R. Lopez de Heredia
Mastery of traditional Rioja winemaking
A fixture in El Barrio del Estacion de Haro since 1877, R López de Heredia (also known as Viña Tondonia) is the prototypical traditionalist Rioja. Managed by Maria José López de Heredia and her winemaker sister, Mercedes, López de Heredia has mastered the ability to craft profound, long-lived wines in large volumes. Key to its success is its terroir – the grapes, soil and microclimate of its patch of Rioja Alta (all López de Heredia wines are produced with estate-grown fruit). Another factor is its insistence on extended ageing, in barrel and bottle, before releasing its wines. The flagship Viña Tondonia reserva, for example, is aged for five to six years in barrel (used American oak, Bordeaux-sized barrels), then up to a further six years in bottle before release; their longevity is legendary.
The reds start with Viña Cubillo: a crianza that is more akin to a Gran Reserva. Then there are the more concentrated Viña Bosconia and Viña Tondonia reservas. Bosconia is soft, full-bodied and earthy; Tondonia more finely structured and elegant. Both are Tempranillo-based, with smaller proportions of Mazuelo and Graciano. Look out for the oxidative white, Viña Gravonia, made from Viura grown in the estate’s Zaconia vineyard.
