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EP 947 Lopez de Heredia Tasting with Maria Jose Lopez Part 1

Gary Vaynerchuk tastes with Maria Jose from the Lopez de Heredia winery, one of Gary’s favorites from the Rioja region. A house that is well-known for long term bottle aging, Gary and Maria Jose taste a 2000 vintage rose and a 2000 vintage Rioja from the Tondonia vineyard. They discuss the fascinating changes in Rioja history.

Wines tasted in this episode:

2000 Viña Tondonia Rosé Gran Reserva
2000 Viña Tondonia Red Reserva


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luca bercelli

90/100

I think if GV wasn’t already married he might have proposed to this lady!

Tags: red, review, Rioja, Spanish, Video, white, wine, wines

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  • Memorious

    God, I wish these wines made it to CindiWine at least once 🙁

  • TLove

    Excellent episode. It was the Lopez de Heredia ’98 white that pushed me to really go out and start buying and trying white wines. I’ve never come across anything remotely as good since. Never had the rose or the gran riserva, but I am also a huge fan of the riserva red. The unique expression of terroir and age are remarkable with these wines.

    Maria Jose is a real tribute to this amazing tradition.

    Keep on keeping on, Gary!

  • Anonymous

    It’s great to put a face to the winery and it’s funny how a winery can be perceived (or at least I perceive) so differently in different markets. LdH in US = nerdy…LdH en España = commercial, widely distributed, boring. And if you’re really looking to answer the question about why newer Rioja wineries are making Parkerized wines I think you’ll have to talk to señores Ordóñez and Solomon. I’m sick of seeing wines that would cost 4 Euro in a Carrefour with a snazzed up label and a $30 price tag. Spanish wines in Spain are decidedly more old world than the stuff we get here…my humble two centavos anyway.

  • Anonymous

    What a wonderful guest and show – can’t wait for tomorrow!

    Excellence abounds as usual!

    Cheers!

  • Gary, I just got home from helping Tim Sorenson from Fall Line (http://www.falllinewinery.com/) crush his 2010 Boushey Vineyard cab sauv, and discovering that Lopez de Heredia was the topic and guest just made my day. I was forwarding it to friends and colleagues before I watched it myself. Can’t wait for part 2.

  • Dustimus

    She is amazing. I am visting this winery.

  • Dustimus

    Dave D is right Gary. Don’t forget we watch these videos for your amazing palate. Having an awesome guest like Maria is just bonus.

  • Love her! The 32 minutes felt like 5. I was so intrigued and entertained. Can’t wait for part 2!

  • Anonymous

    Sorry, but everyone of us (me) WOULDN’T be interrupting…at all. This is a guest on a wine show as well as to our country, and I’m sorry (maybe it’s the way I was raised, maybe it’s ’cause I hate it when someone asks ME a question and then interrupts before I finish my answer) but it comes off as rude. Once in a while is forgiveable, but GV’s been doing this ‘interview’ stuff for awhile now; time to be a professional (or at least a polite amateur). Don’t wanna hurt Gary’s feelings, but it can be painful to watch. Just seems peoples attention spans are getting shorter and shorter.

  • Anonymous

    Gary seemed to be grasping for a polite way to say the red was almost fruit-less -ie; “complicated”. Apparently not the same as “complex,” eh? Would be interesting to see what the rating would be on these wines and if the score would “attract” more than “discourage” the average wine drinker that frequents WLTV. They are atypical to be sure but can be facinating. The “correct” temp to serve any wine has been on display in almost every wine book going back to the very beginning of time. Ultimately its a matter of personal preference but everyone (should) know that too cold “mutes” the flavors while too warm (just as big a problem in America) can make the wine seem “flabby” and is, at the least, not very refreshing. But, hey, you can boil (or freeze) your wine if that seems best to you – but we’re talking “in general” here. Now, about the interru…

  • Yeah we could see that, eyes widen when the vintage thing came up, jaw almost dropped to the floor, hand on arm a lot for a while ( she also got caught up in that)
    😀

  • Anonymous

    Great start to a two-parter with an informative guest from a legendary producer. Excited to see the next installment.

  • Anonymous

    Dear Gary,

    Don’t drink your whites too cold.

    ~Maria Jose

  • Ronald

    Excellent episode. Can’t wait till tomorrow.

  • Anchor Wines

    Gary, thanks bringing Maria Jose and Lopez Heredia to WLTW. Probably my favorite winery in the world for so many reasons. We are actually making are actually visiting Lopez Heredia next week in Rioja. Only shame is Maria Jose will not be there. Thanks again for one of the best all time episodes and for once again supporting such an amazing winery. Cheers!

  • lol

  • sorry dave 🙂 cant help it!

  • I am trying 🙂

  • 🙂

  • Audio what hurts me is no editing and it sits in my mind and I am just add’ish I guess, I am sorry audiofan, i really am 🙁

  • DaveAll

    no problem, still love the episodes!

  • Anonymous

    Great Part 1. She is an incredibly classy woman with a ton of knowledge about wine. Loved her passion and the fact that she actually stumped GV on the no vintage before ’81. Looking forward to part 2.

  • Gary,

    Fascinating info re: “Vintage” reservas. Did not know that blending was allowed.
    I WAS BORN IN ’64 AND I HAVE BEEN DESPARATELY TRYING TO GET MY HANDS ON A LOPEZ DE HEREDIA GRAN RESERVA ’64. DO YOU THINK YOU COULD HELP ME?
    YOU CAN PM ME ON THE WLTV FORUM (KIDSEYEMD)
    HUGH

  • TheSmirkingLurker

    GARY!

    DAMN GOOD EPISODE. I love Maria. She’s fantastic. I’ll be continually refreshing the browser today, waiting for PART 2 to post.

    ~TSL

  • Wow excellent, excellent guest. I will say I was slightly horrified when you pressed her to criticize other producers that she might have to interact with professionally (especially when she so elegantly ducked it!). Thank you though, fascinating guest bringing the thunder!

  • tom A

    OOOOOOHHHHHHH THIS!

  • ALLAN

    OOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH DAT!!!!!!! 😛

  • Anonymous

    Great show, very polite guest, GV always interrupting Kkkkkk…. It looked kinda hard for her to keep the focus on the English language while being ?distracted? by GV.

    It was an awkward moment when you said her wines were ?complicated? to understand by the average wine drinker, she jumped that, but to me GV?s line of thought were correct, sounded like her wines were fruitless-old-styled wines.

    Is there any fruit in the house??? Or just tannins and minerals?

    Waiting for part 2?

    MF from Brazil

  • Anonymous

    Great show, very polite guest, GV always interrupting Kkkkkk…. It looked kinda hard for her to keep the focus on the English language while being ?distracted? by GV. 🙂

    It was an awkward moment when you said her wines were ?complicated? to understand by the average wine drinker, she jumped that, but to me GV?s line of thought were correct, sounded like her wines were fruitless-old-styled wines.

    Is there any fruit in the house??? Or just tannins and minerals? Those are wines or olive oil ?!?!?!?

    Waiting for part 2?
    MF from Brazil

  • Gary
    Awesome episode. Never knew about that pre ’81 there was no vintage on the bottle in Rioja. Looking forward to part 2.

  • castello

    Too much fun! How’s it?

  • castello

    I had the 2001 Reserva a year or two ago and it was way sour and austere for me. Guess I’ll have to give it another try maybe with food now that my pallet is evolving into who knows.

  • ALLAN

    Superb interview Gary!!!

    Love Maria – part deux NOW!

    🙂

  • MA

    Very good episode can’t wait for part 2
    greetings from Mexico

  • Great historical insight into Rioja. Looking forward to Part II!

  • ALLAN

    It’s that Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde moment…

    Cheers my good man, hope everything is well out in cali-country. Allan.

  • Anonymous

    Well Gary, you have me sitting on the edge of my seat in anticipation of Part II. I am so enjoying Ms Lopez de Heredia. She is a delight to listen to and engaging. I often find myself wanting to ask questions during your interview. I wonder if it has to do with that spanish backround, like Ms Cantena on a previous episode, I see and feel the same comfort in Ms Lopez de Heredia.

    I am excited to get to Part II. I truely do love your guests. The last several weeks you have really out done yourself in the guest category. Thanks Gary. Bring on more “THUNDER”.

  • Anonymous

    Can’t wait to catch this episode…been away from the comments due to no intenet for 13 days…and way too much hard work! I’ll be back!!

    Niels Copenhagen/DK

  • Quality guest, love it when you bring in great wine people to the show that can share their experiences. One of the few Rioja producers that I enjoy.

  • castello

    Part 2 will bring lightning strikes and…………

  • TheSmirkingLurker

    G A R Y:

    I’m gonna break my mouse here, refreshing my browser so frequently, looking for part 2 of this episode. So, FOR THE SAKE OF MY MOUSE, please post it now. Okay? Good.

    Cheers,
    ~TSL

  • chris

    so last night at my local wine store in williamsburg, brooklyn, they were having a tasting of these wines and the white. im convinced that the woman offering these wines was marias daughter.

  • Anchor Wines

    She was not her daughter, she was a representative of Vibrant Rioja.

  • Anonymous

    WOW WOW WOW, i need to watch this again. there is so much info packed into this 30 min episode.
    i will have a page of comments on prt 2
    BTW – 2010 rioja! NICE. it will be my 2nd sons birth year… stocking up some spanish wines besides some others

  • Alexandre-CF

    OMG, i´m in love with lopez de Heredia, Maria Jose, the wines, this episode. what a show.
    They just released the 2000 rose, this is fantastic.
    i really need to find this wines in Brazil.

  • Bravo Maria Jose!, tus vinos son maravillosos.

    Great Show and great history show to.

    Greetings from Mexico

  • Canonmj

    Thank you for posting this Gary! I discovered Heredia wines last year after reading about them. I was fascinated how this winery said F*** you to every one else and did it’s own thing! I agree these wines are not for every one, and one has to be a wine enthusiast to fully appreciate them. I have had the 2001 Gran Reserva and the 2000 white Heredia with food, and both were an absolutely wonderful experience. These wines are made to be drunk with food, which, in my opinoin, is the ultimate expression of what a wine should do.

  • Gary, great show as usual. It really comes out of Maria Jose how much she loves wine. I’m not really a drinker but do enjoy the odd glass of wine from time to time, so it has always struck me as to why I enjoy watching your show so much. While watching this show it kind of came to me, you and your guests love wine and love to talk about it. I start to get the Art of wine when watching your shows and Maria is an artist.

  • Rippingyarn

    QOTD: I like to find something unexpected in a wine that fits. That should be there, but I never imagined being there, yet is a joy.

  • What an amazing episode!! Unfortunately I never had one of their wines but I definitely want to try them… Gary don’t feel sorry for your interruptings, I am that kind of guy and I know sometimes it’s hard to stop when you are so willing to ask or contribute to the subject..

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