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The 1991 Vina Tondonia Blanco Gran Reserva offers shaved almond, lemon rind, honeysuckle and dandelion on the well-defined nose that demands coaxing. The palate is crisp on the entry with dried honey, dried mango and citrus peel on the entry, fanning out towards a complex, resinous finish with a hint of rosewater on the aftertaste. Drink now-2020+ - Neal Martin, Wine Advocate.

I have adored, indeed occasionally worshiped, the wines of Lopez de Heredia for many years, so I am not ashamed to admit that visiting both their vineyard and their winery was a pilgrimage. Founded by Rafael Lopez de Heredia y Landeta in 1877, it has withstood the tide of corporatization and homogeneity, and epitomizes timeless, artisan winemaking in their own individual, almost solipsistic manner. Technology is noticeable by its absence here. For example, to quote her sister Maria-Jose at a tasting that I subsequently attended in London: “Indigenous yeasts have adapted to high temperatures. To control the temperature during fermentation, we open doors and windows” and “malolactic is the invention of modern winemakers.” I had to check whether this was 2012 or 1912. If you were to award points for charisma, then this producer would be in a league of its own. That would count for nothing if their wines were not distinguished, individual, long-lived and above all, delicious. It is commonly known that if you are seeking bags of fruit and lashings of oak, this is not the place to come. My views and these scores might be irrational to someone with a penchant for lush, voluptuous Rioja. Lopez de Heredia is the apotheosis of traditional, classic wines: taut, fresh, bucolic, utterly charming and amazingly long-lived. I spent two or three hours with winemaker Mercedes Lopez de Heredia, who was celebrating her birthday with, appropriately enough, a bottle of Tondonia Gran Reserva from her year of birth. I urge readers to access the video I took of Mercedes explaining the vineyard in her own breathless style. In the meantime, I will crack on with the wines “Wines should talk by themselves,” Maria-Jose enthused to her enraptured audience at a tasting in London. “My father was a vine maker, not a winemaker. Each wine is a reflection of a different land that my great-grandfather bought. Our wines respond to the history of Rioja.” I would add to her comments that since these are mainly aged wines, a bottle of Lopez de Heredia is an individual and each time you meet, you may see a different side to its personality. So treat these reviews as they are: snapshots at a given moment. We commence with their white wines and indeed, I know of several connoisseurs who rate these even better than their reds and I can sympathize with that view. “The white wines were made as a copy of Graves and were made to be aged,” Marie-Jose continued. “So they are made like reds and are harvested at the same time. They undergo skin contact for one, two or three days to absorb the preservative from the skins and pips. Viura gives complexity as it ages - Neal Martin, Wine Advocate

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6 cases In Stock

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The 1991 Vina Tondonia Blanco Gran Reserva offers shaved almond, lemon rind, honeysuckle and dandelion on the well-defined nose that demands coaxing. The palate is crisp on the entry with dried honey, dried mango and citrus peel on the entry, fanning out towards a complex, resinous finish with a hint of rosewater on the aftertaste. Drink now-2020+ - Neal Martin, Wine Advocate.

I have adored, indeed occasionally worshiped, the wines of Lopez de Heredia for many years, so I am not ashamed to admit that visiting both their vineyard and their winery was a pilgrimage. Founded by Rafael Lopez de Heredia y Landeta in 1877, it has withstood the tide of corporatization and homogeneity, and epitomizes timeless, artisan winemaking in their own individual, almost solipsistic manner. Technology is noticeable by its absence here. For example, to quote her sister Maria-Jose at a tasting that I subsequently attended in London: “Indigenous yeasts have adapted to high temperatures. To control the temperature during fermentation, we open doors and windows” and “malolactic is the invention of modern winemakers.” I had to check whether this was 2012 or 1912. If you were to award points for charisma, then this producer would be in a league of its own. That would count for nothing if their wines were not distinguished, individual, long-lived and above all, delicious. It is commonly known that if you are seeking bags of fruit and lashings of oak, this is not the place to come. My views and these scores might be irrational to someone with a penchant for lush, voluptuous Rioja. Lopez de Heredia is the apotheosis of traditional, classic wines: taut, fresh, bucolic, utterly charming and amazingly long-lived. I spent two or three hours with winemaker Mercedes Lopez de Heredia, who was celebrating her birthday with, appropriately enough, a bottle of Tondonia Gran Reserva from her year of birth. I urge readers to access the video I took of Mercedes explaining the vineyard in her own breathless style. In the meantime, I will crack on with the wines “Wines should talk by themselves,” Maria-Jose enthused to her enraptured audience at a tasting in London. “My father was a vine maker, not a winemaker. Each wine is a reflection of a different land that my great-grandfather bought. Our wines respond to the history of Rioja.” I would add to her comments that since these are mainly aged wines, a bottle of Lopez de Heredia is an individual and each time you meet, you may see a different side to its personality. So treat these reviews as they are: snapshots at a given moment. We commence with their white wines and indeed, I know of several connoisseurs who rate these even better than their reds and I can sympathize with that view. “The white wines were made as a copy of Graves and were made to be aged,” Marie-Jose continued. “So they are made like reds and are harvested at the same time. They undergo skin contact for one, two or three days to absorb the preservative from the skins and pips. Viura gives complexity as it ages - Neal Martin, Wine Advocate

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'Scents of dried Provencal herbs, spicy new oak, red currants, and a hint of cassis jump from the glass of this dark ruby/plum-colored 1999. The wine is soft and seductive, with cherry and licorice characteristics discernable in the flavors. It can be drunk now and over the next 6-10 years.' - Robert Parker

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A completely different nose as here the fruit spectrum runs more to the blue and black side with lovely spice notes that complement well the rich, full and sweet flavors that possess equally good volume but with more depth and length on the velvety finish. This is an excellent villages and worth a look - Allen Meadows, Burghound

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3 cases In Stock

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The superb, dense purple-colored 2007 Cornas Vieilles Vignes exhibits aromas of incense, blackberries, scorched earth, and roasted meats. This long, full-bodied, savage, but civilized offering possesses layers of concentration, superb purity, and a long, tannic finish. It should turn out to be one of the top wines of the vintage in this appellation. Moreover, it will last 15-20 years where well-stored - Robert Parker

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6 cases In Stock

The 1995 Brunello di Montalcino exhibits a dark ruby/garnet color as well as a big, smoky, earthy, slightly oaky nose with notes of licorice and red currants. Serious on the palate, with high tannin, and an austere, backward personality that will appeal to readers with 19th century tastes, this formidable, powerful, muscular, tannic Brunello requires 2-3 more years of cellaring; it should keep for 15 years - Robert Parker

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The dense purple-colored 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc) reveals a sweet perfume of black currants, an expansive, full-bodied palate, surprising elegance as well as accessibility, excellent purity, and a long, layered finish. It is a successful 2000 Cabernet to drink now and over the next 12-15 years. Robert Parker.

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2 cases In Stock

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7 cases In Stock

"Fresh lime, yellow plum, musk, and intimations of chalk dust in the nose of Trimbach’s 2006 Riesling Clos Ste-Hune usher in a strikingly fresh, firm palate possessed of meat stock and game-like animal undertones. This bottling of barely over 12.5% in alcohol is much more tightly-stitched than the corresponding Frederic Emile, and finishes with penetrating, bright length, combined with overtly crushed stone minerality. No Alsace 2006 of my experience can top this for focus, clarity, or long-term (I would estimate 12-15 years’) aging potential, although the Frederic Emile is in its very different way more striking, as well as more fun to drink now." - Wine Advocate

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17 cases In Stock

'The medium ruby-colored 2009 Antica Terra proffers an alluring bouquet of smoke, rose petal, cherry, raspberry, and incense. Velvety-textured, ripe, and elegant on the palate, it reveals a laser focus and considerably more grip and concentration than is typical for this vintage. This lengthy effort can be approached now but will evolve for 1-2 years and provide enjoyment through 2019.

In just a few years, Maggie Harrison has managed to place Antica Terra on my short list of Willamette Valley’s finest producers. The estate owns 11 acres of vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA and leases an 8 acre parcel from Shea Vineyards in Yamhill-Carlton.' - Wine Advocate

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"As I had optimistically hoped, Fieuzal's 1996 has fleshed out its mid-palate. It exhibits a saturated purple color, in addition to an intense charcoal, smoky, mineral, and black fruit-scented nose. Highly-extracted and rich, with a sweet, concentrated mid-palate, and plenty of muscle and tannin in the moderately long finish, this backward yet promising Fieuzal should last for two decades. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2020." Robert Parker

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