Lopez de Heredia Rioja Reserva Vina Tondonia 2012 PURYEAR The wine balances opulence with

The wine balances opulence with brightness

which tells you most of what you need to know about Shalini Sekhar: she earned a master's degree in flute and piccolo performance before concluding that wine was the better instrument

the wine undergoes minimal filtration

Cottenceau's estate focuses on expressing the pure character of each parcel

Passing Clouds is a sparkling cuvée of fermented gooseberries

Lopez de Heredia Rioja Reserva Vina Tondonia 2012 PURYEAR The wine balances opulence withFrom one of Spain's most historic bodegasoperating since 1877this traditional Reserva represents serious old school Rioja. Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano, and Mazuelo spent six years aging in American oak before bottling. A dry year yielded healthy grapes with perfect balance between alcohol and tannin. The garnet wine reveals ash and plum marmalade aromas with herbal undertones, a chalky texture, and a compact, flavorful finish built for decades