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2017 López de Heredia "Viña Cubillo" Crianza Rioja

2017 López de Heredia "Viña Cubillo" Crianza Rioja

94TA
93RP
92VN
$34.99

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94

Tim Atkin

Reviewed June 2024
Cubillo is always sold as a Crianza, partly because it’s always been done that way, but has nothing whatsoever to do with the kind of high-volume wines you find on supermarket shelves. Pairing Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and 5% each of Graciano and Mazuelo, all from the 80-year-old Cubillas vineyard, this is sweet and savoury, with lots of racy cranberry acidity and sinewy tannins.

Professional Reviews

93

Wine Advocate

Review Date: 02/2025
The super bargain of the portfolio has to be the red 2017 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza, which this year shows more development and faster aging, with more tertiary notes than the other reds from 2013 and 2014 that I tasted next to it. The frost of April 2017 killed 100% of the vegetal mass at Cubillo, and the grapes they picked were exclusively from the second generation, therefore fruit that ripened in a much shorter cycle, as the harvest was also earlier. It has notes of damp earth, mushrooms, truffles and forest floor, dry leaves and decayed flowers and herbs. It has a polished palate and is medium-bodied, with mostly resolved tannins, and it feels a little lighter. But it's still worth it. It was produced with a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo from vines averaging 53 years of age. It fermented in their old oak vats and matured in used American oak barrels for three+ years. It has 13.5% alcohol, a 3.0 pH and 6.5 grams of acidity. 90,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2023. (LG)

92

Vinous

Review Date: 05/2025
The 2017 Viña Cubillo combines 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, 5% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo from Rioja Alta. This aged for three years in American oak barrels. Offering vinous aromas, gentle oak and dark fruit with herbal notes, the frost-hit vintage provided lighter fruit and greener flavors. Smooth, juicy and slightly chalky, it nonetheless retains the fine-boned elegance of the Cubillo style. (JH)

Staff Reviews

RR
Rachael Ryan

Rachael Ryan

K&L Buyer
Review Date: 09/2025
Don’t let this wine’s Crianza label fool you! While most Crianza Rioja on the market is a youthful and often simple style of wine aged for a minimum of one year in barrel, the Viña Cubillo far exceeds both the legal aging requirements and the expected quality level. This wine is comprised of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, 5% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo, all from 50+ year-old vines. The wine ages in used older American oak barrels for at least three years, followed by several more in bottle. Despite being a Crianza, the Cubillo surpasses the aging of most other wineries’ Gran Reserva wines. Compared to its siblings, however, the Cubillo is noticeably brighter and more exuberant on the nose, bursting with Bing cherry, crunchy pomegranate and plum, all swaddled in subtle American oak flavors of vanilla and tobacco. Electric acidity streaks through the core of the wine and despite the juicy initial approach, grippy tannins follow quickly on the palate. This wine sets the benchmark for “entry-level” Rioja.
KK
Kerry Kennell

Kerry Kennell

Review Date: 09/2025
This is such a brilliant wine—so fresh and alive! No doubt there is more to reveal, so this is one to buy a bottle for now and another for later. Fresh, clean, and lively—this is a generous Rioja that is the kind of wine that makes my heart skip a beat. It offers spiced plum, juicy cherries, dried rose petals, and parched earth with a subtle ferrous finish. If you want a fine red wine to drink, this is it.

Notes

Bodegas R. López de Heredia is one of Spain’s most iconic and historically significant wineries, renowned for its steadfast dedication to traditional winemaking and extended aging practices. The winery is the oldest in Haro and one of the first three in the Rioja region, and they have consistent crafted extraordinary wines of place. Since its founding over 130 years ago, little has changed at López de Heredia. Unlike many Rioja producers who source grapes from a network of small growers, López de Heredia cultivates all its own fruit, sourcing exclusively from its own vineyards: Viña Tondonia, Viña Bosconia, Viña Cubillo, and Viña Gravonia. They rely exclusively on natural yeasts, avoid filtration, and continue to age their wines in wood for six to eight years—using barrels they craft themselves. A hallmark of their approach is extended aging; wines are released only when the family deems them ready, often 5–10 years post-harvest. Increasingly in demand, with wine collectors around the world seeking them out, any chance to secure López de Heredia should be taken advantage of!

Details

OriginRioja, Spain
Type/VarietalTempranillo
Alcohol Content13%
SKU1710653