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More wines available from R. Lopez De Heredia
Pre-Arrival
R. Lopez De Heredia Tondonia Gran Reserva 2001
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$199.36
The 2001 Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva is the follow-up of the 1995. There is a sense of harmony and elegance, of...
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$529.95
Limpid, brass-tinged yellow-gold. Highly pungent, heady aromas of orange pith, dried peach, iodine, jasmine, honey...
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$114.95
A really fascinating rosé with light plum, walnut and hints of toffee. Medium-to full-bodied with a light cream and...
Pre-Arrival
R. Lopez De Heredia Tondonia Reserva 2003
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$52.68
Bright ruby-red. Ripe cherry, vanilla and floral pastilles on the smoky, oak-spiced nose. Sweet and supple on the...
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Winery
R. Lopez De Heredia
Vintage: 2012
2012 has, so far been a positive year for wineries around the world. While it may be a little too early to speak of the wines being made in the northern hemisphere, European and North American wineries have already begun reporting that their harvesting season has been generally very good, and are predicting to continue with the kind of successes they saw in 2011. However, 2012 has been something of a late year for France, due to unpredictable weather throughout the summer, and the grapes were ripening considerably later than they did in 2011 (which was, admittedly, an exceptionally early year). French wineries are claiming, though, that this could well turn out to be advantageous, as the slow ripening will allow the resulting wines to express more flavour and features of the terroir they are grown in.
The southern hemisphere has seen ideal climatic conditions in most of the key wine producing countries, and Australia and New Zealand particularly had a superb year, in particular with the Bordeaux varietal grapes that grow there and which love the humidity these countries received plenty of. Also enjoying a fantastic year for weather were wineries across Argentina and Chile, with the Mendoza region claiming that 2012 will be one of their best vintages of the past decade. Similar claims are being made across the Chilean wine regions, where Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon had an especially good year. These two grape varietals also produced characterful wines on the coastal regions of South Africa this year.
Varietal: Tempranillo
The wines made from the Tempranillo grape varietal have gone down in history as being some of the finest in the world, with the Spanish region of Riot being one of the most famed and respected examples of a quality red wine made with this grape. Elsewhere in the world, the Tempranillo grape has had plenty of success, and grows best in regions with a mixture of hot sunshine and cooling breezes. These grapes hold plenty of intense and interesting flavors, and are often said to hold many of the most sought after flavors to be found in a red wine. Leather, tobacco, plums and herbs are often noted in wines made with Tempranillo grapes, and the blended wines made with this varietal are often seen at the top of world rankings.
Region: La Rioja
The northern Spanish region of La Rioja has been producing many of Spain's finest and most characterful wines for generations, and is a historic region of country featuring several fascinating examples of ancient wine making practices. The wines of La Rioja stand up as some of the finest in the world, with devoted fans across the globe drawn to their rich flavors, relatively light body, and complex, deep and enticing aromas. Typically, wineries in La Rioja use the fine Tempranillo grapes which grow in abundance on the excellent soils of the region, and occasionally blend their wines with the highly aromatic Garnacha varietal, amongst others. There has also been an increase of interest in La Rioja's superb white wines in recent years, which usually utilize the Viura varietal grape and result in exquisite aged bottles.
Country: Spain
Spanish wines are renowned world-wide for carrying all the passion and character of the Spanish culture within them. Any lover of Spanish wine would undoubtedly be able to confirm this notion, as the variety and range of flavors and aromas coming from the high end of Spanish produce is truly impressive, and continues to delight and fascinate both newcomers and the more experienced. Spain benefits massively from an ideal climate for wine production and vine cultivation, with its long, scorching hot summers and far reaching oceanic breezes working perfectly with the native and imported grape varietals, which thrive on the mineral rich soils that cover much of the country. With centuries of knowledge, and generations of expertise under their belts, Spanish wineries continue to focus on raising the quality of their nation's wines, helped along the way by relatively new laws and regulations regarding regional excellence and representativeness.