The blend consists of 95% Tempranillo from 40-year-old vines in Las Cuevas, El Palo and Las Monjas in Rodezno, complemented with 5% Graciano from the Montecillo estate in Fuenmayor. The Graciano gives the wine an aromatic intensity and acidity, to carry the structure and elegance of the Tempranillo. The grapes are vinified separately in three-year-old American oak for three years, and racked as few times as possible. After blending, it was given a further three years in bottle to mature. 2012 was marked by drought in Rioja until rains arrived in September, refreshing the vines and allowing the grapes to attain perfect ripeness with superb concentration of flavour. These excellent conditions lead directly to the creation of Arana Gran Reserva. The wine was named after one of the families that have long been at the helm of La Rioja Alta, a company founded in 1895. This wine will replace the original Arana Reserva, whose last vintage was 2011, and will only be made in vintages that meet the winemakers high standards.