Viña Cubillo: ‘So easy to drink that it can be dangerous’ – Wine Advocate
Viña Cubillo: ‘So easy to drink that it can be dangerous’ – Wine Advocate
Viña Cubillo
‘So easy to drink that it can be dangerous’ – Wine Advocate
‘Rioja is producing the best red and white wines in its history,’ writes Tim Atkin in his 2023 Rioja Report, and López de Heredia has been making some of the greatest wines from this region since 1877.
Viña Cubillo is their Crianza, their ‘entry-level’ and youngest wine, but it always overdelivers. A blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, 5% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo from 50-year-old vines, it’s aged for longer than the legally required minimum for Gran Reserva Rioja – so 2015 is the current release! The New York Times’ wine panel held a tasting of 20 Rioja Crianzas to uncover the best value wines in tough economic times, and unsurprisingly Cubillo came out on top.
It’s rare to find a wine from one of the most famous producers of all time – and with another 10 years ahead of it – at only R325. Is there better value anywhere in the world?
Viña Cubillo comes from the ‘Viña Cubillas’ vineyard, planted by Don Raphael in the 1900s. The vineyard sits at about 450m altitude on clay and limestone soils, and the higher elevation and proportion of clay allows for lighter, fresher wines. Both the Wine Advocate and Tim Atkin MW describe the current release as ‘fresh’ and ‘still on the young side’ (TA), which is remarkable in a warmer vintage like 2015.
Cubillo’s pedigree shone through at last Friday’s Spanish tasting with one of our founders, David Brice. A previous vintage held its own against some serious Gran Reservas and was among the top wines of the night!
López de Heredia produces oxidatively styled, elegant wines with a depth of umami flavour that makes them so food-friendly. Viña Cubillo is aged in barrique for three years and spends a further five years in bottle before release.
