1973 La Rioja Alta, Viña Ardanza, Reserva Especial & Rioja "Luna" Clarete Superior (NV 1950s) - Rioja - 2 Bottles (0.75L)

Wine bought from a private cellar, in Haro, in 2016.
Stored in private cellar up today. Bottles in outstanding condition: very good filling level, cork, color, capsule, label, no leakage. Fully mature and therefore drinking well now, or cellar for next 20-25 years.

- Viña Ardanza 1973 Reserva Especial:

Only 4 vintages of Viña Ardanza, 1964, 1973, 2001 and 2010 have deserved the classification ‘Reserva Especial'. This is one of those rare bottles launched from the 1973 vintage.

95/100 Robert Parker: "The 1973 Reserva Especial is a brick/brown color with a splendid and remarkably complex perfume encompassing dried fruits, herbs, and other savories. Elegant but still with great depth and concentration, this silky offering is complete in every way. It is fully mature but shows no signs of old age. It seems to be universally acknowledged in Rioja that 1964 was one of the great vintages of the 20th century. Having been fortunate enough to have tasted several, I cannot argue".

- 1950s La Rioja Alta, Rioja "Luna":

An extraordinary rarity. This represents one of the most historic labels produced by the traditional La Rioja Alta, S.A. The "Bodegas Modernas" trademark predates the 1925 establishment of the Rioja Regulatory Board, which explains the absence of the official D.O. seal. Historically, this is a "pre-Rioja" in the purest sense: a quintessential Haro-style Claret—a traditional, pale-red meticulously crafted in the spirit of 19th-century Bordeaux.

This bottling is a blend of vintages from the late 1940s and early 1950s, produced in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939). During this period of recovery, each vintage was vinified in the winery’s original 1890 wooden vats and aged individually in casks for five to six years. The final cuvée was blended and bottled in the mid-1950s, with a micro-production of only a few thousand units released exclusively via direct cellar orders.

In terms of structure and pedigree, this wine is the predecessor to the 904 Gran Reserva of the 1950s. It provided vital continuity during a harrowing era of devastated vineyards and critical shortages of labor and glass. Neither a standard 904 nor a typical early-century Vicuana, it serves as a historic "bridge wine," connecting the two halves of the 20th century.

Over time, it is natural that sediment will form at the bottom of this wine. Sudden movements can cause the wine's color to become cloudy. It is recommended to store the bottle upright and allow any solid particles to settle by gravity to the bottom and clear the wine's color.

*** All international parcels are shipped to the highest professional standards via premium UPS International Express, the courier’s fastest signature-required service. Each shipment is prepared in a specialist wine box officially certified by UPS / DHL, with every bottle packed individually and protected in three layers of bubble wrap. Given the nature of fine wine and the value of the consignments, all lots are shipped with full insurance coverage. ***