The Vineyards

To achieve the goal of producing high quality wines it is necessary to have one’s own vineyards, so that the winery doesn´t depend on buying grapes from other harvesters. This also ensures consistent care and quality.

Therefore, when building the company, between 1913 and 1914, Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta founded Viña Tondonia. This was to become the bodega´s most famous vineyard and product. Viña Tondonia is a beautiful vineyard of over 100 hectares, situated on the right bank of the river Ebro, where the most typical Rioja wines are grown. Apart López de Heredia owns three more vineyards also set in the Rioja Alta region. These are the "Viña Cubillo", "Viña Bosconia" and "Viña Zaconia". These vineyards are planted to ensure that maximum quality starts in the vines themselves, forming the basis of the reputation of our wines.

View of Viña Tondonia during the winter of 2005

The Tondonia vineyard, of López de Heredia is the most spectacular in Haro. Situated in a shell - like depression in the terrain, alongside the Ebro river which borders the Basque Rioja, it makes up a landscape of alluvium, limestone and poplars. The vineyards, cared for with enthusiasm and love, cover a total area of 170 hectares, averaging an annual production rate of some 800.000 kilos of grapes destined to become the House's highest quality wines and naturally, to become our "Grandes Reservas" if the vintage is truly exceptional, as was the case in 1976, 1973, 1970, 1968, 1964, 1961 and 1954. The first "Reserva" bottled by the founder was as long ago as 1890. A few bottles of this are still kept in the family wine museum.