R. Lopez De Heredia, Viña Cubillo Crianza, Rioja, Spain, 2017

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Overview of the Wine
It all started in the middle of the nineteenth century when French negociants visited the Rioja region to find alternative sources of quality grapes to transform into wine, since the phylloxera epidemic had decimated their vineyards. Our founder, Don Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta, a knowledgeable and enthusiastic student in the art of wine making, followed closely in their footsteps.
Don Rafael fell in love with the region and especially the area around Haro, the mythical capital of the Rioja Alta region. He observed that there was a magical combination of soil and climate that would offer the perfect environment for producing wine that would eventually become world famous. Around 1877 he began the design and construction of the complex that is today known as the López de Heredia bodega (winery), the oldest in Haro and one of the first three houses in the Rioja region.

For over a century our emotions have been rooted in our love and passion for this land and its harvest. We cherish our heritage, and this combination of love and the rigorous quality standards we apply, have become our trademark and remains our maxim for today and the future.

Bodegas López de Heredia stands out as one of the few family-run bodegas regulated by the Denominación de Origen Calificada Rioja - DOC (Appellation region).

Winemaker
María José López de Heredia

Grape / Blend
70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo

Origin
Rioja, Spain

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Cubillo Crianza is a clear, bright ruby color. Fresh and slight aroma to licorice with consistent texture and persistent aroma. Smooth, fresh and persistent. Perfect with all meat dishes, tapas and charcutery.

Ready to drink now, it can be stored a few more years in conditions of constant temperature (57ºF / 14ºC) and humidity (75-80%). Serve at 64.5º to 68ºF (18 - 20ºC) always depending on mood and place.

93 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
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. 

Product size: 750ml