López de Heredia

R. López de Heredia – The timeless traditionalist of Rioja

The Bodegas R. López de Heredia in Haro, the legendary capital of the Rioja Alta, is perhaps Spain’s most unusual winery. It was founded in 1877 by Don Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta as the first winery in Haro. At that time, French négociants, whose vineyards had been decimated by the phylloxera epidemic, were searching for high-quality grapes in La Rioja – and found in Don Rafael an enthusiastic and knowledgeable disciple of the art of winemaking. The ‘Cathedral of Wine’ he built, with its labyrinth of corridors, staircases and vaulted cellars, still exudes the spirit of its founder to this day.

Whilst a wine revolution, featuring the latest cellaring technology and heavily toasted barriques, took hold around the estate, at López de Heredia the clock has ticked just as slowly as ever . The family has remained true to the traditions that once made Rioja famous. Their wines, the best known of which are the Viña Tondonia Reserva red and white, have always been regarded as the benchmark for classic wine styles .

The estate cultivates only its own vineyards, covering an area of 170 hectares . At its heart lies the Viña Tondonia vineyard, covering more than 100 hectares, which Don Rafael planted in 1913–14 on the right bank of the Ebro . These are complemented by the Viña Cubillo, Viña Bosconia and Viña Zaconia vineyards . The vines are up to 100 years old and produce grapes of remarkable depth and complexity. The red wines are made from Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano, whilst the whites are made from Viura and Malvasía.

López de Heredia’s winemaking philosophy is uncompromisingly traditional. The family has never resorted to chemical treatments. In the cellar, there is not a single stainless-steel tank to be found; instead, there are large, old wooden vats in which the wines ferment. Ageing takes place in American oak barrels, which are first stored for three years to ensure a gentle ageing process . The wines are aged for far longer than required by law – the Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva, for example, spends nine years in barrel and a further ten or more years in the bottle. They are only sold once the family considers them to have developed the right degree of finesse. R. López de Heredia produces wine in contrast to today’s market-driven trends – and is nonetheless successful.