja Alta has spent the intervening century-plus accumulating some of the best vineyards in Rioja—which they now farm organically—and acting as a keeper of the flame for traditional winemaking in the region. That means long barrel aging in used American oak barrels, which are coopered by the winery, before a healthy rest in bottle before release.

That aging typifies an old-school approach that prizes drinkability at release, making the 904 one of the few wines of its class that’s ready to uncork the minute you get it home. With this 2011, you’ll be rewarded no matter when you choose to indulge.