Aster Crianza
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2029
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Slow-roasted baby lamb (lechazo), grilled ribeye steak, and aged sheep's milk cheeses such as Manchego.
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the prestigious Anguix region in Burgos, within the high-altitude plateaus of Castilla y León, Áster is the visionary Ribera del Duero estate founded by the historic Rioja house, La Rioja Alta, S.A. After years of meticulous soil and climatic studies, the winery selected this unique terroir to craft a modern expression of 100% Tinta del País (Tempranillo). The wine undergoes traditional fermentation followed by careful aging in French oak barrels, blending the robust, dark-fruit power of Ribera del Duero with the refined elegance and patience that La Rioja Alta is legendary for. The name 'Áster' itself pays homage to a wild star-shaped flower that blooms during the autumn harvest, symbolizing the winery's deep connection to the natural cycles of the vineyard.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1890 in Haro's iconic Barrio de la Estación by five Basque and Riojan families, La Rioja Alta S.A. stands as an archetype of classical Spanish viticulture. Operating extensive estate holdings across Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa—complemented by satellites Torre de Oña in Páganos, Áster in Ribera del Duero, and Lagar de Cervera in Rías Baixas—the estate relies upon calcareous-clay and alluvial soils tempered by Atlantic and continental microclimates. The viticultural approach prioritizes meticulous canopy management, estate-grown fruit, and low-impact sustainable husbandry. In the cellar, the bodega is renowned for its in-house cooperage of seasoned American oak, manual barrel racking by candlelight every six months, and remarkably patient oxidative maturation. The resulting wines—exemplified by Viña Ardanza, Viña Arana, and the majestic Gran Reserva 890 and 904—display exceptional longevity, savory complexity, fine-grained tannins, and vibrant Atlantic freshness.
🍇 Grapes
Tempranillo (Tinto Fino min 75%), Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec