Profile

Structure

Bodymedium
Tanninmedium
Acidityhigh
Sweetnessdry
Finishmedium
Oakbarrel aged

Drinking window

Latest scored vintage 2015: best 2018 to 2030.

vintage3 yrs15 yrs17 yrs

Critic scores

CriticVintageScore
Tim Atkin reviewed 2022201592/100

Scores as published by each critic for the vintage shown.

In the glass

Medium-bodiedMedium tanninHigh acidityDryMedium finish

Aroma: red cherry, dried herb, leather, balsamic

Palate: cranberry, savoury spice, fine tannin, saline

The house's entry red and arguably the best-value traditional Rioja Crianza: already complex, savoury and high-acid, drinking like many estates' Reserva.

What it pairs with

With cheese

How to serve Vina Cubillo Crianza

Allow 65 minutes from open to pour.

  1. Open and decant. Open 60 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
  2. Serve at 14-16°C. Cellar temperature (14-16°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
  3. Glassware. Use a Burgundy bowl with a wide opening: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
  4. Pair with. Cordero asado al sarmiento, Chuleton de buey a la brasa, Jamon iberico. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.

History

Cubillo is the youngest red in the Lopez de Heredia range yet still spends about three years in oak, far longer than the legal Crianza minimum, making it a benchmark value traditional Rioja.

  1. 1947Vina Cubillo introduced as the house Crianza

Facts

Producer
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia · visiting guide
Grapes
Tempranillo (65%), Garnacha (25%), Graciano (5%), Mazuelo (5%)
Classification
DOCa Rioja
Oak
Around 3 years in American oak barrels with biannual racking
ABV
13.0%
Price
EUR 18 to 28 at retail
Drinking window
3 to 15 from vintage
First vintage
1947

Frequently asked about Vina Cubillo Crianza

What does Vina Cubillo Crianza taste like?

On the nose, red cherry, dried herb, leather, balsamic. On the palate, cranberry, savoury spice, fine tannin, saline. Structurally medium-bodied, medium tannins, high acidity with a medium finish. The house's entry red and arguably the best-value traditional Rioja Crianza: already complex, savoury and high-acid, drinking like many estates' Reserva.

When should I drink Vina Cubillo Crianza?

Drink 3 to 15 from vintage. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.

What food pairs with Vina Cubillo Crianza?

Cordero asado al sarmiento is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Chuleton de buey a la brasa and Jamon iberico. Vine-shoot-roasted suckling lamb is the canonical Rioja match; the wine's resolved tannins frame the sweet fat.

Is Vina Cubillo Crianza vegan?

No: the producer uses traditional animal-derived fining agents (typically egg whites or isinglass) during clarification, so the wine is not vegan.

What grapes are in Vina Cubillo Crianza?

The blend is Tempranillo (65%), Garnacha (25%), Graciano (5%), Mazuelo (5%). The wine is classified as DOCa Rioja.

Tags

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