WTN: 1999 R. López de Heredia Rioja Viña Bosconia Spain.

1999 R. López de Heredia Rioja Viña Bosconia Reserva Rioja Alta Spain. 13% alcohol. Chambers Street Wines, NY. $29.99 Asimov/Lyle bottle. Imported by Polaner Selections, Mount Kisco, NY. 80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, 3% Graciano and 2% Mazuelo.

Josh Reynolds on IWC described this wine almost perfectly to my taste: ""Pale red with a brick rim. Rose, redcurrant and dried strawberry on the nose, along with a hint of white pepper. Light and delicate in texture, almost ethereal in its red fruit presentation. Silky, almost gossamer in texture and weight, with precise red berry and pomegranate flavors and no obvious tannins. If you looked at this funny, it might disintegrate. Definitely for fans of the type, and I hope that their bottles are in as good condition as mine was." My bottle was in perfect condition, and I kept thinking -- why am I drinking this -- it's almost a white wine with soft acidity and no tannins, delicate fruit. It somehow caught my imagination, and I enjoyed the experience, but a red wine with no tannins is only a once in a great while event in my life. 3*.

Notes: http://www.lopezdeheredia.com/ " The vineyards are carefully planned, planted and maintained so as to ensure the high quality of the wine from the very beginning. The tempranillo grape is always the predominant variety and constitutes 70% or 80% of volume. It is followed by the garnacho which accounts for 10 - 15%, and the remainder is split between mazuelo and graciano. A larger proportion of tempranillo would produce heavier, thicker wines, of deeper, stronger colour, and of a rather uninteresting taste. The virtue of mazuelo and, above all, of the graciano varieties, is that they bring to the final product that fine, sparkling, ruby - red colour, and that freshness, vigour and personality which characterise the best table wine. They also make possible the prolonged periods of ageing."

Regards, Bob

Thanks for the note, Bob. I've had this a few times and it is drinking nicely right now. I like the 96 and 98s to improve, but it's a lovely quaff.

Try the 98 Tondonia Reserva if you get a chance, killer stuff!

Best,
Joe

Thanks for the note, Bob. I've had this a few times and it is drinking nicely right now. I like the 96 and 98s to improve, but it's a lovely quaff.

Try the 98 Tondonia Reserva if you get a chance, killer stuff!

Best,
Joe

Joe,
I am surprised at Bob's comments. I have no experience with this vintage but picked up two '96 at CSW. Should I expect what Bob got or something different. When is the drinking window. I have had the '98 and love it, not what Bob experienced. Thought these wines were built to age.
Walt

Thanks, Joe and Walt -- I've had this wine in the past in other vintages, and enjoyed it much more. Perhaps IWC and I both had an off bottle?

Or is it just too soon? I've thought this winery only releases wines when they are ready to drink, but there are 55 notes on 13 different vintages on Cellar Tracker today -- none of them for the 1999.

I'll try another and your suggestion as well, Joe.

I must say this was a seductive wine -- I kept dawdling over it for four hours -- and it really never developed -- but it was fun in retrospect.

Thanks, Joe and Walt -- I've had this wine in the past in other vintages, and enjoyed it much more. Perhaps IWC and I both had an off bottle?

Or is it just too soon? I've thought this winery only releases wines when they are ready to drink, but there are 55 notes on 13 different vintages on Cellar Tracker today -- none of them for the 1999.

I'll try another and your suggestion as well, Joe.

I must say this was a seductive wine -- I kept dawdling over it for four hours -- and it really never developed -- but it was fun in retrospect.

Hey Bob,
Could be any of the things you mention. One thing I know for sure is that I have never dawdled over a wine for 4 hours. I must drink too fast.

Walt

Thanks for the note, Bob. I've had this a few times and it is drinking nicely right now. I like the 96 and 98s to improve, but it's a lovely quaff.

Try the 98 Tondonia Reserva if you get a chance, killer stuff!

Best,
Joe

Joe,
I am surprised at Bob's comments. I have no experience with this vintage but picked up two '96 at CSW. Should I expect what Bob got or something different. When is the drinking window. I have had the '98 and love it, not what Bob experienced. Thought these wines were built to age.
Walt

96 Bosconia is more structured, 98 Bosconia is fruitier. Both are better wines. 99 is still good, but given the choice I'd definitely pick another.

Best,
Joe

Three hours is about average for me Walt, half hour over dinner, then an hour or two afterwards following its development. We ate on the run, then watched TV and a couple of movies. The wine lasted nicely, but based on what you and Joe write, I'll try another vintage.

Thanks, Bob

Thanks for the tips, Joe. I'll definitely try another vintage -- this one was seductive, that's for sure. Regards, Bob

The 98 Tondonia... that's the one to buy. About $10 more than the Bosconia, but worth it.

Joe already said it, but 1999 was not a great vintage. 1998 was very good, 1995 and 1996 were great.

And Bob - you should spring for one of the older Gran Reservas on the market. A 1976 Bosconia would give you a better idea of what the winery is about.

Will do, Jay. Thanks for the lead. Regards, Bob

Never would I disagree with Jay, but I wouldn't suggest 76 Bosconia for the uninitiated. I think PJs had the 85 Tondonia for good money; that's a wine that has it all. The 76 Bosconia is all nose and acid, baby.

Best,
Joe

Hmm, well there has been bottle variation so maybe it's not the best choice. The good bottles are superb but I'll admit I had one like what you described. But the '85 GR isn't ready to drink yet, is it?

I really like the 85 Tondonia even though it's too young. I just can't keep my hands off them. If you haven't tried one, go for it. Aside from being very tasty, it's interesting to see how a young Tondonia Gran Reserva progresses.

The 1987 Tondonia GR is also on the market now, but I have yet to open my bottle.

Best,
Joe

Sorry to dredge this thread up, but when perusing an area candy store....er...wine shop )JV Wines and Spirits in Napa) I noticed they had several bottles from 1981

I have little experience with Rioja. Any thoughts as to what I might expect if I splurge on this?

Sorry to dredge this thread up, but when perusing an area candy store....er...wine shop )JV Wines and Spirits in Napa) I noticed they had several bottles from 1981

I have little experience with Rioja. Any thoughts as to what I might expect if I splurge on this?

Brian - here is my note from 2/18/06 on the 1981:

R Lopez de Heredia Vina Bosconia GR 1981 the bottle was quite dusty, the wax capsule 3/4 of the way gone, and the cork was completely soaked, but it came out of the bottle with a satisfying pop. Dull red with bricking color. A musky damp earthy smell at first, like walking into a root cellar, but not corked thankfully. Tart red plums, medium ripe fruit, very subtle wood spices. With air and time this becomes more vibrant and full, and shows some good depth. Plenty of acidity, but the tannins seem almost resolved. The last glass was better than the first. Contemplative and for me, excellent.

If it is a well stored bottle, I think it is worth a splurge. The 85 Tondonia GR is also great like Joe says. These wines remind of mature burgundy in some ways, lots of leafy forest floor flavors, savory with good acidity.

And Bob - you should spring for one of the older Gran Reservas on the market. A 1976 Bosconia would give you a better idea of what the winery is about.

Or the 1970 Tondonia Gran Reserva. For my first Lopez de Heredia experiences, I had the 1970 Tondonia G.R. along with the 1970 Bosconia G.R. back in September. The Tondonia, from an absolutely pristine looking bottle, was one of the best wines I've ever had. The Bosconia, from a bottle with a fair amount of ullage, was pleasant enough, and interesting from a historical perspective (I guess), but was pretty tired and wasn't at all in the same league as the Tondonia. Both got slow oxygenation and neither had any sediment when decanted.

Thanks, Marc. It's not cheap ($80, if I remember ), but JV is a pretty reputable merchant in Napa, so I'm assuming reasonably decent storage. The foil on the capsule, at least, looked intact.

The winery did a big library offering a couple months ago, vintages back to '47 as I recall, and I would assume that '81 is from it. I bit on a '70 Tondonia, and a friend of mine bought a big vertical of '70s and '80s, Tondonia and Bosconia, red and white. He's my GOOD friend now! ;-) I would assume the provenance is fine for that '81, but ask.

I saw some bottles from this offering at the Whole Foods at South Lake Union in Seattle a couple weeks ago. They were stored on the top shelf, about 18" from a whole bank of halogen lights, and they were distinctly warm to the touch. I'd bet these delicate wines were dead, or very near it. A damn shame! I mentioned it to the wine guy on the floor, and his response was that I should fill out a customer comment card. He said that management listened to customer comments more than to him! I declined and went my merry way. That was my first visit to a Whole Foods store, and my impression wasn't all that great. Sure, the foods were nice looking and nicely presented, but I didn't much sign of local flavor or local control. I'd rate it a big yawn.

Dave

... and a friend of mine bought a big vertical of '70s and '80s, Tondonia and Bosconia, red and white. He's my GOOD friend now! ...

Dave

Dave,
... and all this time, I thought it was the Taupenot-Merme Passetoutgrains that allowed me to achieve "GOOD friend" status.....

Michael

Aw, you know I get a powerful hankering for Burgundy sometimes, and it can even be a really green thing sometimes ...

Brian,

I served a bottle of the 1981 Bosconia blind to some friends back in May. That bottle was from the recent library release.

1981 R. Lopez de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Vina Bosconia. This wine really had people guessing, and not a single one considered Spain, never mind Rioja. I think most were thinking mature Burgundy. In any event, the color is a pale garnet. The nose is the real attraction of this wine—just outstanding. It has a very pretty fragrance of white flowers, crushed red berry juice, cinnamon and a faint woodsiness. It keeps drawing the nose back, both initially and then over the course of the day, as more coffee and old leather notes emerge. In the mouth, it is on the lighter side, with a very strong acid edge, featuring flavors of sour cherry and cranberry to go along with an autumn leaves kind of thing. It is elegant and airy, with lots of personality, but does finish with a slightly detracting sour/acidic edge. However, I’m drinking the final glass right now as I type, 3 days later, and it has put on some weight and is a bit meatier all around—this was a really solid showing!

I hope the note helps. For what it is worth, I recommend the purchase.

-Michael

It sounds lovely, Michael. Not that I should be buying expensive wine right now, but this one sounds right up one of my alleys

Thanks for the note, Bob. I've had this a few times and it is drinking nicely right now. I like the 96 and 98s to improve, but it's a lovely quaff.

Try the 98 Tondonia Reserva if you get a chance, killer stuff!

Best,
Joe

Will the wine get better with age? How long till then.