La Rioja Alta Gran Reservas (and more) going back to 1985 – Wednesday 11th June

Amid all the talk of modernisation in Rioja, few bodegas are more resolutely traditional than the venerable La Rioja Alta.

Described vividly by Decanter magazine as ‘a maze of tunnels and barrel rooms… dark, slightly faded, with row upon row of fragrant oak barrels and dusty, be-cobwebbed bottles stacked in every conceivable corner’, the Haro winery stands as testament to La Rioja Alta’s commitment to ageworthy Reservas and Gran Reservas, matured over long periods in American oak. Indeed such is the importance it attaches to ageing that the winery has its own in-house cooperage to season the wood and craft the barrels to its precise specifications.

That heritage is furthered by the fact that descendants of the original founding families remain involved, and we are delighted to welcome the current president, fifth-generation Guillermo de Aranzabal, to showcase both new releases and library vintages of La Rioja Alta’s two famous Gran Reservas. The ‘904’ is an elegant blend of higher-altitude Tempranillo and Graciano aged for a minimum of four years in American oak and made only around three times per decade, while the more powerful ‘890’, based around 95% Tempranillo, is aged for six years in oak (and, like the ‘904’, further in bottle) before release.

The estate isn’t wholly wedded to tradition, though, and we will also try the first release of El Camino, a single-vineyard wine from its Torre de Ona project, not yet in the UK, and made in a notably more modern style, in line with the Rioja DOCa’s new terroir-driven approach. In addition, there will be the chance to enjoy wines from the group’s ventures in Ribera del Duero and Rías Baixas, to where it expanded in 1990 and 1988, respectively.

All in all, this promises to be a very special evening – do join us.

The wines we will be tasting:
2021 Albariño ‘Lindeiros’, Lagar de Fornelos, Rias Baixas, Spain
2019 Áster, Finca El Otero, Ribera del Duero, Spain
2021 El Camino, Torre de Ona, Rioja, Spain
2019 Viña Ardanza, Reserva, La Rioja Alta, Spain
2016 ‘904’ Rioja Gran Reserva, La Rioja Alta, Spain
2011 ‘890’ Rioja Gran Reserva, La Rioja Alta, Spain
2001 ‘904’ Rioja Gran Reserva, La Rioja Alta, Spain
2001 ‘890’ Rioja Gran Reserva, La Rioja Alta, Spain
1995 ‘904’ Rioja Gran Reserva, La Rioja Alta, Spain
1985 ‘890’ Rioja Gran Reserva, La Rioja Alta, Spain

St James’s Room
Wednesday 11^th June
18:30 Welcome Drink
19:00 Masterclass starts
20:30 Masterclass ends

Please note that we now offer a tasting board of charcuterie, cheese, olives and smoked crispy chickpeas to accompany your tasting. Simply select your preferred option from the dropdown menu when you book your tickets.

Please note, tickets are refundable for cancellations up to 5 days before the event. Cancellations must be made in writing to [email protected]. Any cancellations within 5 days of the event are non-refundable unless 67 Pall Mall resells the ticket to another Member. This is only possible when the event is sold out and there is a waiting list.

Please note that once your order is placed, your ticket status will display as “processing” until after the event, when your member account is then charged. You will receive an email confirmation after ordering your tickets, stating that your order is being processed – please take this as full confirmation that your booking has been finalised. For any questions, please reach out to [email protected].