Dinner with Don: Lopez de Heredia

Siggy hosted the latest wine dinner with one of our all time favorite chef's, Don Saunders. Don is the best, and his food just never disappoints. Tonight was no exception as he was rocking on all cylinders. It makes me miss his restaurants so much. But, we are lucky to have him share with us a few times a year anyway. Tonight's theme was Lopez de Heredia wines across the spectrum of rose, white and reds, and we had a group of 8 for the evening (SS, LI, DD, KB/VB, AC, ML, JV. The pairings were really quite good with rare exception too. This was an exceptional night, though the absolute rock star of the evening had to be the 2006 Krug that simply stole our hearts. Thanks to Steve for pulling this together. Great night everyone!!

• 2006 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut 98 Points

  France, Champagne

  Shimmering gold color. Drank a glass over 30 minutes plus. This was a stunning bottle. We have this several times recently, and all have been great, but this was on another level tonight as it was mind blowing from the first whiff. Splendid mousse with a perfumed nose oozing of almond, nuthorn liqueur, baking bread, brioche, pain grille, pear, fresh and expansive across the nose and palate, immensely long and provocative. Not a hint of oxidativeness. Man I hope my bottles show like this. Wow, just wow!

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• 2014 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année 94 Points

  France, Champagne

  Light gold color. Drank a glass over over 30 minutes. Well I can't believe the last bottle of this was on NYD, almost a year ago now, and from magnum. This bottle, while not a mag, was in fine form and surely mindful of that experience. Still really bright, filled with Chantilly cream, vanilla pastry, apple, lemon chiffon, brisk and taut with fine chalk and excellent tension and length. 94+ to 95pts.

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• 2016 Bollinger Champagne B16 92 Points

  France, Champagne

  Light plus gold color. Small pour. This was quite solid, mainly Chardonnay; good, youthful, lemon, tart, chalk. Tough act to follow though with the '14 GA and the '06 Krug prior.

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• 2009 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia 92 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Rusty light copper color. Drank a glass over 30 minutes plus next to the 2010. Crunchy green strawberries, lacquer, sherry, sleek with bright citrus notes, blood orange, tart dried lemon, with a rather oily texture and some tannin on the long finish. Less oxidative than the '10. These are always intriguing, and this was showing consistent with a bottle from a couple years earlier. I preferred the '09 to the '10 by a fair bit.

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• 2010 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia 90 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Light burnt salmon color. Drank a glass over 30 minutes plus next to the 2009. Vigorous on the palate, orange zest, firm tannins, nutty, more oxidative, with a lot of bitters on the finish. This wasn't as composed as the '09 tonight. Still fits the mold though, and always fun to sit with.

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• 2010 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia 93 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Light gold plus color. Drank a glass over an hour plus next to the 2011. Both of these were singing tonight though I think I give the slight edge to the '11. The '10 was showing dried herbs, golden fruits, yellow apple, apple, hazelnut, citrus oil, savory with Captain Crunch, candied pineapple, lemon, and a very subtle oxidativeness. Really nice. 93+pts.

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• 2011 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia 93 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Light gold color. Drank a glass over an hour plus next to the 2010. Both of these were singing tonight though I think I give the slight edge to the '11. The '11 was fresher overall; fresh air, shellac, lemon, lemon peel, fleshy and full bodied, peach pit, tart with more acid, fairly rich all that tart citrus on the finish. Really not getting much in the way of oxidation on this. 93+ to 94pts.

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• 2008 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia 91 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Dark red color. Decanted for 3 hours, drank a glass over 90 minutes. Been a few years since last having this (2022). Tart cherry, dried twigs, woodsy, spicy, some grip, lacquer, a little more oak showing.

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• 2010 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia 91 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Dark red color. PNP, drank a glass over 90 minutes. Been a couple years since last having this. FResh dried herbs, vanilla, savory, cherry, rich, vitamins, cranberry. More youthful. I'm still looking to recapture the glory of my first bottle right after release.

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• 2001 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia 93 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Dark red color. Decanted for 2 hours, drank a glass over 90 minutes in a trio of '01, '09, and 10. Strawberry, dill, hi toned, dried flowers, silky, plush texture, red berries, fresh and lovely, cocoa, graphite, fine tannins and good length. Loved this, and it was jewel of the bunch.

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• 1991 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Bosconia 93 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Dark red color. Boy, I've had this a number of times over the years, and when it's on it is a total rock star, and when it's not - it can be all over the map. Tonight this was somewhere in the middle. There were some notes at times that made me wonder a bit, but for the most part this was in the zone til the end. Dried wood spice, pretty red fruits; strawberry infused, red cherry, more tart, wonderful forest floor and graphite on the nose too. Though the brown sugar notes that appear suggest maybe a little something there that isn't at it's best, particulary after an hour or so as it seems to fade. 93 to 93+pts.

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• 1991 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia 92 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Medium dark red plus color. PNP, drank a glass over an hour. This was only the second time having the Tondonia from '91. Tangy red fruits, lacquer, hi toned phenolics, big and boisterous, full bodied, cherry and plum with intensity. There might be some heat impact here, or probably just showing some age as this had some brown sugar as well.

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• 1994 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia 94 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Medium dark red color with a 5mm clear edge. Popped to check it and recorked until serving a few hours later; drank a glass over an hour plus. I've had this several times, but the last was over 7 years ago. It has not disappointed so far, and this was my favorite of the Gran Reservas tonight. Killer aromatics; cigar, cigar ash, lifted, red cherry, candied cherries, ripe and juicy, black cherry, savory, tangy blood orange, lots of mineral definition with medium body and ultra refined tannins. Start to fade some after 90 minutes. 94+ to 95pts at peak.

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• 1970 Robertson Porto Rebello Valente Vintage Flawed

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  Pale amber color. This was just too far gone for me. Alcohol, burns, thin, raisin.

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