La Rioja Alta S.A. Vina Arana Gran Reserva 2017

Intense garnet color, clean and bright, with a soft cherry-red hue on the rim. On the nose, it stands out for its high aromatic intensity, offering red fruits, raspberry, blackberry and redcurrants, intertwined with balsamic and spicy notes from its long barrel aging: Lebanese cedar, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, mocha and toasted caramel. On the palate, it is very well balanced, with a pleasant acidity that enhances its elegant freshness and smooth, delicate tannins that lengthen its finish. A long aftertaste, marked by the signature freshness of Viña Arana, promising a long and elegant evolution in the bottle.

The basic grape variety is Tempranillo (95%) from Las Cuevas, El Palo and Las Monjas vineyards in Rodezno complemented with 5% Graciano from the Montecillo estate in Fuenmayor.

All grapes were transported in small refrigerated boxes to preserve their integrity. After a second selection using optical sorting, alcoholic fermentation was carried out at 27ºC for 16 days, followed by natural malolactic fermentation. The best lots are selected to age in American oak barrels with an average age of 4.5 years. The wine remained in barrel for three years, with traditional racking from barrel to barrel every six months.