Frase from Sami-Odi wines about to dig in to the 1992 López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia
“Call me Ishmael”……
I think I may preface every tasting note I do on the wines of López de Heredia with that…..they are that epic. Herman Melville’s magnum opus is rich in symbolism and metaphor….the narrator and lead character Ishmael, has come to to symbolise an orphan or exile….one who turns to the sea out of alienation to those around him.
López de Heredia is the greatest, traditional wine estate in Spain…..one of the last bastions of the traditional Rioja style surrounded by a sea of modern, ” fashionable” labels that have swept the regions rich vinous history under the mat, in search of glossy, uber-ripe and in my humble opinion, mostly souless wines….there are some great modern wines from Rioja…there’s no doubting that….but none seem to talk to me the way that the traditional wines do.
I wonder if the wines of modern Rioja will go the way of the Italian Super-Tuscans?
I remember when I visited the estate last year, noticing a hand print in the dust on one of the barriques as I walked with María José López de Heredia back down a corridor in the depths of the cellar. We’d been having a lengthy chat session overlooking the Ebro River at the far end of the winery……I tried it on for size…..it was a perfect fit.
Then it dawned on me that this was the barrel I steadied myself on when María José abruptly stopped, grabbed my arm and said “You know David…..with all the problems in the world…..we aren’t going to die from global warming or some natural disaster…..we are going to die from losing touch with tradition”.
I was gobsmacked…..an incredibly powerful statement and who knows….María José just may be right.
The white wines are fermented in 60 hL, American oak fermenters….very neutral and very, very old. Six years aging in 225L barriques then follows then off for an extended rest in the estate cellars prior to release. For the record the 1992 is a blend of 90% Viura & 10% Malvasia and if there is one estate you must visit if you make the journey to Rioja….make it López de Heredia ….. you will not be disappointed.
Medium gold in the glass the wine shows aromas of pure honeysuckle and dried citrus peel with hints of nougat, coconut, cherry, white flowers, marzipan and dried honey. There’s plenty of minerally facets….stone & chalk with wafts of beeswax, toast, dried hay and soft spices. It’s an alluringly complex and heady wine to stick your nose into.
On the palate it shows great drive and focus…..headspiningly pure with flavours of citrus and spice, honey and stone, flowers and grilled nuts…it seems to want to swell on the mid-palate but the mineral-laden acid line keeps it in check and the vivid line continues…..marzipan, lanolin, citrus rind, honeysuckle and toasted coconut all make an appearance. Nothing pokes out….everything in check as the wine powers throgh the back palate with a nervy gait and a finish that seemingly lasts forever.
Price: $100 - Closure: Cork - Alcohol: 12.5%
When I finish a glass…..I usually look like this.
The López de Heredia thousand yard stare
Hi Dave
Have you tried the 1990 version? Would it be fair to assume a similar wine to the 1992 given the traditional wine making + long aging (ie not too much vintage variation?)
cheers
Sanjay
G’day Sanjay….no I’ve not tried the 1990. I reckon you’d be spot on though….any vintage variation would be blurred from the cellar practises and elevage.
Cheers
Dave
Hi James,
Glad you liked the wine. LdH is a real favourite of mine, and the cellars have to been seen to believed!
I have a few bottles and will be opening one soon, but $100!? It’s about £21 over here in the UK!
Cheers,
James
Hi James,
Absolutely love the LdH wines and the cellars are mindblowing…..re: $100….welcome to the gouging Australian wine tax regime my friend….it sucks
Cheers
Dave
Hello Dave,
Thanks for the great description of this wine. I have six bottles that I picked up in a specialty wine shop in Germany and I’m very much looking forward to trying it. Could you please provide a pairing suggestion, or is this a “Philosopher’s Wine” to be sipped with good conversation?
Tschuess, Ron