Self Isolation : Day # 14

2011 Bodegas R. López de Heredia ‘Viña Gravonia’

This is, without a shadow of a doubt, my favorite winery any where on the planet. And for someone who loves wine as much as I do, picking a single winery to call one’s favorite is not a light decision. There are few general reasons one might pick a ‘favorite’ winery: 1) They really, really like the wine; 2) They had an amazing experience visiting the property; 3) They pick a name brand that signals their desired social standing (I have a hard time believing Silver Oak Cabernet or Veuve Clicquot Champagne is truly the best you’ve ever had). So why is López de Heredia my one winery to rule them all? I’ve never visited the property. Hell, I’ve never even been to Spain! The wine is sublime and without rival in my opinion. And while it is a common favorite among the wine community, I rarely hear other wine professionals name it their favorite without pause. I keep falling back on the same few reasons: 1) Any and all of their wines are not only delicious upon release (granted that is still usually 8-10 years past vintage!) but have the potential to age gracefully for decades; 2) Tradition. Still run by the same family, they’ve stuck to their guns and make the wine the same as they did in 1877; 3) Value. For the quality, age, and complexity you get here, you’d be spending 2-3 times as much if you were shopping in Bordeaux or Napa, not to mention Burgundy.

‘Viña Gravonia’, like all of their wines, is a single-vineyard bottling. Unlike its siblings, however, it does not come from an eponymous vineyard site. Instead, it hails from the Zarconia vineyard, on the banks of the Ebro River upstream from Haro, which is planted entirely to Viura, the main white grape of the Rioja region. Though you may not think so upon tasting the wines, they are ‘naturally’ crafted and spend time aging in American oak barrels crafted at the in-house cooperage before being bottled for further aging. 2011 is the current release from the winery, with all wines from 2012-present still aging and awaiting release. A complex bouquet emerges after an hour in a decanter, with complex notes of golden apple, yellow pear, peach, almonds, walnuts, black tea, and baking spices. Typical notes of coconut (from the American oak barrels) are not present due the use of very old and large barrels. On the palate, flavors of golden raisins, nutty spice, golden apple and dried peach combine with hints of savory dried herbs, deep minerality, and ever-so-slight fine-grained wood tannins that seem to last forever on the finish. There is ample acidity, though so well integrated you won’t notice it until you’ve realized you just drank the entire bottle.