I love wine with an amazing sense of place. R. Lopez de Heredia is one of the famed properties in the La Rioja region. It has an incredible history as R. Lopez de Heredia was founded in the nineteenth century when French negociants visited the Rioja region to find alternative sources of quality grapes to transform into wine, following their phylloxera epidemic had decimated their vineyards. Don Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta, started his winery in Haro, the capital of the Rioja Alta region. The winery is a stunning older building with one of the coolest wine caves that I have ever seen.
I was blown away with my visit to R. Lopez de Heredia which was one of the highlights of my trip to Spain. The winery even has its own in-house barrel maker as the attention to detail in the wines is unbelievable. R. Lopez de Heredia wines are aged considerably longer than most and they are only sold when the winemaker finds them to be drinking perfectly. Their current releases are more than a decade old.
The new releases from this house were stunning. The new release is exceptional which is coming from somewhat of a challenging vintage in Rioja. The 2008 R. Lopez de Heredia ‘Vina Tondonia’ Rioja Reserva (WWB, 95) which shows tremendous weight and verve despite obvious challenges of the vintage. This is one of the great 2008 Rioja wines that I have sampled. Learn more about this famed winery athttp://www.lopezdeheredia.com Here are the beautiful new wines by R. Lopez de Heredia.
2008 R. Lopez de Heredia ‘Vina Tondonia’ Reserva Rioja- The 2008 R. Lopez de Heredia ‘Vina Tondonia’ Reserva is a spectacular effort in a difficult growing season that saw ideal weather at harvest. Aged for six years in handmade 225L American oak vessels, this saw a further four years of bottle age prior to release. The aromatic range here is quite impressive, from toasty oak and cranberry to peat moss, pipe tobacco, leather and pomegranate seed with red floral undertones that all meld in the glass. The silky texture offers and air of elegance. Pine needles and a rich core of red fruits collide with minerals, orange zest and salty undertones on the palate. The balance here and long finish add to the enjoyment. Spectacular now at the thirteen year mark, the 2008 R. Lopez de Heredia ‘Vina Tondonia’ Reserva Rioja will provide drinking enjoyment for several more decades to come. Drink 2021-2038- 95