Vanessa

9.2

Tonight we opted for a wine from one of our favorite Rioja producers -- López de Heredia. 👌👌@lopezdeherediaoficial

This is the "Viña Cubillo" Crianza Rioja. Vintage 2012. ABV 13.5%. It hails from La Rioja Alta region within the Rioja DOCa region of Spain. It is a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha (Grenache), 5% Graciano, and 5% Mazuelo. 🇪🇸

From the first sniff and sip, it’s no wonder this wine gets such great ratings. 👏👏👏It offers primary notes of ripe red fruit, such as cherry, red currant, fig, also dried rose, mint, and licorice; it offers secondary notes of cedar, nutmeg, vanilla, coconut, cardamom, and tertiary notes of mushroom and wet moss.😋😋

As a Crianza from Rioja, this wine must have aged a minimum of 2 years, one of which must be in oak barrels, prior to release. The time on oak is evident, but these influences don’t overpower the ripe red primary fruit character. The wine is lovely and ever-so-drinkable. 😍😍

Saludos! 🍷 — 14 days ago

with Deked1

Carter White

9.4

Fresh red and black berries, forward oak, toasty vanilla, but not overdone, resolved tannins, and nice long finish. . . . Two days later, still very much alive and more harmonious. Nice surprise. — 16 days ago

Konrad Ziegler

9.5

We are truly thankful! — a day ago

Charles Mires

9.4

A really good full bodied wine and the first Rioja Alta offering I enjoyed. Nicely integrated oak and great balance. Maybe the age did the trick. — 14 days ago

Will Stanley

9.4

Ever the benchmark for Rioja, Viña Tondonia shows very well again in the 2007 vintage, if slightly less powerful, and impressive, than the 2006.

The nose is a gentle affair offering aromas of dark chocolate, roasted coffee, dry cherry and vanilla pod, and takes some coaxing from the glass. The palate is so splendidly traditional: saturated, slightly tart with its orange peel acidity and long through the finish with sweet flecks of vanilla. I think the 2006 will be longer lived, but this is drinking very well now with good ageing potential. — 17 days ago

boyd

9.4

Still bold and ripe. — 11 days ago

Paul T- Huntington Beach

9.2

$15.00 whats not to like, nothing complicated, pop pour Tuesday
Parker 92 review as follows

Always a sure value, the 2015 La Montesa, has been increasing the amount of Garnacha in its blend, and here it reached 92% with the remaining 8% being Tempranillo. La Montesa is the name of a large estate where different lieux-dits, or "parajes" in Spanish, contribute to the blend of Valtomelloso, Valfrio and Valviejo. The grapes were hand-picked throughout October, then destemmed, crushed and fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel vats, with remontage, where it also underwent malolactic fermentation. The wine matured in barrel for 12 months before being bottled. There is a big jump from La Vendimia to La Montesa in finesse, freshness and subtleness. The tannins are ultrafine, and the flavors are intense and deep, with some spicy undertones and a very tasty finish. Amazingly good. A whopping 650,000 bottles and some other formats produced. The quality is amazing for the volume, and it's also a good value. — 10 days ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.7

Blend of Tempranillo with 19% Mazuelo (Cariñena), unusually high, each aged separately for 26 months (Temp-American / Mazuelo-French), pronounced bouquet of berry fruits with complex spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry, cherry and plum flavors, well balanced, with pepper, cinnamon and slight tobacco. Long finish, tight tannins ending with fruit and an earthy mineral character. Outstanding, will age for years and will improve in the bottle! — 23 days ago

Willie Carter

9.0

A very distinctive cherry garnet color in the glass. Light purple accents and a wide brim. The nose is intense and more than anything, exceedingly fresh. Some really nice licorice and mushroom aromas, along with cinnamon and orange peel. The fruit notes are soaring right now. Wild strawberries, juicy plums, and raspberries. A nice bit of oak and plenty of spice.

A Spanish standard bearer and it shows. 94/6 Tempranillo/Graciano all from estate vineyards. Fermented in stainless steel tanks before being transferred to American oak barrels for three years. Medium bodied with soft edges. The palate presents freshness and definite refinement. Grilled meat and and new leather. More nice red fruit throughout that really sings with some air. Spice and a touch of clove on the medium long finish. Worthy of the title of Gran Reserva for sure. It will be fun to see where this is down the road. — 22 days ago

Ken Z

9.1

Drank 11/4/21.

Better integrated than last time I tasted, this was pop and pur ready after a bit of aeration

Nose of black cherry, vanilla, coconut, baking spice, and a touch of cedar. Flavors are similar and show the hand of a an expert winemaker with perfect balance.

3/21/9/5/3 +50 = 91 pts. — 22 days ago