One of the most impressive stops during my recent tour of Rioja was a brief visit and tasting at Lopez Heredia in Haro. At 132 years, Lopez Heredia is one of the oldest wineries in the region.
It has been operated continuously by the same family since its inception, and the current winemaker, Mercedes Lopez Heredia, is the grandaughter of the founder.
Lopez Heredia, for obvious reasons, is all about longevity. That storyline extends to the wines of Lopez Heredia, which age remarkably well.
During the tour Mercedes plucked a couple of mold-encrusted bottles from the cellar and opened them in the tasting room in a display of Lopez Heredia at its finest. One bottle was from the 1970 vintage. The other from 1976. One was red, the other white. Both were in superb condition and utterly delicious.
Astonishing though it might seem, the older wine was the white. Who knew a white Rioja 39 years young would still taste like wine, let alone taste like very, very good wine?
I write about Lopez Heredia and other traditional Rioja producers who’ve stood the test of time in this week’s Wine Talk column over at the Creators Syndicate. Click here to read the whole thing.
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