How is that our bonus offer from the iconic Rioja estate of R. López de Heredia can be aged for three whole years in neutral American oak and then spend another three to five aging in the bottle and still be called “Crianza?” By all other measures this is a Gran Reserva, but the family chooses to continue calling it Crianza because, well, they can. And according to María José López de Heredia they would “miss it in their range,” if they chose the elevated designation. The bottom line though is that this is top tier quality Rioja for a relative song, and at eight years old and counting it is very ready to drink–so unlike the “Tondonia” from earlier you don’t need to wait for a special occasion to open this bottle, you can enjoy it now. And not just “enjoy,” but love, because I know you will love it!
Nearly every aspect of López de Heredia makes them stand out in the Rioja landscape. We love a great many producers in this region, and will continue to offer them, but Lopez’s position as the torchbearer for tradition here is undeniable. Since their founding in 1877, they’ve been continuously family-owned, which stands in sharp contrast to the other linchpin producers they rub shoulders with. Those other producers also largely rely on fruit purchased from other growers, but not so with López; their wines come entirely from estate fruit they’ve farmed themselves, as has been the case for over 100 years. And in the cellar their methods remain staunchly old school. No cultured yeasts, no stainless steel vats, and not a single stave of new oak will be found here. A walk through the cellars at Lopez is like stepping back in time: Electricity was probably the newest technology to be introduced.
The “Cubillo” vineyard is 24 hectares of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graziano and Mazuelo planted on classic Rioja Alta terroir of limestone and clay with some alluvial deposits. As is the case with all López wines the farming is entirely organic. In the cellar the bunches are fermented with native yeasts in large oak casks before aging for a total of 36 months in neutral American oak barrels that are racked twice a year. After bottling the wine ages for another 36 months or more in bottle before being released. By comparison, Spanish DO regulations require just 12 months in barrel and six in bottle for Crianza wines–clearly the team at López has never, ever done the bare minimum though so there you have it: A wine aged for longer than many Gran Reservas, priced like a bargain regular Reserva, and labeled simply “Crianza.”
The “Cubillo Crianza” is always an excellent value, but that proposition increases several fold in the 2016 vintage. Not as oppressively hot and dry as 2015, but with just enough stuffing and structure to balance out the gorgeously pretty fruit and the lifted, elegant spice component that is a marker of a truly great vintage. Serve at cellar temperature in a Bordeaux stem and you get waves of red fruits mingling with savory spice and herbs: Pomegranate, bitter cherry, red currant, raspberry, wild thyme, dill, blood orange zest, pink peppercorn, and well worn leather all surround a core of saline minerals and fresh acidity. This is excellent right now with just a quick decant, but don’t be afraid to lose a few bottles in the cellar because remember: This is Gran Reserva in Crianza clothes!
