TN: 1995 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Bosconia

1995 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Bosconia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (2/22/2020)
A superb and elegant wine, one of my favorites thus far this year. I can understand the “Burgundian” comparison based on its ethereal character, its lightness and the gorgeous texture. Be that as it may, the flavors and aromas were a far cry from Burgundy. Pipe tobacco and dried earthy cherry, exceptionally clean and pure. The wine captures you with the first breath and sip, but needs attention to fully appreciate the subtle greatness.

This is a truly lovely wine.

Yep. A stunner. Thanks for the lovely note, Warren.
I drank my lost bottle a couple years ago. Always on the lookout to backfill, but have not pulled the trigger lately. Such great wines.

Well done sir. 68s were a highlight of Melinda’s 50th.
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One interesting point is that the 1995 is still the current release vintage (well, more correctly, the most recently released vintage). I’ve heard a rumor (but haven’t been able to corroborate it) that the next vintage for both GR reds will be 2001.

I would have written this up much the same as you did Warren. Definitely superb and elegant.

That is correct!

I had a bottle of this just a few days ago myself, but nothing to add to the excellent notes.

2001 Tondonia GR:
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Best winery tour ever! Maria-Jose is an amazing host…

Loved seeing the building out in the Tondonia vineyard, and the story of the history that goes with it.

The winery tour is a must if you are even close to the region. Many of the tours seem to run together over the years, but not that one. I will never forget it.

The tour is super indeed. You must set it up by email in advance. After doing so we received a 2.5 hour tour (lovely cobwebs and mold!) with about 6 others, and a full tasting (including the rosado), all free. From what we could tell, the many others who simply showed up without a reservation received a far less extensive tour, and paid a fee.

I can remember when the Rosado wasn’t a thing.

Yep. Back in the first few years of this century, local bottle shops in our neck of the woods had bottles of the late '90s and 2000 vintage sitting on the retail shelf collecting dust all the time. When I first found out that there would be big gap between 2000 and the next vintage release (which ended up being the 2008), I went around and “hoovered” up every bottle I could find (at about $22/bottle).

Ah, the good ole’ days…

The Rosado was always a thing. It’s just most people didn’t know about it, and it was cheap.

True for the whites not all that long ago as well.

In the mid 00s I was still slurping it up in SF restaurants sub $40.