Vina Bosconia Rioja Reserva 2012, Lopez de Heredia

The 2009 Viña Bosconia Reserva shows the ripeness of the very warm and dry year. It’s structured and concentrated, quite different from the finesse of the Tondonia. Bosconia has always been more rustic and powerful and Tondonia all about finesse and nuance. There are dark plums and baking spices, a touch of singed leather, the fruit very strong to counterbalance the aging in barrel.

An exemplary producer of traditional Rioja, López de Heredia was founded by Don Rafael López de Heredia in 1877, shortly after the phylloxera outbreak forced the French to explore neighbouring Spain for alternative sources of quality grapes. 4 generations and more than 140 years later, López de Heredia continues making wine in pretty much the same way as before.

The only bodega to be awarded a “Diploma de Garantía” (Diploma of Guarantee, displayed on all back labels) from Rioja’s regulating body for using only native grapes since its founding, López de Heredia is also the sole bodega in Spain to hand-craft all their barrels.

Today, the observation tower he designed to watch the vines is still a local landmark. Lopez de Heredia makes great traditional red and white Rioja. The white is particularly rare as most white Rioja is a young modern style. The wine is aged in large Bordeaux sized barrels from old mostly American oak, in their warren-like cellars.