Amigos Blancos Vol. 3

When such treasures end up in your hands, the natural instinct is to share them - especially with those who can truly appreciate them and with those who help unearth such rarities. Unfortunately, white Tondonia and Gravonia are allocated based on red wine purchases, and as demand continues to soar, these bottles become increasingly elusive. We now rely on old stocks, serendipitous finds, and the occasional auction triumph. What makes this gathering particularly special is that it's far from our first - yet another celebration dedicated entirely to López de Heredia's white wines, without a single red in sight. May it not be our last.

A note on pricing:

The prices listed below do not reflect actual market values. For the sake of demonstrating quality-to-price ratio (QPR), I've used the last known public prices from our local importer. Whilst 2,706 UAH looks remarkable for such a gorgeous Rosado Gran Reserva, the reality is I paid considerably more to acquire this bottle (and many others).

My point: López de Heredia releases these wines at fantastic prices. It's the market that goes mad.

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The House That Time Built

We find ourselves in Haro, the mythical capital of Rioja Alta. The region's ascent to viticultural prominence has an unlikely catalyst: phylloxera. This tiny insect, accidentally imported from North America, devastated European vineyards in the late 19th century. The Great French Wine Blight sent winemakers scrambling for new territory, and many found refuge in Rioja's promising terroir.

Yet potential alone creates nothing. Don Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta, then an eager student, watched French négociants arrive in search of alternative grape sources. Captivated by what he witnessed, he ventured to Haro himself and recognised something extraordinary in its confluence of soil and climate. Around 1877, he began constructing what would become the López de Heredia bodega - the oldest operating winery in Haro and one of Rioja's pioneering three houses.

A Philosophy of Patience

López de Heredia has earned its reputation as guardian of tradition and house style. Their wines are time machines, capturing an era of winemaking that has all but vanished elsewhere. Today, María José López de Heredia steers the estate with a nuanced understanding: "tradition" needn't mean rigidity or resistance to change. As the world and nature follow their own rhythms, the bodega must remain flexible whilst honouring eternal principles.

The Four Vineyards

The estate produces four distinct ranges, each named after its vineyard of origin:

Viña Cubillo offers a single red Crianza that defies convention - three years in cask followed by four to five years in bottle before release, surpassing even Gran Reserva ageing requirements.

Viña Gravonia is devoted entirely to white Crianza. Pure Viura from 24 hectares near the Ebro's banks, this vineyard possesses every advantage for producing white grapes of ripeness and complexity. Four years in cask, then at least another four in bottle, transform it into something transcendent.

Viña Bosconia presents two expressions: a Reserva (notably bottled in Burgundy-shaped glass, perhaps hinting at its elegant yet full-bodied nature) and a Gran Reserva released only in exceptional vintages, a full 20 years after harvest.

Viña Tondonia, the estate's crown jewel, sprawls across 100 hectares of red and white vines. From this legendary site come five wines: Tinto Reserva, Tinto Gran Reserva, Blanco Reserva, Blanco Gran Reserva, and the ethereal Rosado Gran Reserva.