Lopez de Heredia "Tondonia" Rioja Blanco Gran Reserva 2004

Lopez de Heredia "Tondonia" Rioja Blanco Gran Reserva 2004

Once you swig a few gulps you’ll wish you had a full spread of Italian delicacies to pair with it

Galichets is a parcel of vines averaging 60 years of age

it's still got loads of the charm and easy-going attitude that everyone needs from Prosecco

Franc de Pied is an experimental plot of ungrafted Cabernet Franc vines (most vines are grafted onto American rootstock to prevent phylloxera) in the same sandy Galichets vineyard featured in this month's Direct Press in a version from the Breton's neighbors Domaine de la Chevalerie

Hints of smoky vanilla and a little black pepper make it particularly grill-friendly but this is a versatile

and biodynamic farming

and his Nero d'Avola is just across the road from sunbaked salt fields but the wine is surprisingly fresh

red currant and hibiscus fragrance with fine texture and a Rooibos tea-like finish

undergo a short 24h maceration giving the wine a light shade of orange with a fermentation that is then being finished in stainless steel to retain the freshness of the fruit

a quick drive from Lisbon

raspberry tea

Direct Press Selection | December 2021