This glorious Rioja was destined for Reserva quality, aged a year in barrel and then bottled. But upon tasting, winemaker Jean-Marc Sauboua decided it could be tucked away a little longer.
It ended up being considerably longer than intended, but all's well that ends well, because 10 years later it's proved to be absolutely stunning – a silky, velvety luxury wine. A great choice with lamb.
A remarkable red from a Rioja icon, López de Heredia. There’s no concession to modernity, with fermentation in 140-year-old wooden vats plus six years’ ageing in oak casks, the rest in bottle. 97 points from James Suckling, this is a Reserva legend.