Wine Advisor
R. Lopez de Heredia, Vina Gravonia Crianza Blanco 2017
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez
The nose of the 2017 Viña Gravonia Blanco is unmistakably López de Heredia, with those mushroom, white pepper and pollen aromas that remind you so much of the smell in their ancient caves. 2017 was the year of the big frost in April and the scarcity of rain that made it the earliest, scarcest and quickest harvest they have experienced in their recent history. The grapes for this wine were the first grapes picked, the 14th of September, from vines aged 93 years. It fermented in even older oak vats with indigenous yeasts ("We have never added yeasts to our wines," they answer when asked) and matured in used American oak barrels for four years (possibly more looking at the bottling date). Of course, this could qualify as a Gran Reserva, but they keep it at Crianza (to have a range), and it's sold at a bargain price for its quality and age. It's characterful and nuanced, with some hints of development (diesel) and a lightish palate with pungent flavors and great harmony. It has the usual parameters: 12.5% alcohol, a pH of three and seven grams of acidity. 20,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in September 2023.
About the Producer
The vineyards of the Lopez Redia winery are the basis for the development of the winery. Consistently producing high-quality wines requires having your own vineyard, which overcomes the reliance on sourcing grapes from small vineyards and avoids erratic quality. The Vina Tondonia vineyard is one of the most spectacular in the Hari region. It is located in a sunken basin, surrounded by the Ebro River as a peninsula, and the soil is composed of siltstone, limestone. The area of the vineyard is 100 hectares. The Vina Bosconia vineyard is located next to the Ebro River at an altitude of 465 meters, one kilometer from the winery. The vines are planted on the south-facing slopes of the mountains, where ample sunshine provides them with perfect ripening conditions. The Vina Cubillas vineyard is 465 meters above sea level, and the average age of the vines in the garden is 40 years. The soil structure here is a mixture of clay and limestone. The vineyard is planted with 24 hectares of Tempranillo, Grenache, Mazuelo and Graciano grape varieties. The Vina Gravonia vineyard is located 200 meters from the winery and was purchased by the founder of the winery. It is 340 meters above sea level and the average age of the vines in the park is 45 years. The poor and rocky slope soil allows the roots of the vines to be more easily planted deep in the soil, giving the 24 hectares of grapes a more balanced biological organization and a more mature aroma. The winery picks the grapes every October. Since its establishment, Lopez Redia Winery has been committed to producing high-quality wines that can fully demonstrate the characteristics of the terroir and grape varieties of the producing area. The winery has released wines such as Vina Tondonia Reserva Red, Vina Cubillo Crianza, Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva and Vina Gravonia Crianza Blanco are popular among consumers.