Talk to me about white Rioja

WINE TALK
21

Sounds like you and I share enthusiasm for unique whites. In fact, a distinctive white tends to fire me up more than even most reds. In that respect, I’m more into Northern Rhones of late. Recently picked up a bottle of Paolo Bea Santa Chiara, which I’m stoked about. And Movia is usually interesting.

22

Brad Kaplan…you are spot on. That is some wonderful wine that Remelluri. I have had the 2005 and 2006 and preferred the 2006 by a small amount. Agree with your description.

23

Ok, here is the deal with the Heredia. The restaurant is Blue Hill at Stone Barns. This will be our first time there.

I called to make sure they had the wine available. The Sommelier called me back and said that they did indeed have it. Now, I have a long story to tell, but will probably do that in a different thread. But here is where I need some advice. He says: “I will have the bottle set aside and ready for you when you arrive. (MY reservation is at 6:30). I will open the bottle around 2PM, and then decant it an hour before”. For many reasons that I will go into later, I questioned him on it and said “Do you really think it needs to be decanted?” He assured me that it did. He said that the older vintages were more along the oxidated/sherry profile, while this one is more “Linear” in nature.

Ok, for those who are familiar with the Heredia’s, would you decant it? And is it different from other vintages that are older? My reservation is on the 2nd of January, so there is plenty of time.

Thanks again for the assistance here.

24

Steve:

Although I have not tried the 1990 Tondonia Reserva in a while, I would probably decant it for less if the bottle will be open a few hours in advance. With that said I just fired an email to María José López de Heredia who is a good friend and hopefully she will give me or post here her recommendations soon.

SALUDos,
José

25

Hi Steve,

The '90 Tondonia is a fairly young wine still (it is the newest release from Lopez de Heredia) and I think the sommelier’s idea sounds perfect. IME, it will not oxidize at all with this regimen, and it should give the wine a chance to really open up and show all of its facets. I did not do this with the last bottle I tasted, but drank the wine over three days and it simply got better and better the longer it was opened. I would have been happy to put it through its paces after the preparation that the sommelier at Stone Barns is suggesting, and I might have scored it a tad higher if I had done so. In terms of similarities of style, I think you will find it more white Bordeaux-like that Savennieres-like, but with clear Rioja soil flavors. I think you will enjoy the wine very much. I wrote a piece on the bodega a few issues back, which I would be happy to send to you if you want some background information on the estate. Just email me at jbgilman@ix.netcom.com and I will send it along if you are interested.

Best Regards,

John

26

Jose, that would be outstanding and very cool. Thank you VERY much. [thankyou.gif]

27

John,

I will e-mail you for that information. Thank you very much for the further insight on the wine and that you agree on the decanting. I had serious doubts about it, but since this thread was full of people who really knew these wines, I figured this would be a wonderful avenue to find out for sure. Very much appreciated John.

28

I would agree with decanting unless it’s a small group and you’ll have the chance to follow it in the glass for that similar hour to see how it develops and revisit it. But if it’s to pair with a specific dish and you want the greatest probability of seeing it peak with that course decanting is probably a good idea.

29

Hello Steve:

I am María José López de Heredia. José sent me the link. Thanks José.

Firstly, thank you for wanting to drink our wine in the most perfect condition.

Let me tell you a bit about the history of this wine. My great grandfather made this white Viña Tondonia as a copy of the white wines from Graves, in Bordeaux (1877). It was made to last, I mean to age and also to be drunk with food. Mostly with white meat such as turkey, pork or chicken. Althought it goes very well with highly seasoned dishes. We still make it with the same philosofy, as we did in 1877. It comes from the finest white grapes: Viura 90% and Malvasía 10% from the Viña Tondonia vineyard that survived the philloxera in 1901.

Yes, 1990, is a baby for us and is a wine that can be kept for a long time and soon you will be finding 1991, also Reserva, on the US market.

Whilst, at home, we never decant it, maybe because we are use to drink it regularly and we know how it evolves, as well as the Viña Gravonia Crianza (current vintage 1999), we do not mind if they are decanted. I have tasted our old vintages, as well, days after they have been opened and far from being damaged the aromas improved and the wines were very enjoyable. But one hour ahead should be enought. The fact that the wines show well that doesn’t mean that they need breathing too much. These wine has already breathed in the barrel for six years. It has been bottle aged for 13 years. Therefore, it is very hungry for oxygen and you should decide, at the time, if it needs more or less.

I was lucky to present a wine dinner last month at Blue Hill restaurant and I am sure that they will pour the wine in the perfect glass, at the right temperature and you will enjoy it immensely. Tell them that one hour should be enough and give it more time, if required.

By the way, I agree about starting with a Champagne!

Please, let me know how it was. Happy New Year, have a great dinner. A fantastic 2010 to all of you.

30

Maria,

Thank you SO much for the quick and detailed response. I was very interested in trying this wine, but with all the other helpful responses, and now your response, I am SO looking forward to my wife and I enjoying this wine. The history is very interesting, and I will pass along the advice on the decanting. Since we will be starting with the Champagne…I believe I might do a half bottle of Krug NV, it would seem to me that the best thing to do would possibly arrive a little early, have the wine opened and then taste it right away, THEN decide if I would like it decanted while we have the champagne. I would really love to see exactly what it is right out of the bottle, and then after some air. It seems to me that even if I really love the wine right away, I should still have it decanted (meaning it can’t hurt the wine, and could easily help it to come alive even more…am I correct?).

Thank you again Maria. It was quite enjoyable to get the advice directly from the source. Very much appreciated. I wish you too a very happy and healthy new year.

Jose, once again, thank you for reaching out to Maria. [thumbs-up.gif]

31

Yes, do exactly that. I envy you! What a wonderfull restaurant and place!

32

Maria - thank you so much for coming here and giving us some background on the wine. The bottle that I enjoyed at Grammercy was perhaps one of the most memorable bottles of wine that I had all year. I am definitely going to seek out older vintages!

33

Kent,

Thanks for starting this thread. I am always looking for interesting whites. I know I am in the minority, but white wines can be even more interesting than reds for me. But they have to either be unique or great, or excellent examples of whites that are not the norm for most, like Gewurztraminer or Viognier for example.

Also, I only have one question at this point:

Evan, do you have any connection to Heredia wines? [wink.gif]

34

Ha! I’m not just a client, I’m also…

Let me warn you: When you take that first taste at the outset of the meal, you’re going to need to bring some restraint. Have a wonderful time; I’m curious to get your take.

35

Maria,

I just wanted to thank you for sticking with your beliefs and passion – even while much of the wine world has changed and modernized its style. I’m all for innovation, but I prefer substance over fads. Your wines are inspiring and please know they’re deeply appreciated.

36

I had the '90 Tondonia blanco last night. It doesn’t need decanting - it did not change much over several hours. I suspect this rigmarole is a bit of showmanship by the sommelier like when a shortstop makes a diving catch on a routine play. I’m not sure what he means by “linear” in this context either, which isn’t a term I’d use to describe this wine - nor why a wine meriting that description should necessitate decanting. So open, drink, and enjoy without fretting over whether the wine is being babied enough. But if you have to fret over one thing, I would focus on temperature. This is a wine that shows much better between cellar temperature and room temperature than it does at refrigerator temperature.
BTW while $85 isn’t out-of-line for a restaurant markup, the wine is cheap enough retail at about $35 or so that you may as well just pick up a few bottles and enjoy them at your leisure, rather than submitting yourself to bizarre sommelier rituals.

37

On Saturday night, at Blue Hill @ Stone Barns, we had the '90 Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva. They opened it about an hour before, and then had me taste it when I arrived. I knew right away I was going to enjoy the wine, so I had him go ahead and decant it. We decided to go right with the Heredia, and pass on the Champagne, because I knew that they would be bringing a number of amuse bouses and figured it would be fun to match them with this wine.

Made the right decision. A perfect wine with a restaurant that is in line with The French Laundry style and quality food.

Sort of a full bodied wine, a nice level of that candied orange/apricot peel/pith thing that I love, without over doing it. The slight bitterness mixes well with the oxidative profile, and shows a lifting roasted hazelnut, smokey, amost earthy mouthful that lingers for quite some time. It is a bigmouthful of flavors that, in the wrong hands could come across too huge or clumsy, if that makes sense. We absolutely loved the wine and will be seeking it out, along with other vintages. Any suggestions on what other vintages would be best, to get a broad range of the differences that the wine can show?

We asked for a suggestion for a Barolo or Barbaresco. I asked the Sommelier for something in that flavor or “body” profile, because I felt it would work best with the food. I asked for something in the $150 or less range, and did not want something so young that the tannins would be too strong still. He suggested the Produttori Barbaresco “Paje”, and it was exactly what I was looking for. Nice ripe tannins, beautiful Nebbiolo fruit. A perfect (to us) wine to follow the Heredia.

Thanks to all for the assistance and advice. [thumbs-up.gif]

38

I had a bottle of the 2019 CVNE Monopole blanco [Rioja] the last 4 nights, the first two in the afternoon without food, and the last two nights at dinner with chicken. It’s a high acid wine that is better when served with a meal, almost like night and day in difference, although perhaps a little air mattered too. This 13% abv Viura is presented in a German riesling style bottle, with screwcap closure, and to me, it tastes lighter than its stated alcohol. There is some lemon and grapefruit rind & pith here, which can be pleasing to some, but it leaves me unmoved. On the palate I get some straw flavors. It’s a solid white wine, that is enjoyable, and I’d try in other vintages, but not one I’d buy for the home kitchen racks again. I’ve been making some effort to try more Spanish blancos, but really only one or two make my drink again/buy again lists. Although, fairly, the wine is good just not to my tastes. I’d give it a B on the ledger.