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Meet the wines of López de Heredia

Updated: Jun 17, 2020

You learned about the López de Heredia winery and vineyards in our last blog post. Now, time to meet the wines that have given them international renown, and which we have received an allocation of at City Cellars!


The López de Heredia winemaking process has been passed on from generation to generation, and their daily tasks are rooted in tradition. These traditions, combined with high quality grapes and attention to detail are what makes these wines so special.


The personality and quality of their wines are influenced by climate, soil, meticulous vineyard care, expert wine-making and by the care they receive in the cellar during long periods of aging in oak barrels before bottle aging. López de Heredia is also well known for their old white wines, which can be aged in oak for just as long as reds. Though you might expect the wine to taste overly oaky with unbalanced notes and aromas, the additional aging in bottles allows those hard edges to soften to become a more polished, balanced wine, with a trademark bouquet of spice, bitter almonds, vanilla and walnut. And as mentioned in a previous blog post, the Tondonia Rosé is a completely different tasting experience than the average young rosé wine due to its additional aging in oak and bottles.


Here are the wines we received in our allocation - quantities are limited (and some are even sold out!), so reserve your bottle today to ensure you don’t miss out on a supreme Rioja experience.


2007 Tondonia Reserva

750 mL | $67.99

This red Reserva is made from 75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacho, and 10% Graciano and Mazuelo, all grown in the Tondonia vineyard. It was aged in American oak barrels for six years. This wine is rich yet very dry, with firm and well-balanced tannins. It has a light, fresh texture with notes of dried berries and vanilla. It can be cellared for 10 years if kept at a constant temperature and humidity. This wine goes well with any meat dishes, no matter how they’re prepared.


2011 Cubillo

750 ml | $36.99

The red Cubillo is made from 65% Tempranillo, 25% Garnacho and the remainder Graciano and Mazuelo from López de Heredia’s Cubillo vineyard. It was barrel aged in oak for three years. This wine is ready to drink now, but could be cellared for a couple more years. With a clear ruby colour, the Cubillo has a fresh aroma and a dry, lingering finish, and pairs perfectly with meat dishes, tapas and charcuterie.

2008 Bosconia

750 ml | $54.99

The red Bosconia is made from 80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacho, and the rest Graciano and Mazuelo, all grown in the Bosconia vineyard. It was aged in oak for five years. The wine has a deep ruby red colour with hints of orange, full bodied with hints of mature fruit, and with a persistent aroma and finish. This wine can be cellared for up to 10 years. To pair with food, serve with highly flavoured roasted meats such as beef, lamb or game.

2011 Gravonia Blanco

750 ml | $84.99 | Must purchase two reds in order to buy

The Gravonia Blanco is 100% Viura grapes from the López de Heredia Gravonia vineyard. It has a pale golden yellow colour, with a fresh and aromatic nose and a fully developed, complex bouquet. On the palate, you can taste very fine fruit, and it has a very dry finish. It was aged in oak for four years before bottle aging, and could be cellared for up to 10 years. It pairs perfectly with grilled seafood, seafood risotto, roast chicken, mushroom pasta and hard cheeses. There are only 14,500 bottles of this wine in the world!

2010 Tondonia Reserva Rosado (SOLD OUT - ON WAITLIST)

750 ml | $89.99 | Must purchase three reds in order to buy

As mentioned in our blog on rosé wines, this rosado is unlike any young rosés you’ll see at the store. It was aged in oak for four years prior to bottle aging. It’s made from 60% Garnacho, 30% Tempranillo and 10% Viura all from the Tondonia vineyard. It’s ready to drink now but could be cellared for a couple more years. This aging lends it more complexity than the average rosado. Due to its freshness, this wine is very versatile and could be paired with a variety of food, such as spicy Indian, Mexican and Chinese food, or charcuterie. Only 14,000 bottles were released into the world!

2007 Tondonia Reserva Blanco

750 ml | $89.99 | Must purchase three reds in order to buy

Made from 90% Viura and 10% Malvasia grapes from the Tondonia vineyard, this wine was aged in oak for six years prior to bottle aging. It has a fresh, complex and well-developed nose, with a round body and smooth taste. It has a dry finish and pairs well with grilled seafood, seafood risotto, or well-seasoned white meat like roasted chicken or turkey. This wine could be cellared for up to 10 years. There are only 20,000 bottles of this wine in the world.


So what are you waiting for? Stop by the store or reserve your bottle today to get a taste of prestigious Rioja wine.


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