Lopez de Heredia - Rioja Viña Cubillo Crianza 2017

The real steal in this selection has to be the 2017 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza, which this year shows greater development and is aging more quickly, with more tertiary notes than the other reds from 2013 and 2014 that I tasted alongside it. The April 2017 frost killed 100% of the vegetation at Cubillo, and the grapes they harvested were exclusively from the second generation—fruit that ripened over a much shorter cycle, as the harvest also took place earlier. It features notes of damp earth, mushrooms, truffles, and forest floor, along with dry leaves, flowers, and decaying herbs. On the palate, it is polished, medium-bodied, with largely integrated tannins, and slightly lighter in style. But it’s well worth it. It was crafted from a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, and 5% Graciano and Mazuelo from vines averaging 53 years of age. It fermented in their old oak vats and aged in used American oak barrels for over three years. It has an alcohol content of 13.5%, a pH of 3.0, and an acidity of 6.5 grams. 90,000 bottles were produced. It was bottled in February 2023. 2024–2036

The 2017 Viña Cubillo is a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, 5% Graciano, and 5% Mazuelo from the Rioja Alta. It was aged for three years in American oak barrels. Offering aromas of wine, soft oak, and black fruits with herbal notes, the frost-affected vintage produced lighter fruit and greener flavors. Smooth, juicy, and slightly chalky, it nonetheless retains the refined elegance of the Cubillo style. 2025–2037