Lopez de Heredia - Vina Tondonia Reserva 2005
López de Heredia is located in Haro, La Rioja , Spain . Its story began in the mid-19th century when French merchants visited the Rioja region to find alternative sources of quality grapes to turn into wine, as the phylloxera epidemic had decimated their vineyards. The founder, Don Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta , a knowledgeable and enthusiastic student in the art of winemaking, closely followed in their footsteps. Around 1877 he began the design and construction of the complex that today is known as López de Heredia Bodega, the oldest in Haro and one of the first three bodegas in the Rioja region. The estate produces 4 main cuvées; the famous Viña Tondonia (100 hectares), Viña Cubillo (from the vineyard called Viña Cubillas of 24 hectares with plots named “La Encina” and “La Monja”), Viña Bosconia (15 hectares from the El Bosque vineyard) and Viña Gravonia (from Viña Zaconia vineyard of 24 hectares).
The grapes are harvested by hand with a curved knife called "Corquete", to ensure that the skin of the grape does not crack. The red grapes are destemmed before going to the fermentation tanks, while the white grapes are crushed, thus releasing their juice immediately. For rosés, the process is mixed: the skins stay in contact with the must for a period of maceration so that some of the color can be absorbed, but are then removed before fermentation begins. The must is fermented in large oak vats: the largest (with a capacity of 240 hectolitres) are intended for red wine, while the smallest (capacity of 60 hectolitres) are intended for whites. A second fermentation takes place in Bordeaux-style oak barrels, and can last up to five or six months. Once the wines have gone through both fermentation processes and any sediment or lees has been removed, the wine is then ready to age in 225 liter Bordeaux sized barrels. The wines then spend a minimum of 6 months aging in the cellar before being put on sale.
The 2005 Reserva is a blend of Tempranillo (75%), Garnacha (15%), Mazuelo with a little Graciano in the blend, and is aged for 6 years in oak barrels . The 2005 vintage is a vintage classified as excellent by the board of directors of DOC Rioja. The growing season started with a cold winter with some snow. A mild but very dry spring allowed early and successful bud break and flowering, while a few showers brought welcome relief. The start of the summer brought heavy thunderstorms which helped reinforce the dry soils ahead of a particularly arid July. Despite the dry conditions, most of the vines remained in excellent health and the grapes ripened slowly until harvest.
Grapes: 75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, 10% Mazuelo and Graciano
