R. López de Heredia Viña Gravonia 2017

Unmistakably Heredia. Four years in old American oak foudres, four in bottle, this 100% Viura from Haro has been shaped rather than rushed, and it shows. The 2017 vintage was largely sourced from second-flowering fruit after brutal spring frosts, lending an extra layer of austerity: medium yellow, with pine resin, dried fennel, and a quiet oxidative spice on the nose. Saline and composed in the mouth, medium-bodied, with a dry mid-palate that opens gradually into hay, dried citrus peel, and a long savory finish. This is not a wine that courts easy admiration, but for those who meet it on its own terms, it offers genuine depth and satisfaction.