Lopez de Heredia - Vina Tondonia Reserva 2012
López de Heredia is located in Haro, La Rioja , Spain . Its history 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 of the art of winemaking, closely followed in their footsteps. Around 1877, he began the design and construction of the complex that is known today as the López de Heredia Bodega, the oldest in Haro and one of the first three bodegas in the Rioja region. The estate produces 4 main vintages; 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 the Viña Zaconia vineyard of 24 hectares).
The grapes are harvested by hand with a curved knife called a “Corquete”, to ensure that the skin of the grape does not crack. The red grapes are destemmed before going into the fermentation tanks, while the white grapes are crushed, immediately releasing their juice. For rosés, the process is mixed: the skins remain in contact with the must during 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 hectoliters) are intended for red wine, while the smallest (capacity of 60 hectoliters) are intended for whites. A second fermentation takes place in Bordeaux-type oak barrels, and can last up to five or six months. Once the wines have undergone both fermentation processes and any sediment or lees have been removed, the wine is then ready to be aged 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 Tondonia Reserva 2012 is a blend of Tempranillo (70%), Garnacha (20%), Mazuelo with a little Graciano in the blend, and is aged for 6 years in oak barrels . 2012 is a vintage rated “ Very Good ” by the DOC Rioja board of directors. The 2012 vintage was constrained by the scarcity of rainfall (25% lower than normal). It was a particularly dry year until late in the fall. This low rainfall and high spring and summer temperatures led to a very significant advance in the harvest. Although the rains that began on October 11 meant that the harvest continued until October 18, five days later than the 2011 harvest, this is still an early date in terms of usual in Haro. The harvest began on October 4 with the white grape varieties. These same conditions led to a significant reduction in the number and weight of the clusters and, consequently, the final production was lower than that expected in a normal year. The quality of the wines, both white and red, was very good thanks to a magnificent health stage and a good balance between alcohol content and polyphenols. The wines continue to evolve favorably in terms of freshness and finesse for its good suitability for aging in barrels and its long aging potential.
Grape varieties: 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, 10% Mazuelo and Graciano
