La Rioja Alta, S.A.’s iconic Reserva tops Wine.com’s 2026 international ranking, compiled by the leading US online wine retailer based on its customers’ preferences and purchasing habits.
Viña Ardanza has claimed the top spot in the 2026 Wine.com Top 100, one of the leading international rankings in specialist online wine retail, with a particular focus on the US market. This is an outstanding achievement for La Rioja Alta, S.A. and for the Rioja Qualified Designation of Origin as a whole, placing one of its wines at the very top of an international selection featuring wines from some of the world’s most prestigious wine regions.
Wine.com selects 100 wines from the thousands it sells and ranks them according to its customers’ preferences: the wines they buy, rate and choose time and again. Viña Ardanza’s number-one position is therefore not only recognition of its consistent quality, vintage after vintage, but also an exceptional expression of consumer trust and loyalty. Viña Ardanza is also the only Spanish wine among the top ten.
Founded in 1998, Wine.com has established itself as one of the leading names in online wine retail in the United States. It is the world’s largest online wine retailer in terms of catalogue breadth.
Securing the No. 1 position in its Top 100 represents an exceptional opportunity to raise Viña Ardanza’s profile and strengthen the positioning of both the wine and La Rioja Alta, S.A. in one of the most important international markets for the wine industry.
Guillermo de Aranzabal: “The quality of our wines, the work of our teams and the strength of our brand are the foundations for continued growth”
For Guillermo de Aranzabal, President of La Rioja Alta, S.A., this recognition is particularly significant given the current challenges facing the wine industry:
“Taking the top spot in Wine.com’s Top 100 is wonderful news for our winery and a tremendous source of satisfaction for the entire La Rioja Alta, S.A. team. Over the years, we have continued to refine our style, improve the quality of our wines and strengthen our distribution network. Reaching number one on this platform shows that our efforts are being widely recognised and gives us even greater motivation to keep moving in this direction.
The quality of our wines, the strength of our sales network and the value of our brands are the foundations on which we intend to continue growing, particularly at a time of considerable complexity and uncertainty for the global wine industry.”
Stéphane Desmarquest: “The fact that consumers themselves make the choice gives this recognition a very special value”
Stéphane Desmarquest, Export Director at La Rioja Alta, S.A., particularly highlights the direct consumer choice that underpins this ranking:
“This recognition means a great deal to me because it incorporates something especially valuable: consumer choice. The fact that Wine.com takes into account how many customers have purchased Viña Ardanza, and the trust they place in this wine, is a powerful testament to the recognition of its exceptional quality.
Achieving first place in a ranking of this kind is also recognition of the work carried out by our importers, distributors and sales teams. Day after day, they help bring our wines closer to consumers and build lasting relationships with our customers around the world, particularly in the North American market.”
Viña Ardanza: the distinctive character of an iconic Reserva
Made from a blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha, each new vintage of Viña Ardanza faithfully expresses the style and personality of this historic Reserva from La Rioja Alta, S.A., whose first vintage was released in 1942. All the grapes come from the winery’s own vineyards: the Tempranillo from La Cuesta (Fuenmayor) and Montecillo (Cenicero), and the Garnacha from La Pedriza (Tudelilla, in Rioja Oriental).
The wine was aged in American oak barrels. The Tempranillo spent 36 months in barrel, undergoing six manual rackings, while the Garnacha was aged for 30 months, with five rackings.
Viña Ardanza stands out for its rich, complex and expressive aromatic profile, together with its freshness, balance and firm yet sweet and elegant tannins. Its long, persistent and complex finish confirms its character and depth, as well as its remarkable potential to develop further in bottle.
