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Dinner with López de Heredia wines 1934-1976
Cambio de Tercio, London SW5
Tasted May 23, 2011 by Rupert with 883 views
Introduction
This dinner was the brainchild of Ken Lamb who asked ten of us to bring a López de Heredia wine no younger than 1968. The result was a thrilling line-up of wines, pretty much all of which delivered - the 57 was the pick of the whites, but it would be impossible to pick a winner from the reds - the 42, 47, the two 54s, the 64, the two 68s - all quite sensational. And all to the accompaniment of a fantastic series of Spanish dishes.
Flight 1 (1 note)
White - Sparkling
1998 Philipponnat Champagne Brut Clos des Goisses
Very oxidative and advanced - tastes twenty years older than it actually is - gentle mousse, good biscuit finish. I had a small top up from the second bottle which was much fresher.
Flight 2 - with Oyster, red shallots vinaigrette, pink grapefruit AIR (3 notes)
White
1976 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Viña Tondonia
Fat, luxuriously textured, the palate all banana and butterscotch, which I don't care for
White
1957 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia
This was glorious from the first sniff. Hard to pin down in terms of flavour descriptors, but the mix of tang, sweet and savoury and the animating acidity was just perfect.
White
1964 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia
This was brilliant too, but almost painfully youthful - salty, fresh, and with a super grippy toast finish
Flight 3 - with Jamon Iberico 5 Jotas Sanchez Romero Carvajal (2 notes)
Red
1934 R. López de Heredia Rioja Viña Bosconia
Dark, pongy, high and meaty, this seemed too old at first, but actually freshened up in the glass - still alive and enjoyable
Red
1942 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia
Pure, cherried, serene and deep, this was heartstoppingly lovely - like an ethereal Chambolle
Flight 4 - with Andalucian chilled gazpacho, lobster and cherry ice cream (2 notes)
Red
1954 R. López de Heredia Rioja Viña Bosconia
Dense, sharp, red-fruited, this showed clear kinship with the 42, another beauty
Red
1954 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia
Extraordinarily vivid lily of the valley nose, cool and fresh and fruit salady on the palate, with some funk coming through, a lovely wine. This really did seem claret-like next to the Burgundian Bosconia.
Flight 5 - with White asparagus, truffle, crispy fried egg and ham (2 notes)
Red
1976 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Bosconia
Dry and tannic, and a musty tone in the mid-palate - something not right here
Red
1966 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia
Fruitiest wine so far, with a blooming lifted nose, and a medicinal streak running through it - hugely enjoyable though
Flight 6 - with Millefeuille of smoked eel, baked apple and caramelised duck liver (1 note)
Red
1947 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Bosconia
Sharp and volatile, spicy blackcurrant fruit with lots of bite - wild, but fantastic
Flight 7 - with Hake "a la plancha", squid fideua, alioli (2 notes)
Red
1961 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia
Dusty nose, fresh fruit on the palate, with a nice sweet tone, but it finished abruptly
Red
1964 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia
Broad, sweet fragrance, and then waves of strawberry fruit, glorious
Flight 8 - with Flame grill Iberico pork chop, chorizo mash, figs and PX vinegar caramel (2 notes)
Red
1968 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Bosconia
Grippy, savoury, with high acid, this was vigorous and exciting
Red
1968 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia
Lean, exotically spicy a la Musar, on the palate red fruited and grippy, lots of game, lots of sweet penetrating fruit, a real stunner
Flight 9 - with The "all lemon dessert" (1 note)
Red
1918 De Muller Priorat Dom Berenguer Solero Rancio Dulce
A melange of celery and brown sugar, spirity, but superb