1994 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Viña Gravonia

Community Tasting Notes (7) Avg Score: 89.4 points

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  8/24/2020 - forceberry wrote: 95 Points

  100% Viura from Viña Gravonia (aka. Zaconia) vineyard in the municipality of Zaco, purchased in 1909-1912 and replanted in 1925. The wine gets its name from being a Spanish emulation of the classic whites of the Graves region. After the spontaneous fermentation, the wine is aged for 4 years in predominantly old American oak barrels and bottled unfiltered. Labeled "Crianza", although the wine is effectively a Gran Reserva. 12% alcohol. Tasted in a Gravonia 2011-1993 vertical tasting.
  
  Quite deep, concentrated and rather intense golden yellow color with a bronze core. Developed, robust and moderately oxidative nose with very complex and quite seductive aromas of chopped nuts, pineapple, some gravelly minerality, a little bit of ginger syrup, light fruity notes of greengage, a hint of toasted coconut and a savory touch of old wood spice. The wine is evolved, toasty and complex on the palate with a somewhat oily mouthfeel, quite full body and layered flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some baked apple, light caramel notes, a little bit of roasted walnuts, a hint of browned butter and a touch of dried apricots. The high acidity lends wonderful freshness and sense of structure to the wine, making this wine feel slightly leaner than the 1993 vintage tasted alongside. The finish is long, fresh and lengthy with intense, quite acid-driven flavors of tangy salinity, lemony citrus fruits, some cooked cream tones, a little bit of tart green apples, light oxidative notes of roasted nuts, a hint of smoke and a touch of baked apple.
  
  A wonderfully developed, complex and harmonious Gravonia with quite a bit of age, but not yet enough to make the wine feel particularly old. Either the wine is now at its plateau of maturity or it can evolve a bit more from here - whatever the case is, I doubt the wine is going to be falling apart anytime soon. Compared to the 1993 vintage, this wine feels like it is higher in acidity, but also coming across as slightly more evolved with a bit less depth, concentration and intensity. Nevertheless, this was easily among the best wines in the tasting. An exemplary case in point why one should age these Viña Gravonias and not just drink all the bottles upon release - these really do reward aging.

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  6/24/2014 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine: 89 Points

  Agree with JDUNLAP on this note. I love LDH whites and it was a treat to taste (or guzzle) their 1994. It was a little over the hill, and lost a little bit of flavor, but wasn't all that different to the 2004 I recently had. Wax. Petrol. No fruit. Fun.

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  6/23/2014 - John Dunlap Likes this wine: 89 Points

  Purchased about ten years ago and stored in cool conditions since. Was not sure what to expect, but wanted to see how this white wine was doing at 20 years.
  
  Limited tableside notes include: Ullage was good and cork came out in one piece. Color was golden, but not too dark. Nose was quite good with no overt oxidation. Nose of apple and beeswax, may be a touch floral at the end. Flavors were also well balanced with more apple and waxiness. Flavors were round and well integrated. Remarkably balanced. Not your everyday white wine. Very enjoyable. Perfect with poached salmon, succotash and an arugula salad. Lovely.

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  6/20/2010 - Brix wrote:

  Surprisingly good, and a fine counterpart to a grilled salmon dinner. This wine was unlike anything I've had before, and not what I expected: a heaping helping of oak and oxidation, to be sure, but nicely offset with lemony acidity. On the palate, a pleasing balance of waxy golden delicious apples, hazelnuts, and bracing minerality.

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  10/9/2008 - Maestro wrote: 89 Points

  Dark golden wine, wih a poweful nose of marzipan, toasty oak, bee wax and floral tones. The palate is rich, thick, and mature, with medium acidity and a component that resembles butterscotch but not quite the way one experiences it with Chardonnay. A long finish with notes of roasted notes and dried fruit follows. This is a very pleasant wine, that needs considerable aeration to show its best and can stand up to powerful dishes. Drink now and in the next 2-3 years.

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