Vina Arana
⏳ Drinking Window
2024 - 2034
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Slow-roasted lamb shoulder, grilled ribeye steak, and aged sheep's milk cheeses such as Manchego.
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the legendary Barrio de la Estacion in Haro, La Rioja Alta, S.A. has been a standard-bearer for traditional Rioja since 1890. Vina Arana, named in honor of one of the winery's founding families, represents a bridge between classical elegance and vibrant modernity. Historically released as a Reserva, its exceptional aging capacity prompted its elevation to Gran Reserva status starting with the 2012 vintage. The wine is crafted primarily from Tempranillo, sourced from old vines in Rodezno and Labastida, complemented by a touch of Graciano from El Montecillo vineyard to provide acidity and floral lift. In keeping with the estate's artisanal traditions, the wine is aged for several years in hand-coopered American oak barrels, racked by hand by candlelight every six months. This meticulous process imparts the signature Riojan bouquet of sweet vanilla, toasted coconut, leather, and dried cherries, underpinned by a lively, fresh structure.
🍾 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, Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo