Description
La Rioja Alta Master Class & Tasting
Tuesday 14th April, 7pm to 9pm
Tickets £40 per person
Master class exploring and tasting wines from Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Galicia, with cheeses
“2019 is a very good year for them (La Rioja Alta), a small crop of powerful and concentrated wines when they produced all their brands, an exception.” - Luis Gutiérrez
“I believe this is the Viña Ardanza that will improve the most over the coming years – a wine to both enjoy and treasure, without a doubt.” - Julio Saénz (winemaker)
What to expect on the night
Join us for an evening dedicated to the prestigious portfolio of La Rioja Alta, S.A., featuring a guided tasting of six premium wines. We’ll explore the diversity of Northern Spain through two crisp whites and four refined reds, spanning the unique terroirs of Galicia, Ribeiro, and Rioja. We are delighted to welcome the winemaker, Olga, who will lead the session with firsthand insights into the craft and heritage behind these world-class labels.
The evening is designed to be informative yet informal, offering a deep dive into the regions' winemaking philosophy without the stiff atmosphere. The wines will be accompanied by a selection of artisan cheeses to highlight the complexity of the pours. Whether you're looking to expand your cellar knowledge or simply enjoy incredible quality, this is a rare opportunity to taste with one of Spain’s most iconic producers.
About La Rioja Alta S.A.
Located in the Barrio de la Estación area in Haro, La Rioja Alta S.A. is one of the most iconic, historic wineries in the region. It was founded in 1890 by five families including the Aranas, Ardanzas and Alberdis, whose names are celebrated in their wines today. The company expanded over time, and in 1996 build a new state of the art winery, which enabled them to focus on improving all aspects of winemaking to reinforce their position as one of the most respected wineries in the world.
They own over 550 hectares of vineyards across the region and also boast their own in house artisanal cooperage using oak imported from the USA which is air-dried on site in Haro for at least three years. All of this gives them complete control over every aspect of the winemaking process, ensuring a combination of the greatest traditions alongside state of the art technology.
2019 Vintage
The 2019 vintage is the most recent one classified as “Excellent” in the D.O.Ca. Rioja, with the previous “Excellent” vintage dating back to 2011. From a thermal perspective, the year can be described as “cool,” with slightly below-average temperatures. A mild winter and spring led to an early budburst in the vineyard. During flowering (first half of June), cooler-than-usual temperatures and rainfall hindered the normal process of pollination and fertilization of the flowers, causing poor fruit set (known as “shatter”). This resulted in very loose clusters with fewer berries than usual, which is always a positive factor for quality.
Both Tempranillo and Garnacha were affected by poor fruit set, but Garnacha was much more impacted due to its natural sensitivity to this phenomenon, leading to significantly lower grape yields per hectare. In terms of rainfall, the year was dry, with below-average precipitation distributed evenly throughout the year. This allowed the vineyard to develop in a very balanced way, with only moderate water stress, which encouraged smaller berry sizes at harvest. Smaller berries, in turn, result in more concentrated musts and wines – a hallmark of quality for reds. The lack of rainfall also ensured the grapes ripened in perfect health, allowing us to harvest them at their optimal ripeness for each parcel.
Read more about La Rioja Alta
Call Avie on 07831 637 298 to find out more.
Book tickets here online, or call the store on 020 3795 4550.
