R. López de Heredia
Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend
La Rioja, Spain
Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of three days. Consistently enjoyable throughout, but best after several hours of air and through Day 3. The wine pours, a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. No signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with expressive notes of ripe and dried cherry, plums, toasted coconut, fresh dill, cedar chest, and soft baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose however, the fruit is much more tart. The finish is long and tangy. A textbook example of old-school Rioja. Lovely. Drink now with patience and through 2036.
Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of three days. Consistently enjoyable throughout, but best after several hours of air and through Day 3. The wine pours, a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. No signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with expressive notes of ripe and dried cherry, plums, toasted coconut, fresh dill, cedar chest, and soft baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose however, the fruit is much more tart. The finish is long and tangy. A textbook example of old-school Rioja. Lovely. Drink now with patience and through 2036.
Aug 21st, 2024Never fails to deliver. This vintage is structured but accessible, and it’s instructive to taste next to other producers to appreciate the unobtrusive oak treatment which frames rather than overpowers.
Never fails to deliver. This vintage is structured but accessible, and it’s instructive to taste next to other producers to appreciate the unobtrusive oak treatment which frames rather than overpowers.
Jul 2nd, 2024
#AgedWineTuesday.
When in Rioja, drink Rioja.
Reddish in color with a wide reddish rim.
Nose of red fruits with earth and mildew notes.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with nice complexity and mouthfeel. Elegant and restrained.
On the palate red fruits with earth, light wood, spices, coffee, dark chocolates, tobacco leaf, herbs, light wet leaves and peppercorn.
Medium plus on the finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This recent release of this Rioja Reserva is drinking very nicely now.
A good quality wine. Easy drinking, and a good food wine that I paired with dried meats and crackers.
This 11 year old feels so very young still, and will continue to age nicely in the next 25 years.
Needs time to open up properly, but good right out of the bottle too.
A blend of 70% Tempranillo with Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo. Aged for 6 years in used American oak barrels.
13% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$60.
#AgedWineTuesday.
When in Rioja, drink Rioja.
Reddish in color with a wide reddish rim.
Nose of red fruits with earth and mildew notes.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with nice complexity and mouthfeel. Elegant and restrained.
On the palate red fruits with earth, light wood, spices, coffee, dark chocolates, tobacco leaf, herbs, light wet leaves and peppercorn.
Medium plus on the finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This recent release of this Rioja Reserva is drinking very nicely now.
A good quality wine. Easy drinking, and a good food wine that I paired with dried meats and crackers.
This 11 year old feels so very young still, and will continue to age nicely in the next 25 years.
Needs time to open up properly, but good right out of the bottle too.
A blend of 70% Tempranillo with Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo. Aged for 6 years in used American oak barrels.
13% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$60.
You're not 40 every day and I wanted a special wine to celebrate that special day. Fortunately the wine bar / open kitchen restaurant we went to had that special wine, amongst 400 references, that I had been desperate to taste for a long while. I didn't take notes so it's all from memory, but the nose is what I liked the most. Coconut notes, leather, cherries, coffee... I spent probably 15 minutes in total smelling that wine. The palate was great with some acid drive, some matter but not in an overwhelming way, some gentle, well integrated tannins in the rear, before a long finish with savoury notes, red fruits, coconut and that gentle grainy tannic layer. A great experience to top up a day to remember.
Oh and if you happen to be in Warsaw, Poland and be looking for a great wine place, make sure to check our Kontakt - wino & bistro.
You're not 40 every day and I wanted a special wine to celebrate that special day. Fortunately the wine bar / open kitchen restaurant we went to had that special wine, amongst 400 references, that I had been desperate to taste for a long while. I didn't take notes so it's all from memory, but the nose is what I liked the most. Coconut notes, leather, cherries, coffee... I spent probably 15 minutes in total smelling that wine. The palate was great with some acid drive, some matter but not in an overwhelming way, some gentle, well integrated tannins in the rear, before a long finish with savoury notes, red fruits, coconut and that gentle grainy tannic layer. A great experience to top up a day to remember.
Oh and if you happen to be in Warsaw, Poland and be looking for a great wine place, make sure to check our Kontakt - wino & bistro.
I really liked this with the prominent red fruits, spices and subtle tannins. Still very young for a Rioja Reserva and wonderful potential to keep aging.
I really liked this with the prominent red fruits, spices and subtle tannins. Still very young for a Rioja Reserva and wonderful potential to keep aging.
Jul 31st, 2024
I am biased for Rioja but this is a very good demonstration of why. Great balance ripe reserved fruit in harmony with some slight puckering length. Better in 10 years. Totally fine now.
I am biased for Rioja but this is a very good demonstration of why. Great balance ripe reserved fruit in harmony with some slight puckering length. Better in 10 years. Totally fine now.
Apr 28th, 2024
Full red, palate holder of acids, dark fruits, dates, and some smoke.
Full red, palate holder of acids, dark fruits, dates, and some smoke.
Mar 22nd, 2024