Founded in 1877 by Don Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta, Snr López established the legendary Tondonia vineyards on the alluvial slopes overlooking the River Ebro on the cusp of the Alta and Alavesa wine sub-regions. A visionary and a romantic, his aspirations were impressive – not just for his wines but architecturally as well. His family continue his legacy and spirit led by sisters Maria Jose & Mercedes and this is without question one of the great wineries not only of Spain but of the world. The Lopez de Heredia portfolio extends over four autonomous vineyard areas, of which Tondonia is both the largest and the most famous. The other three are Cubillo, Bosconia and Gravonia; each with distinctive terroir and aspect and differing grape composition and styles of wine. The estate has 170 hectares of vineyards with 124 in production. Wines are fermented in old wooden casks, often centenarian, and aged for a long period (as they always have been) including some years in one of the 14,000 + barrels in the labyrinth of cellars (over 6,000 square feet) under the winery that span out towards the banks of the Ebro River. Only American oak is used but as the winery has its own cooperage they purchase whole trees to split and age outside before making into barrels that are repaired and tended over their long lifespan. These neutral barrels impart minimal new oak flavours into their wines – essential when aging profiles much exceed the minimum span required. The most traditional of all wineries, their heritage and stability of process, people and supreme quality are a hallmark of each of their wines.
Bodegas R Lopez de Heredia Vina Cubillo Rioja Crianza 2017
13.5% abv
“The super bargain of the portfolio has to be the red 2017 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza, which this year shows more development and faster aging, with more tertiary notes than the other reds from 2013 and 2014 that I tasted next to it. The frost of April 2017 killed 100% of the vegetal mass at Cubillo, and the grapes they picked were exclusively from the second generation, therefore fruit that ripened in a much shorter cycle, as the harvest was also earlier. It has notes of damp earth, mushrooms, truffles and forest floor, dry leaves and decayed flowers and herbs. It has a polished palate and is medium-bodied, with mostly resolved tannins, and it feels a little lighter. But it’s still worth it. It was produced with a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo from vines averaging 53 years of age. It fermented in their old oak vats and matured in used American oak barrels for three+ years. It has 13.5% alcohol, a 3.0 pH and 6.5 grams of acidity. 90,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2023.” 2024 – 2036
93 Points, Luis Gutierrez, The Wine Advocate, Feb 2025
The Cubillo vineyard has both clay and limestone in its soil profile; the wine is marked by an unusually high 20 % of Garnacha to complement the 70% of Tempranillo, with Mazuelo and Graciano as the minority shareholders.
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2017 | Bodegas R Lopez de Heredia | Carignan/e (Mazuelo) | Duty Paid | Europe | Graciano | Grenache (Garnacha/Cannonau) | Red | Rioja | Spain | Still | Tempranillo (Tinto Fino / Tinta Roriz / Tinto de Toro) | Wine- Reference #:
- 24094
- Strength
- 13.5 ABV
- Bottles per Case
- 6 bottles
- Grapes
- Carignan/e (Mazuelo), Graciano, Grenache (Garnacha/Cannonau), Tempranillo (Tinto Fino / Tinta Roriz / Tinto de Toro)
- Organic
- No
- Biodynamic
- No
- Vegan
- No
- Vegetarian
- No
- Sparkling
- No

