Wine Advocate 93 pts
The super bargain of the portfolio has to be the red 2017 Via Cubillo Tinto Crianza, which this year shows more development and faster aging, with more tertiary notes than the other reds from 2013 and 2014 that I tasted next to it. The frost of April 2017 killed 100% of the vegetal mass at Cubillo, and the grapes they picked were exclusively from the second generation, therefore fruit that ripened in a much shorter cycle, as the harvest was also earlier. It has notes of damp earth, mushrooms, truffles and forest floor, dry leaves and decayed flowers and herbs. It has a polished palate and is medium-bodied, with mostly resolved tannins, and it feels a little lighter. But it’s still worth it. It was produced with a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo from vines averaging 53 years of age. It fermented in their old oak vats and matured in used American oak barrels for three+ years. It has 13.5% alcohol, a 3.0 pH and 6.5 grams of acidity. 90,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2023.

At Lpez de Heredia, they are holding onto their 2005 Gran Reserva wines that will be released next year, and this year, they shall continue selling minute quantities of their exceptional 2004s. They are now releasing their Reservas 11 to 12 years after the harvest and the Crianzas eight years after the harvest, which is a much longer levage than required by the appellation and even longer than they used to do.

– Luis Guttierez – Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Tempranillo 65%, Garnacho 25%, Graciano & Mazuelo 10%

This is one of the best values going in the wine world. If you want to think about your wine, you will appreciate this. If you don’t want to think about your wine, you will savor its pure deliciousness. It shows the youngest of their red wines with a little more fruit and drinks, so, so well. A superb value, in more expensive restaurants I tend to look for a wine like this that delivers well over its price.

From the vineyard called Via Cubillas, which was purchased by the founder in the late 1800s. Vina Cubillas has an altitude of 410 m, and the vines have an average age of 40 years. The soil is a mixture of clay and limestone. Via Cubillas covers 24 ha, of which 16 ha are under Tempranillo, 4 ha Garnacha, 2 ha Mazuelo and 2 ha Graciano. With parcels called “La Encina” and “La Monja”, Via Cubillas is a vineyard that produces exceptional wines sold as Crianza, but could easily qualify for Gran Reserva level wines due to the exceptional combination of soil, aspect, and vines.