Arzuaga Reserva 2021

Arzuaga Reserva, Bodegas Arzuaga Navarro, Ribera del Duero, Spain, 2021

Grapes: 96% Tempranillo, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Merlot, hand-picked fruit from over 80 year old vines in Burgos combined with young vine fruit grown in Valladolid. Fermentation and 26 months' ageing in new French oak barrels.

The majority of the grapes come from the oldest vines on the La Planta estate. This reserva wine is the result of traditional, sustainable vine-growing. The chalky clay soils with limestone bedrock less than a metre below the surface at an altitude of 900 m (3,000 ft) give our wines their unique character.

Bodegas Arzuaga Navarro, established by Florentino Arzuaga in the early 1990s, is based in the town of Quintanilla de Onésimo, Valladolid, in Castilla y Leon, north-western Spain and is a neighbour to the famous Vega Sicilia vineyards.

Producer Tasting Note:

Colour: Ruby red with purple hues.

Aroma: Ripe red fruits with aromatic complexity. These primary aromas intertwine in a very elegant way with tertiary aromas such as roasted notes and spices from barrel ageing.

Palate: Unctuous, velvety and tasty. With an elegance and great persistence.

Critic's Tasting Note:

"Deep, layered and wonderfully balanced, this red offers ripe dark cherries and blackberries alongside oak spice, sandalwood and a smoky mineral edge. The palate is full but not heavy, with a firm, compact structure holding the vivid, juicy fruit. A little chewy yet focused and poised. Better from 2026"

James Suckling, September 2025

Also rated 93/100 points by Tim Atkin MW, September 2024

Food Pairing: Ideal with blue fish and soft cheeses. Red meats, white meats, big game, and feathered game, roasted or in a sauce.