Great Bourbon 😊

Old Fashioned made with Basil Hayden's + Amaro Montenegro,  paired with hushpuppies.... damn good stuff 👍

2007 Lopez de Heredia Rioja Vina Tondonia Reserva

First look at the 2007 Tondonia Reserva 👍🍷

Quite impressive on pop and pour... one of the most attractively balanced and easy drinking since the great 2001 and 2002 ( yes, 2002) bottlings..

This 2007 Tondonia Reserva has dusty, refined tannins...scrumptious sour cherry.....extremely deft use of oak...

Decanted to aerate for dinner later... will see what happens...

I think Luis Gutierrez nailed 2007 as being a special vintage for Lopez de Heredia.... 

Coverage from Luis Gutiérrez,  Stephan Reinhardt and William Kelley are the reason why I still subscribe to TWA.. 

And this is the CURRENT release of the Tondonia Reserva cuvee... ! 
Gotta love the old school tradition at Lopez de Heredia...

2017 Blankiet Estate Prince of Hearts Rosé

14.5% abv
Merlot and Cabernet Franc aged in French barrique 

A bit of a unicorn wine. Mildly floral nose with hint of sage. On the palate, strawberry fruit up front giving way to voluptuous mirabelle plum midpalate with a deliciously complex finish accented by vanilla and marzipan. Very refined and elegant character. Unlike any other Rosé that I've ever had. Wears its 14.5% abv very well without a trace of heat. The extremely deft hand of Graeme MacDonald is evident in the winemaking here.

Paired with an incredibly delicious preparation of salmon en papillote with wild rice and baby asparagus 

2007 Lopez de Heredia Rioja Viña Tondonia Reserva Blanco

12.5% abv

Decanted to aerate for a couple of hours to open up.

Unfurls its complex beauty as it comes nearer to room temperature in the glass...

The majesty of Viura on full display here... completely addictive... almost impossible to resist the  desire to open a 2nd bottle ...

The Montrachet of Spain...

Lemony attack evolves into a honeyed viscous mouthful of complexity with quince, herb and marzipan.

Subtle slightly musky nose of faint apples and Cantabrian wildflower....older vintages I've had sometimes exhibit a petrol character on the nose, but this one isn't there yet..

Paired with cheese puffs made from a delicate dough stuffed with a Ricotta/Parmesan mixture topped with a bit of cooked sweet onion...

The standard blend for Viña Tondonia Blanco is 90% Viura and 10% Malvasia Riojana...

The Viña Gravonia Blanco cuvee is made from 100% Viura. 

I may actually have a slight preference for the Viña Gravonia Blanco ...

https://lestastevinsdulac.blogspot.com/2017/09/2006-lopez-de-heredia-vina-gravonia.html?m=1

I've found the Gravonia cuvee to demonstrate more immediacy in Viura character, which can be very "in your face" when young, but evolves beautifully over time...