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| Community Tasting Notes (average 89.6 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 188 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by acyso on 10/22/2023 & rated 93 points: Dinners at Tiny Pine Bistro; 10/21/2023-10/22/2023 (Carbondale, CO): Absolutely outstanding, and definitely at some sort of peak right now. This shows no sign at all of the overripeness of the vintage -- just a good amount of dark fruit. Meaty and sweaty as good Rioja ought to be but with a relative lightness that makes this readily drinkable. Wonderful "entry-level" stuff. (1214 views) | | | Tasted by forceberry on 7/20/2022 & rated 91 points: A blend of Tempranillo (80%), Garnacha (15%), Mazuelo and Graciano, the grapes sourced from the El Bosque vineyard. Fermented spontaneously in old and very large oak fermenters, aged for 5 years in barrels and then for a further 3 years in bottles before release. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted in a Bosconia 2011-2002 vertical.
Very deep and still surprisingly youthful ruby color (for the age) with a clear, pale cherry-red rim. The rather dark-toned nose feels quite rich and sweet-toned with relatively linear aromas of ripe dark plums and wizened black cherries, some dusty old wood tones and a little bit of meat stew. With a little bit of air, subtle nuances of dried flowers and hoi sin start to emerge. The wine feels surprisingly rich, ripe and full-bodied on the palate for a Bosconia. Despite its breadth, the wine is still quite recognizable for a Bosconia. There are quite sunny flavors of wizened black cherries, some sweet strawberries, a little bit of ripe red plum, light earthy notes, tart hints of sour cherries and lingonberry juice and a tertiary hint of meat stew. The acidity is a bit on the soft side, but they keep the wine quite nicely structure along with the moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, somewhat evolved and moderately grippy with dry-ish (not bone-dry) flavors of ripe red plums, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of tart cranberry and lingonberry, light earthy notes, tertiary hints of meat stew and soy sauce and a touch of tangy salinity.
A nice and still relatively youthful vintage of Bosconia that didn't feel as advanced and evolved as the 2004 and 2005 that were tasted alongside. However, it is noteworthy that this was probably the least typical vintage of Bosconia we tasted (along with the similarly solar vintage 2009) with is quite noticeable richness and ripeness, which contributed to the breadth, bigger body and sweeter fruit flavors. Unlike the 2003 Tondonia Reseva, which is surprisingly stern and not really showing any signs of the hot 2003 vintage, this Bosconia is obviously a child of a sunnier vintage. I have to admit the wine is quite wonderful and in a great spot right now, even if there seems to be some potential for future development too, I still must admit I like the classic Bosconia style much more and this wasn't really among my favorites. Nevertheless, at just approx. 20€, this has been a steal.
On a completely unrelated note: this was my 100th RLdH tasting note, whoo! (2088 views) | | | Tasted by rsbeck on 6/21/2022 & rated 92 points: Remarkably medium bodied and fresh for a wine from the 2003 vintage. Has developed nicely since my last tasting 10 years ago. Very solid and satisfying traditionally made single vineyard Rioja Riserva. (1770 views) | | | Tasted by dangdad on 1/2/2022 & rated 88 points: Needed decanting for at least 2 hours. Finally opened up. Full body, strong tannins, modest fruit and a modest finish. (2229 views) | | | Tasted by AndrewR on 12/21/2021 & rated 87 points: On its last legs. Learned to drink these when Lopez releases them...no need to wait. (2325 views) | | | Tasted by studleytrey on 12/24/2020 & rated 91 points: This is drinking great tonight with our cioppino & 7 fishes. Medium garnet with transparency & ruby center. Smells like sour cherry, earth, dry leaves, black tea, lemon zest, potpourri, crushed rocks. Really nice. Medium body, medium (+) acid and finish, with flavors of sour cherry, black tea, lemon, orange, minerals, some spice. In a great spot. Best bottle of Bosconia I believe I've had. (2133 views) | | | Tasted by Bandreas on 6/24/2020: Dark red color, nose of sweaty saddle, good acidity/ tannin balance.
On the palate it is relatively rich, but balanced.
Relatively short finish.
Good QPR and good for everyday drinking.. (2345 views) | | | Tasted by loantaka on 6/7/2020 & rated 90 points: Had with paella (2164 views) | | | Tasted by Outplaying on 4/20/2020: This bottle was much better than a bottle a couple of weeks ago. This one was richer, with more fruit. Some tobacco shadings and no sign of oak. This bottle was quite enjoyable. (2093 views) | | | Tasted by Outplaying on 4/8/2020: This needed a little air to open up, and then it was pretty decent. It continued to grow on me as I drank it.
A fair amount of fruit with a tart edge. Minimal tannin, solid acidity. A little earth and oak. I have one more bottle that I will drink sooner than later. (2007 views) | | | Tasted by worldtraveler1987 on 2/9/2020 & rated 88 points: Nice ruby purple color, watery rim, nose cloves, anise, taste, tart cherries, slightly bitter after taste, long finish. (1353 views) | | | Tasted by bin905 on 5/8/2019 & rated 93 points: Floral, pepper and pine forest floor scent. Elegant and smooth mocha, anise and tobacco flavors with plentiful fine tannins. This wine has integrated beautifully with age. (2821 views) | | | Tasted by bin905 on 10/3/2018 & rated 89 points: Cellar funk scent. Lean body. Seems to have lost some vibrancy. Drink up. (2879 views) | | | Tasted by kevin h on 8/1/2018 & rated 91 points: My first time with the Bostonians and I think I prefer it to their tondonia. Deeper and fuller, bright red fruit, well judged oak and nice mocha complexity. (3104 views) | | | Tasted by Bandreas on 5/25/2018: Saturated carmine red with brownish tinges
On the nose it has tart cherries with a stewed fruit character. Fine toned acidity
On the palate it iso middle weight with good acidity which is well embedded in the mature and suave body.
A good wine with lots of length and finesse.
Where my last tastings put a question mark on the development/ agebility of this wine, this one tells me that the wine has at least another 10 years ahead of it. (3124 views) | | | Tasted by bin905 on 4/29/2018 & rated 90 points: After breathing more damp cellar, soy, clove and a hint of tomato in addition to the dark berry, oak and spice flavors. (2982 views) | | | Tasted by Saxman1984 on 4/22/2018: The wines of Lopez de Heredia seem to cause great controversy on the tasting notes. One of the reasons for this is that many posts are from wine drinkers whose primary focus is California Cabernet with their overblown flavor profile. Unfortunately, many do not have the experience of drinking traditional style wines. If you like traditional wines you likely will greatly appreciate this wine. I for one am a fan. Do allow at least an hour of exposure to,air to maximize your enjoyment. You will notice aromas of new baseball glove, cranberry, strawberry, and a subtle hint of vanilla on the finish. Delicious (2785 views) | | | Tasted by Bandreas on 11/26/2017: From memory: the wine was more closed and muted than I remembered from my last tasting. Try again in a couple of years.
All in all my tasting impressions of the LdH vines are see-sawing up and down... (2941 views) | | | Tasted by Oldworlddrinker on 10/8/2017 & rated 87 points: Dried red fruits, light body and high acidity, in many ways this felt more burgundy than Rioja. Unlike many of the 2003, a hot year that yielded jammy wines, the LDH prowess came through, as the wine shows finesse, perhaps attributed to excellent winemaking technique. Enjoyable but not your typical Rioja.
I would agree to recommendations of drinking now. (3077 views) | | | Tasted by fanglangzhe on 5/28/2017 & rated 88 points: dried red fruits, dried herbs, high acidity. seems like it's already a bit past its peak, with fruit becoming quite muted compared to previous tastings. highly doubt it will last another few years based on this sample. What an interesting evolution since first tasting this vintage in Dec 2012. Seems like its peak drinking window was 2015-2016. (3448 views) | | | Tasted by Bandreas on 5/11/2017: Dark red color, soft on the nose. On the palate the wine is smoother and more weighty than the 2004 Tondonia tasted the night before.
Good mouthfeel, should hold for a number of years. (3494 views) | | | Tasted by MJHDC on 4/26/2017: Not bad for 2003, but not my favorite LdH. IMO, still young, with the oak not yet fully integrated. Plenty of fruit for LdH, easy drinking, with some stewed fruit but nothing roasted. Low acid but not flabby. I have a couple more and am inclined to hold for several years to see how the oak integrates and for more secondary characteristics. (3525 views) | | | Tasted by bin905 on 4/25/2017 & rated 91 points: Interesting array of flavors including spice, tart cherry, vanilla and tobacco. Racy - abundant acidity. The oak is omnipresent, but often in the background. Grippy fine tannins on the long finish. Somewhat modest body with a solid backbone. (2954 views) | | | Tasted by Sotto325 on 4/10/2017 & rated 90 points: Score inched up a notch because this bottle was less hot and more balanced. While I think the LRA wines much better arbiters of old style Rioja, this was very smooth and had most of the salient tempranillo high points. Less complex than I would have hoped, but with a very necessary hour in the decanter, the somewhat angular acids dropped to the background and the sense of 2003 heat dissipated. Dark crimson color, a nose of some meat and clay, a bit of smoke , tar, dry leaves, tart cherry and earth on the palate. These have some time left but I would consume now. (2883 views) | | | Tasted by chcook on 2/12/2017: PNP. Cork perfect. Color dark brick. To start the nose is tight and even with coaxing I only get hints of leather tar and plum. Maybe some orange peel in there. Swishing this shows mostly acid structure but acids are smooth and mouth coating and the fruit is decidedly secondary but very much present. Sipping shows its balance. Very very good.
W air this takes on more secondary aromas and is more reminiscent of an old Italian wine w some tar and chocolate on the nose. (2630 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| R. López de Heredia Producer WebsiteTempranillo BlendTempranillo is the backbone of wines made ihvhhcn the best well-known Spanish regions Rioja and Ribera del Duero, but is also grown as far afield as Mexico and Australia.
As a flavor profile, red fruits like strawberries and cherries can predominate - but with a rustic edge. The Many wines made from Tempranillo will spend a few years in barrel and bottle before reaching the consumers . Many Tempranillo-based wines see a few years of oak - add that to a few years of bottle and the wine can give a subtle - and occasionaly not-so-subtle - leathery mouthfeel. The combination of the tart fruit and tannins make this wine very food friendly.ReservaStill Portuguese table wines of designated origin may also be labelled "reserva", indicating an alcohol content of at least 0.5% higher than the legal minimum established by the respective DOC or VR; however, stricter requirements in individual DOCs may supersede this standard.
(Court of Master Sommeliers)Viña Bosconia On weinlagen-infoSpain Vinos de España - Wines of Spain (Instituto Español de Comercio Exterior) | Wikipedia
Wine Map on weinlagen-info
Spain is the third largest wine producing nation in the world, occupying the majority of the Iberian Peninsula with vast diversity in climate, culture, and of course, wine. From inky, dark reds of the [Priorat] to dry, white Finos from Andalusia, Spain can easily boast of elaborating a wide variety of notable styles. Within Spain there are currently 62 demarcated wine regions, of which a handful have gained international recognition: [Rioja], Priorat and [Ribera del Duero]. Yet these regions are only a small sample of the high quality wines Spain produces. Regions such as Cava, Penedes, Somontano, Galicia, Rueda and Jerez are only a few of the numerous regions worthy of exploration throughout Spain. Spain can also lay claim to having the most land under vine in the world, growing up to, by some accounts, 600 indigenous varietals of which Tempranillo is their most well known. Other popular varietals include [Garnacha], Bobal and Monastrell for reds and for whites; the infamous [sic] Palomino Fino grape which is used in the production of sherry wine, Pedro Ximenez in Montilla Morilles, Albarino used in the creation of the bright, effervescent wines of Galicia, and Verdejo in Rueda. - Source: - Catavino.net
Spain is not in the forefront of winemaking for its dessert wines, other than for its sweet wines from Sherry country including the highly revered Olorosos (when sweetened). But apart from Sherry Spain has a range of styles of dessert wines, ranging from the those made from the Pedro Ximenez grape primarily in Jerez and Montilla-Moriles) to luscious, red dessert wines made in the Mediterranean from the Garnacha (Grenache) grape. Some good Moscatels are made in Mallorca, Alicante and Navarre. The northwest corner of Spain, Galicia, with its bitter Atlantic climate, is even making dessert wines, called “Tostadillos” in the village of Ribadivia (similar to France’s “Vin de Paille”). The Canary Islands have made interesting dessert wines for centuries (they are mentioned by Shakespeare, for example) and in recent years the quality of winemaking has been improved and the Canary Islands wines are being better marketed now. The winemaking styles for “Vinos Dulces” are also diverse, from “Late Harvest” (Vendimia Tardía) to “Fortified Wines” (Fermentación Parcial). Based on in-spain.info.La Rioja Consejo Regulador DOC Rioja - Control Board of the D.O.Ca. Rioja
Map on weinlagen-infoLa Rioja Alta Map on weinlagen-infoRioja Consejo Regulador DOC Rioja - Control Board of the D.O.Ca. Rioja
HISTORY
The wine region of La Rioja in Spain was first demarcated by the area's governing body, the Consejo Regulador, in 1926. The region extends for approximately 120 kilometres along both sides of the Ebro River and is, at its widest point, bounded by mountains on either side. In fact, the word 'Rioja' is a derivation of the two words 'Rio' (River) and 'Oja (the name of a tributary of the Ebro that runs right through La Rioja creating a series of microclimates and providing much needed water for the vines).
La Rioja has always been a vital part of Spain's history. Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Moors, and finally, medieval Crusaders have all played a part in the area's history. The Romans, however, made wine a part of their culture wherever they travelled, and La Rioja was no exception. Ancient sites of Roman wineries still exist in and around the area today.
After the Romans came the Moors, and winemaking all but ceased. It wasn't until after the famous 'El Cid' liberated Spain, and medieval Christianity brought trade via the Crusaders through the region, that it flourished again. The Benedictine monks of Cluny in Burgundy, known for their viticulture, helped to establish three monasteries in the area. The vines they planted were mostly white grapes. In the fourteenth century, English traders acquired a taste for a local Rioja wine, which was a blend of white and red wines called Blancos Pardillos. Over time, development of lighter reds came about satisfying eighteenth century English and French courts.
The real improvements to Rioja's viticulture began around 1780 when the need to prolong wine during transport brought about experimentation with different woods and preservatives. Studies were made of the techniques used by great chateaux in Bordeaux. With the outbreak of the Peninsular War, progress was halted until 1852, when the Bordelais came south to Rioja seeking vines because their vineyards had been blighted with oidium. French winemaking methods were eagerly taken up by great rivals the Marques de Murrieta and Marques de Riscal (who both claim to have been the first in Rioja to make wine in the Bordeaux fashion).
When phylloxera devastated Bordeaux in the 1870s and the French influence really took hold in Rioja, many of the region's finest bodegas started production on what we now consider as the great wines of Rioja. It’s important to remember that Bordeaux winemaking methods then were very different to those employed today in France, and involved long ageing in barrel, a factor that the Riojans took up enthusiastically. So enthusiastically in fact that to this day there are a number of Bodegas that still make their wine in a surprisingly similar fashion to that of the Bordelais in the later part of the 1800s and this also explains why oak ageing is such an important part of Riojan winemaking.
USE OF OAK
Pronounced vanilla flavours in the wines are a trademark of the region though some modern winemakers are experimenting with making wines less influenced by oak. Originally French oak was used but as the cost of the barrels increased many bodegas began to buy American oak planks and fashion them into barrels at Spanish cooperages in a style more closely resembling the French method. This included hand splitting the wood, rather than sawing, and allowing the planks time to dry and 'season' in the outdoors versus drying in the kiln. In recent times, more bodegas have begun using French oak and many will age wines in both American and French oak for blending purposes.
In the past, it was not uncommon for some bodegas to age their red wines for 15-20 years or even more before their release. One notable example of this is Marqués de Murrieta which released its 1942 vintage Gran Reserva in 1983 after 41 years of ageing. Today most bodegas have shifted their winemaking focus to wines that are ready to drink sooner with the top wines typically ageing for 4-8 years prior to release though some traditionalists still age longer. The typical bodega owns anywhere from 10,000 to 40,000 oak barrels.
The use of oak in white wine has declined significantly in recent times when before the norm was traditionally 2-5 years in oak. This created slightly oxidised wines with flavours of caramel, coffee, and roasted nuts that did not appeal to a large market of consumers. Today the focus of white winemakers has been to enhance the vibrancy and fruit flavours of the wine.
WINE CLASSIFICATION
Most Riojan Bodegas believe that the ageing of a wine should be the responsibility of the producer rather than that of the consumer, and this is why much Rioja is more mature than wines from other countries. Rioja red wines are classified into four categories. The first, simply labelled 'Rioja', or 'Sin Crianza' (meaning 'without ageing') is the youngest, spending less than a year in oak. A "Crianza" is wine aged for at least two years, at least one of which is in oak. 'Reserva' is aged for at least three years, of which at least one year is in oak. Finally, 'Gran Reserva' wines have been aged at least two years in oak and three years in bottle. Reserva and Gran Reserva wines are not necessarily produced each year. Also produced are wines in a semi-crianza style, those that have had a couple of months of oak influence but not enough to be called a full crianza. The designation of Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva might not always appear on the front label but may appear on a neck or back label in the form of a stamp designation known as Consejo.
SUB REGIONS
Rioja Alta
Located on the western edge of the region, and at higher elevations than the other areas, the Rioja Alta is known for more fruity and concentrated wines which can have very smooth texture and mouth feel.
Rioja Alavesa
Despite sharing a similar climate as the Alta region, the Rioja Alavesa produces wines with a fuller body and higher acidity. Vineyards in the area have a low vine density with large spacing between rows. This is due to the relatively poor conditions of the soil with the vines needing more distance from each other and less competition for the nutrients in the surrounding soil.
Rioja Baja
Unlike the more continental climate of the Alta and Alavesa, the Rioja Baja is strongly influenced by a Mediterranean climate which makes this area the warmest and driest of the Rioja. In the summer months, drought can be a significant viticultural hazard, though since the late 1990s irrigation has been permitted. Temperatures in the summer typically reach 95°F. Twenty percent of the vineyards actually fall within the Navarra appellation but the wine produced from the grapes is still allowed to claim the Rioja designation. The predominant grape here is the Garnacha which prefers the hot conditions, unlike the more aromatic Tempranillo. Consequently Baja wines are very deeply coloured and can be highly alcoholic with some wines at 18% alcohol by volume. The wines typically do not have much acidity or aroma and are generally used as blending components with wines from other parts of
the Rioja.
The Riojans are master blenders (as they have to be because there are relatively few single estates in the area, the norm being to blend from a wide variety of vineyards and wine areas). Consequently they are able to reduce vintage variation by careful blending and many of the best wines vary relatively little between vintages.
VITICULTURE & GRAPES
Rioja wines are normally a blend of various grape varieties, and can be either red (tinto), white (blanco) or rosé (rosado). Rioja has a total of 57,000 hectares cultivated, yielding 250 million litres of wine annually, of which 85% is red. The harvest time for most Rioja vineyards is September-October with the northern Rioja Alta having the latest harvest in late October. The soil here is clay-based with a high concentration of chalk and iron (which provides the redness in the soil that may be responsible for the region's name, Rioja, meaning red). There is also significant concentration of limestone, sandstone and alluvial silt.
Among the Tintos, the best-known and most widely-used variety is Tempranillo. Other grapes used include Garnacha Tinta, Graciano, and Mazuelo. A typical blend will consist of approximately 60% Tempranillo and up to 20% Garnacha, with much smaller proportions of Mazuelo and Graciano. Each grape adds a unique component to the wine with Tempranillo contributing the main flavours and ageing potential to the wine; Garnacha adding body and alcohol; Mazuelo adding seasoning flavours and Graciano adding additional aromas.
With Rioja Blanco, Viura is the prominent grape (also known as Macabeo) and is sometimes blended with some Malvesia and Garnacha Blanca. In the white wines the Viura contributes mild fruitness, acidity and some aroma to the blend with Garnacha Blanca adding body and Malvasia adding aroma. Rosados are mostly derived from Garnacha grapes. The 'international varieties' of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have gained some attention and use through experimental plantings by some bodegas but their use has created wines distinctly different from the typical Rioja.
Some of the most sought after grapes come from the limestone/sandstone based 'old vine' vineyards in the Alavesa and Alta regions. These 40 year old plus vines are prized due to their low yields and more concentrated flavours. A unique DO regulation stipulates that the cost of the grapes used to make Rioja must exceed by at least 200% the national average of wine grapes used in all Spanish wines.
VINTAGE CHART
Rioja (Red) Year %
2004 Superb vintage, classic wines Drink or Hold 94
2003 Hot, dry year, long-ageing wines Drink or Hold 91
2002 Smallest vintage in 10 years. Variable quality.
Keep to top names Drink or Hold 87
2001 Excellent year for long ageing Reservas
and Gran Reservas Drink or Hold 94
2000 A generally good vintage with fine Reservas Drink or Hold 89
1999 Smaller vintage of good quality Drink or Hold 88
1998 Good vintage Drink or Hold 97
1997 Unexciting so far, but quaffable Drink or Hold 84
1996 Good year, plenty of ageing potential Drink or Hold 89
1995 Very good vintage, Reservas now showing excellent fruit Drink or Hold 92
1994 Outstanding, some great long-ageing wines Drink or Hold 94
1993 Lesser wines, apart from best-known names Drink 77
1992 Rather light vintage Drink 80
1991 Still improving, average quality Drink or Hold 85
1990 Fairly ordinary but quaffable Drink 84
1989 Good, firm structure Drink 88
Rioja Reserva & Gran Reserva – Vintages of the Eighties Year %
1989 Goodish vintage, well balanced Drink 88
1988 Fairly good vintage, well balanced wines Drink 88
1987 Very attractive vintage, now at peak Drink 90
1986 Average year, now drinking well Drink 87
1985 Average year, now drinking well Drink 87
1984 Disappointing, with problem weather Avoid 80
1983 Don't keep it any longer Drink 86
1982 Now past its best Drink 83
1981 Superb wines, finest will keep longer Drink 90
1980 Average vintage, don't keep any longer Drink 86
More vintage charts
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