Lopez de Heredia - one of the most venerable producers in Spain produces traditional, was founded over 130 years ago. Following a tradition that has been passed down through generations, their wines are released at least 5-10 years after harvest, which provides added complexity and elegance to their Crianzas and Gran Reservas.
A rarity in Rioja, Lopez de Heredia uses only estate bottled fruit from their prized vineyards- Tondonia, Cubillo, Bosconia, and Zaconia- with the idea that the only way to get the best fruit is to care for the vines themselves. 

The Vi?a Cubillo wine comes from the vineyard Cubillas, which is 2 miles away from the winery. It's height is 1,348 feet above sea level and the vines have an average age of 40 years. The soil is from the terciaria age, composed of clay and limestone. The surface is 59 acres: Tempranillo, Garnacho, Mazuelo and Graciano. 

Historically the wines from that vineyard were called "Special Harvest. The 2012 Vi?a Cubillo Tinto Crianza spends three years in barrique and then in larger cask to await bottling, which happens two years before the expected release. This is very fresh on the nose with quite fresh, ripe blackberries and dark cherries, mahogany and dry, woody spices. The palate is very powerful, juicy and fresh with clear black cherries and plums in abundance.

"Cubillo is a later-picked site with more clay in the soil and tends to produce the lightest, freshest and most elegant of the L?pez de Heredia reds. Floral, refined and delicately wooded, this is sweet, delicate and almost Pinot Noir-like in terms of its flavours and tannin structure. 2020-25"
93 points Tim Atkin