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Hallgarten Wines Named UK On Trade Distributor for La Rioja Alta, S.A.

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Hallgarten Wines Named UK On Trade Distributor for La Rioja Alta, S.A.

Specialist wine importer, Hallgarten & Novum Wines, has been appointed as new On Trade distributor of iconic Spanish producer Grupo La Rioja Alta, S.A. in the UK. Recently named the ‘World’s 4th Most Admired Wine Brand’, La Rioja Alta, S.A. joins Hallgarten’s portfolio as the wine supplier this year celebrates its 90th anniversary. 

 

In addition to the wines of La Rioja Alta, S.A. winery (Rioja), Hallgarten Wines will also distribute of all the Group’s wineries, Torre de Oña (Rioja Alavesa), Lagar de Cervera (Rías Baixas) and Áster (Ribera del Duero), which cover 740 hectares of estate-owned vineyards. The 12 wines will be available to the UK hospitality sector through Hallgarten’s distribution network

 

Hallgarten Head of Buying, Steve Daniel, commented: “I started my journey in the wine industry in 1985, working for a Spanish Wine Specialist. I was lucky enough to be introduced to Gran Reserva Riojas from the 70s. We had a cache of La Rioja Alta, S,A. and I was fortunate enough to be tasting wines from the 1970, 1973 and 1975 vintages - I was taken aback by the quality. These were profoundly silky wines that had a real depth of flavour. I have not tasted Riojas like that since those days. I thought it might have been my naïve palate or that these kinds of wines no longer existed. This was a view I held until I visited La Rioja Alta, S.A. a few months ago. I witnessed an incredible level of investment and attention to detail, cutting-edge wineries, and techniques, coupled with traditional oak-ageing and practices and years of wines in their cellars waiting for their time. Something truly unique. We are delighted to now represent them to the UK On Trade.”

 

La Rioja Alta, S.A Export Director, Stéphane Desmarquest says: “We are delighted and truly excited to begin this collaboration. It is essential for La Rioja Alta, S.A. to regain a strong presence in the UK On Trade channel after the recent uncommon turmoil. We immediately found clear synergies between our companies and a real intention of furthering this journey together. To this end, I would like to thank Hallgarten & Novum Wines Portfolio Director, Jim Wilson, for embracing this project with the same conviction as ours. We have been really impressed by Hallgarten´s commercial structure and we are certain it will help us achieve our ambitions for this key channel.”

 

Combining tradition and state-of-the-art technology, La Rioja Alta, S.A. is an iconic, world-class producer of classically-styled Reserva and Gran Reserva wines which undergo considerable cask-ageing in order to achieve La Rioja Alta, S.A.’s renowned style. La Rioja Alta, S.A. was founded in 1890, in the old railway quarter of Haro, by five families including the Aranas, the Ardanzas and the Alberdis - their names are now celebrated on each of the Reserva wines. To commemorate the date, the Reserva 1890 was the first wine ever made and was the predecessor of today’s Gran Reserva 890.

 

The company gradually expanded, and in 1996 a new purpose-built winery in Labastida (Álava) was completed, focussing on improving quality and enabling the purest expressions of fruit to be showcased in the wines. Oak is at the heart of the ageing process, and La Rioja Alta, S.A. boasts its own in-house coopers who use artisanal methods to produce their own barrels from wood imported from the US and air-dried on site in Labastida. Traditional manual racking takes place by candlelight every six months, and the vines are sustainably farmed. Their award-winning wines consistently receive accolades world-wide and in 2022, La Rioja Alta, S.A. was declared the ‘World’s Fourth Most Admired Winery’ by Drinks International.

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Below is a list of all new wines Hallgarten has added to its portfolio from La Rioja Alta, available to the UK On Trade.

La Rioja Alta, S.A.

Vina Alberdi Reserva

Vina Ardanza

Vina Arana Gran Reserva

Gran Reserva 904

Gran Reserva 890

Áster

Áster Crianza

Áster El Espino

Finca El Otero

Lagar de Cervera

Lagar de Cervera

Pazo de Seoane

Torre de Oña

Finca San Martín Crianza

Finca Martelo Reserva