1991 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia |
| Vintage | 1991 |  | |
| Type | Red | ||
| Producer | R. López de Heredia (web) | ||
| Variety | Tempranillo Blend | ||
| Designation | Gran Reserva | ||
| Vineyard | Viña Tondonia | ||
| Country | Spain | ||
| Region | La Rioja | ||
| SubRegion | La Rioja Alta | ||
| Appellation | Rioja | ||
| UPC Code(s) | 8423954260023 |
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2014 and 2030 (based on 23 user opinions) | |
| Wine Market Journal quarterly auction price: See Lopez de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Vina Tondonia on the Wine Market Journal. |
| Community Tasting History |
Community Tasting Notes (average and median of 92 pts. in 153 notes) | |
| Tasted by glou.sf on 3/8/2024 flawed bottle: Corked (409 views) | |
| Tasted by mick978@gmail.com on 12/28/2023 & rated 90 points: Not the first time I’ve had this wine. This current bottle was past it’s prime. It felt slightly deconstructed and had a faint oxidized finishing note. I’m hoping it’s a bottle variation and not a sign that this vintage is on its tail end of life. (541 views) | |
| Tasted by Amberissey on 12/11/2023 & rated 90 points: One hour slow-ox, four hour decant. Black pepper seasoned sun dried tomato smeared on leather I get on the nose, alongside coconut cream. There is some red fruit on the palette but it is hard to decipher which, maybe red cherry. But definitely roasted herbs, rosemary, thyme, etc. (659 views) | |
| Tasted by Rechrom on 11/19/2023 & rated 96 points: Great bottle, drinking very well. Tight at open and for the first 30 minutes in the decanter. Opened up beautifully with time and after double decanting back to the bottle. Deep red, Great nose with secondary notes of earth and herb layered on top of the still noticeable primary fruit. Great plate, good length. Wonderful. (672 views) | |
| Tasted by paintinginacave on 11/11/2023 & rated 90 points: Stood up a week in advance. One hour slow oxidation. Decanted for four hours. Bottom neck. Cork in good shape. Medium garnet in the glass. Complex and layered with slightly damp leather, stewed tomatoes seasoned with cracked black pepper, black shoe polish, dried rosemary and thyme, and a feint hint of aniseed. Sleek, polished and structured. (621 views) | |
| Tasted by wineguy75 on 2/3/2023 & rated 97 points: 60 min double decant. Drinking great, not going to get better. Strong Sour cherry fruit (1312 views) | |
| Tasted by Michael T. Zoppo on 2/1/2023: This had a smoky, spicy, cherry nose with a small hint of mustiness or "old wine smell." The palate echoed the spice, smoke, and cherry--rather tertiary in character overall. There is still a lot of acidity there, and finish was very long. This was very complex and pleasurable. It's probably best suited for wine nerds rather than casual drinkers as the savory/tertiary notes are more prominent than the fruit. But we loved it. I think this is unlikely to improve from here, so I suggest drinking now -> 2028. (1299 views) | |
| Tasted by Paul D on 6/10/2022 & rated 93 points: 5/6. Showing red fruit, spice, leather, some soil notes. Light/medium bodied, elegant, linear even leanish, but attractive with it, leather, dried red fruit, spice, saline notes, long. Lovely. (1680 views) | |
| Tasted by Gregory Dal Piaz on 3/12/2022 & rated 90 points: Rather evolved, the fill was great, the cork almost saturated to the top but hadn’t leaked yet, purchased on release direct from the distributor. And yet this is quite evolved, quite tawny in color, spicy, ;eathery, and earthy on the nose, light on the palate, which shows a hint of berry fruit, lots of spice, a strong acid driven spine of freshness, good length, some nuance, just quite fully tertiary and savory, Juicy and a delightful texture, just want a bit more fruitiness. Gamey. (1830 views) | |
| Tasted by T G F on 12/27/2021: decant narrow decanter 1 hour before drinking. Very nice bottle of wine. Buy 1-2 more to consume over next 5-15 years. (1877 views) | |
| Tasted by rocknroller on 11/20/2021 & rated 96 points: Big Al & Janelle's Spanish Inspired Blowout (Big Al & Janelle's, St. Anthony, MN): Medium ruby color with a 12mm bricked margin. PNP, drank a glass over an hour. I thought I'd had the '91 Tondonia before, but I'd always had the Bosconia in the past. Same bottle as Chablis28 and i like his take on this. This bottle, like the best of the '91 Bosconia, offers a serene drinking experience. Resolved and gorgeous, this offers up an amazing nose of spice box, dried cherries, blood, rose water, rose petals, and clove. The palate has resolved tannins, red currants and dried cherry, blood and minerals, lacquer, clove, baked raspberry, and is somewhat savory in a harmonious medium frame. Loved it. (2103 views) | |
| Tasted by chablis28 on 11/20/2021 & rated 96 points: Siggy's tonight at Big Al' & Janelle's epic Spain inspired dinner. Felt like we dinned in Seville :) Don't believe this saw more than 30 minutes of air before we partook. Also, I believe there were 2 btls tonight and I'm unsure where my pours came from as this was more dinner party than hard core wine geek event & I was having fun sharing stories with guest I had not met before. Disclaimers out of the way it would be impossible not to notice the calm stateliness of this fully realized and placid glass of wine. Color is a nearly translucent ruby - garnet red. Captivating aromas of cigar box, dried roses and forest floor. A feather weight with deceptive concentration. Retreating red fruit along w/ mushroom, tea, herbs and mineral. Mostly, left me with a feeling of zen like grace and satisfaction. Might have a slight personal preference for some previous '91 Bosconia Gran Reservas of past years but this a treat. (1907 views) | |
| Tasted by Enfantterrible on 10/13/2021 & rated 94 points: Pristine. So enjoyable. About an hour decant along with a 100 day porterhouse. Excellent match. Aged wine and aged beef. Chef’s kiss. I looked to pick up some new bottles, as this was my last one. What used to cost $70 is now $300++. Dang… (1913 views) | |
| Tasted by JJYoyo on 7/4/2021 & rated 92 points: From memory so fewer detailed notes. Surprisingly delicate wine dominated by cigar box and cranberry? Aging well but the basic materials are not in the same league as the awesome 1981 we had a few months ago. Score: 92. Relative to expectations: 0 (2035 views) | |
| Tasted by TwoSmoochies on 6/12/2021 & rated 92 points: Decanted 2 hours. Light but delicious. Still a lot of fruit left. (1700 views) | |
| Tasted by snsharma on 3/27/2021 & rated 92 points: Popped and poured, ready to go right of the bottle. Medium bodied, lively, well-balanced, fruit has faded, more earthy. This felt like it was right at the edge of beginning its decline. I would drink up now. (1846 views) | |
| Tasted by Xavier Auerbach on 8/29/2020 & rated 94 points: A private lunch (Restaurant Schloss Berg ***, Perl/Nennig, Germany): Decanted for two hours. Fascinating wine. How can a wine which is so mature and tertiary still be so fresh and youthful? Medium garnet colour with a broad mahogany rim; deep and rich nose, nutty and balsamic but transparent and fresh, with notes of mint and almond, red berries and forest floor and subtle spicy oak; fresh and energetic palate, medium body but full of flavour, retains its juicy fruit, light but firm tannins, seamless and flowing; candied fruit on the long finish. (3108 views) | |
| Tasted by winesteward on 5/16/2020 & rated 88 points: Pale garnet on the edge. I was expecting more brown since this is nearly 30 years old, so pretty impressive color. Red fruit - strawberry, cherry, raspberry. Nose is pretty spectacular. Floral and potpourri aside from the fruit. There might be a bit of underlying age aromas (meat, leather, cocoa) but it's hard to pick out from the sweet notes coming off this. Very dry, sour cherry, raspberry, strawberry. Meaty notes coming through on the palate. Lots of acidity. Food wine. Dried herbs. Tobacco leaf. Savory. Medium body. Wood notes, but not in a bad way. No tannins left but the acid provides all the structure this needs. Good length on this. Old-fashioned Rioja is not a style for everyone. For me, I enjoyed it with food, but not so much drinking it by itself. Interesting that it does taste fresh. No oxidative notes although there is a hint of prune in the finish. (2111 views) | |
| Tasted by Paul D on 4/12/2020 & rated 92 points: 4/6, cork fully soaked. Decanted 1 hour, #906,396. Pale/medium garnet core, pale mahogany rim. Developed nose, dried red fruit, tobacco, aromatic with spice and a touch of orange peel. Light/medium bodied, savoury, lithe, elegant and harmonious, fully resolved, touch of brine, very good length spicy finish. Excellent (2077 views) | |
| Tasted by BillBell73 on 12/21/2019: Complex, smoky and savory nose...light and graceful on the palate with high acidity and cranberry fruit. This is a very good Tondonia that seems surprisingly mature with a lot of bricking around the edges and a fairly tertiary profile. (2165 views) | |
| Tasted by short and confused on 7/21/2019 & rated 92 points: Cork came out fine. Light red with lots of orange bricking on the edge. Much of what I hoped for was there on the nose. Cherry fruits with game, leather and spic. In the mouth there is still some good acidity and fruit with some of the weightlessness that I love from these old Riojas from Lopez de Heredia. But overall, I was a little disappointed based on other experiences. The overall experience was not as complex and balanced as I wanted from this winery at this price. I still have 1 more of this and 2 1991 Bosconia and I am excited to experience them! (2646 views) | |
| Tasted by Paul D on 6/7/2019 flawed bottle: 3/6. Corked (2490 views) | |
| Tasted by Lype on 1/7/2019 & rated 92 points: No formal notes, generally speaking not a good vintage in Rioja but this is truly impressive. (2839 views) | |
| Tasted by rraaffaa on 11/20/2018 & rated 94 points: Medium body, lively, lots of cherry, perfectly smooth, well integrated wood. it changed a lot over the hour we decanted it, it's worth the wait. (2768 views) | |
| Tasted by hsacks on 7/28/2018 & rated 92 points: Medium red color. Aromas of strawberries, leather, sage and oak spices. Medium-bodied, nicely structured fruit in the mouth with very good depth, surprising acidity and oak, excellent length and well-integrated tannins. This bottle was decanted and began as an 88 point wine and finished a half hour later as a 92! Delicious with spicy pork tenderloin. In sweet spot of maturity with another 10+ years of useful life. An interesting Spanish curiosity but not a particularly good value. (3056 views) | |
| Tasted by Tim Heaton on 12/19/2017: Medium ruby, bright, clear. Powerful, but balanced nose at first, this took about an hour to really open up and harmonize. The palate is understated, classy, and drips with purity and pedigree. By the final glass, this had fleshed out, the finish was nearly a minute at that point. Constantly evolving nose, full of nuances and breadth. This is clearly going to continue along its path, likely hitting peak in 8-10 years based on this showing. That said, it's terrific now, as well; not sure I'd wait if I had some only because it's exciting now, too. recommended (4441 views) | |
| Tasted by thomaskeil on 8/20/2017 & rated 93 points: Opened 3 hours before serving; elected to slow-ox and not decant. Other CT notes have this wine nailed. Served right after the 96 Pesquera reserva and the comparison between these two great tempranillos was fun. This had a much lighter color, less signs of aging, a way more focused fruit profile and brightening acidity than the Pesquera. I will confidently hold my remaining bottle for years as this is still on the young side; again in contrast to the 96 Pesquera. (4146 views) | |
| Tasted by wineguy75 on 7/10/2017 & rated 97 points: 90 min decant. The best rioja I've had and drinking perfect right now. (4306 views) | |
| Tasted by jerhardt on 5/29/2017: Fully mature. Soft and pretty, with lingering traces of its oak. Good, but not knock your socks off. (4488 views) | |
| Tasted by Paul D on 5/19/2017 & rated 94 points: Decanted 1/2 hr. Cork soaked. Pale/medium garnet/mahogany core, wide pale mahogany rim. Nose is complex, developed showing smoke, underlying sweet red fruit, spice, touches of menthol, fig and orange peel. Medium bodied, spicy red/brown fruit, touch of orange peel, fully resolved tannins, crisp (but balanced) acidity and finishes well - harmonious, broad and long. Excellent, drinking well. (4354 views) | |
| Tasted by Jonezky on 3/12/2017 & rated 92 points: The nose is rich. Ripe berries, steel, leather and old oak. The taste of the wine is juicy, lively, velvety and well balanced. Just enough acidity. Quite intense, but not massive. Lots of cherry, forest strawberry and fine oak. The after taste is long, nuanced and kind of austere (4039 views) | |
| Tasted by empire80 on 3/5/2017 & rated 93 points: Very fine gran reserva, sappy oak, cherries, a long warm spicy finish. (3233 views) | |
| Tasted by Paul D on 2/24/2017 & rated 96 points: Served at about 16C. Pale/medium garnet core, wide pale garnet/mahogany rim. Nose immediately aromatic, pure dark fruit, lots of cigar box, touch of leather, florals. Extremely complex, beguiling. Medium bodied, fine-boned and elegant, cool, pure, tobaccoey dark fruit, fine but still slightly firm tannic spine, elegance with depth, lovely fresh acidity, long finish. Exquisite. Can be approached now but with many years of life ahead still. (3505 views) | |
| Tasted by Billigan on 2/4/2017 & rated 93 points: Lovely dusty and rich leather aromas. Gorgeous, silky texture and svelte, dusty, sweet tempranillo fruit. Beautiful, earthy flavors on the finish with a nice kick of acid and dillweed. Very good showing, but this still has plenty of room for development and improvement with more time on its side. (2768 views) | |
| Tasted by pjaines on 12/22/2016: Perfumed aromatics here with a slight metallic twang on the back of the palate, before all those beef-stock elements start to waft out of the glass. High acidity, and benefits from food. Good but not great. (3123 views) | |
| Tasted by Lype on 8/18/2016 & rated 92 points: Sweet syrupy taste, bitter orange, apricot, elegant acidity balanced by the aromas. The GRs require a lot time but this vintage is ready to drink. Must get more of these, unfortunately easier said than done. (1551 views) | |
| Tasted by Mr T on 7/28/2016: shared with too many people and not sure this every real strutted its stuff, at least for me. This might just be a corollary of my issues with Burgs (3462 views) | |
| Tasted by empire80 on 6/12/2016 & rated 93 points: Beautiful traditional Rioja. Fading cherry fruit, hints of tea, leather, orange. Gentle acidity and a lightly spiced and long finish. (3732 views) | |
| Tasted by forceberry on 3/9/2016 & rated 92 points: 12% alcohol. Dark and moderately translucent pomegranate color with a luminous cherry red rim. Very distinctive and characterful nose with somewhat off - yet not off-putting - aromas of nuttiness, something waxy, dried red cherries, some beetroot notes, a little bit of wild Campari character, light dusty earth tones, a hint of blueberries and a lifted touch of VA. The wine is smooth, lively and medium-bodied on the palate with complex and slightly wild flavors of wild strawberries, sour cherries, some herbal bitterness, a little bit of tart cranberries, light earthy tones, a hint of leather and a touch of savory old wood. The wine is high in acidity, whereas the tannins feel quite light and almost fully resolved. The finish is long, tangy and quite acid-driven with pretty dry flavors of leather, sour cherries, some tart cranberries, a little bit of herbal spice and a touch of earthiness. A wonderfully complex, developed and quite earthy Tondonia Gran Reserva from a rather difficult vintage that shows: the wine is lacking the depth and intensity the best vintages of Tondonia GR, there are some slightly underripe herbal tones and the overall feel is somewhat muddled and lacking definition. Nevertheless - and a true testament to the Heredia level of quality - the wine is very enjoyable, nuanced and classically built in every aspect. Even though it might not reach the quality of the best vintages of Tondonia Gran Reserva, it still is a very impressive wine for an old-school Rioja. Very lovely. (1938 views) | |
| Tasted by CWilliam on 1/17/2016 & rated 93 points: Barolo vs. Old School Rioja vs. Burgundy (BB House): Wine # 7 (tasted blind) Guessed this was my wine (only 2 left so pretty easy). Opened and poured into a new bottle 30 minutes before tasting. Light red color with substantial meniscus. Dirt, iodine, dried cherry, orange peel on nose (very unique). On palate, dried cherry, sweet cherry, apricots. High acids, medium body with faint tannins. Very long finish. Some in group thought this was an older Burgundy. Wonderful old school Rioja. 93+ Came in 2nd for WOTN. [My note from 12/2010 - Classic old school Rioja. Very light red color - showing it's age. Apricots, burnt oak, licorice, spice box on nose. On palate, dried red fruits, red licorice, - very rich acidity and a very long finish - I can still recall the taste 24 hours later - this is one of the best wines that I have ever had] (7055 views) | |
| Tasted by mrosse on 1/2/2016 & rated 91 points: Aromatics quite lovely but was hoping for more even after an hour and a half it still hadn't fleshed out (4572 views) | |
| Tasted by WST on 12/25/2015 flawed bottle: Clearly a phenomenal wine, but this bottle was tainted by contact with the stinky wax capsule while pouring into a decanter. Make sure to remove that nasty stuff from the tip of the bottle before pouring. (4665 views) | |
| Tasted by presterjohn on 11/24/2015: rather too young and without enough breathing (45mins) - but lovely pure scented fruit and concentration behind the tannins. wait at least 5 years, maybe 20... (3886 views) | |
| Tasted by Zweder on 10/14/2015 & rated 90 points: Monthly Tasting Group HWS #102; Rioja (By CvR): Very mature bouquet with nutty flavors, iodine, mushrooms and autumn forest. On the palate chocolate, tea, coffee and leather. Some caramel as well. The acidity is refined and pleasurable. Very mature, but also a very lovely and elegant wine. Special! (4406 views) | |
| Tasted by Old School Fan on 6/29/2015 & rated 94 points: It is always exciting to open a bottle of Tondonia Gran Reserva. This bottle did not disappoint. Very light ruby color with some brown around the edges. On the initial pour, the nose showed a lot of cedar, spice and a hint of vanilla and smoke. The palate showed much of the same but also pleasant notes of tart cherry and black tea. As the wine has evolved, notes of orange zest emerge. There's nice, refreshing acidity here as one always seems to get with LdH. This wine is so nicely balanced as to be almost weightless on the palate. This is a fun wine to drink! I think it is fantastic now but given LdH's track record, feel free to continue to hold for several more decades. (3621 views) | |
| Tasted by Ben H. on 5/17/2015: So much to enjoy here. Incredibly fresh tasting. I was happy that I didn't decant. At the end of the bottle there was just a very faint cloudiness to the wine, almost no sediment. The wine closed up on itself, or faded, after being open for a few hours. (3576 views) | |
| Tasted by salil on 11/17/2014 & rated 92 points: Leo's Blind Tasting Group - Nov '14 edition (Txikito, NY): The texture here suggests this is fully mature with the tannin mostly integrated, but the fruit here feels much deeper-complexioned and richer than in the '85, which was much more about its tertiary savoury notes. The ripe red berried and apple flavours stand out more strongly here, with a sappy intensity to the fruit, and the earthy/cedary notes are more understated in the background. A remarkable contrast with the other two older Heredias, and a fantastic trio of wines. (6006 views) | |
| Tasted by Normann on 10/17/2014 & rated 93 points: A fabulous wine! The nose of red berries, strawberry, licorice and tobacco, a hint of earth cellar and forest. A complex flavor with lovely balance, leather cherry and spice. Long and good taste, a lovely wine! (4512 views) | |
| Tasted by Sennma on 9/20/2014: Still a baby but showing really well. There's a lot of upside from where it is today. Always left thinking I don't own enough Lopez... (4734 views) | |
| Tasted by KeithAkers on 9/18/2014 & rated 93 points: Dinner at Browntrout (Browntrout, Chicago IL): Nose: It was incredible how youthful the nose was with dark red cherries, licorice, dark red berries, leather, herbs, black tea, spices, and a touch of VA. The depth and layering show off the age, but there is a real immediacy to the tones. Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity and silky tannins. The feel is polished and silky with dark red cherries, licorice, black tea, earth tones, leather, and dark red berries. Overall: This was a beautiful bottle of LdH Tondonia. This still had a very primary nature to it and it feels like a marathon runner. (4939 views) | |
| Tasted by tooch on 9/18/2014 & rated 93 points: Dinner at Browntrout (Browntrout - Chicago, IL): Tons of the dusty Lopez nose of leather, dried florals, some tobacco, and earth. Palate had a really sweet, dense red fruit tone to it...some mushroomy notes, and florals. Lots to love here, and plenty of life ahead of it! (4901 views) | |
| Tasted by Seth Rosenberg on 9/18/2014 & rated 93 points: Dinner in Chicago with new friends (Browntrout (Chicago, Il)): Very young still. Nose shows good spice, some sweet oak, a beautiful strawberry fruit note, good acid, soy, meaty. Young and tart on the palate but the depth is in there - good acid, spice. Tart strawberry and stone finish. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 5+/6, Finish - 4.5+/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1.5/2 = 16.5+/20 (with 17.5/20 potential). (3860 views) | |
| Tasted by acyso on 9/18/2014 & rated 93 points: Dinner at Browntrout (Chicago, IL): When you open a bottle like this, you have to ask yourself, why do I not buy this by the case? The nose is leather and pencil and all sorts of secondary character. The palate's a bit austere, and though there's still some black fruit, it's the leather again that shows up in full force. Earthy and dusty. Fine-grained tannins. (3544 views) | |
| Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 8/30/2014: True, it did not have the drama of the '80 or '76 (which was magnificent) but it is still rather sensational wine. Although one of the sensations of the night was learning that this apparently all get re-corked at the winery, which is not to my liking. But still delicious wine. (2761 views) | |
| Tasted by sunnylea57 on 7/18/2014 & rated 95 points: Excellent showing. A stunning, intense nose of tobacco, leather, great big dollops of aged cedar, cherry and orange. After that remarkable nose, the palate was a little light, but after an hour it blossomed and took on much more weight. This particular bottle was in a perfect place. Addition time wouldn't have improved it at all. (2972 views) | |
| Tasted by Los 12 Glotones on 4/15/2014 & rated 93 points: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Els12golafres Wine Tasting Group: http://vinosclasicos.blogspot.com.es/2013/09/vina-tondonia-1991-gran-reserva.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - De color rubí marronoso de capa media, limpio, claro, bastante evolucionado para la "corta edad" tratándose de un Tondonia con apenas 20 años de edad. Reflejos ambarinos y rojizos, brillante, borde anaranjado. Muy potente, especiado, con notas balsámicas casi asilvestradas (laurel, geranio, yedra, laurel). Todo él indica que está necesitado de años de guarda para acabar de domarse. Salen aromas de fruta roja madura, algo reducida y licorosa, flores marchitas, con apuntes de cueros viejos, ahumados, duelas envinadas, frutos secos y un fondo animal a faisandage. Muy buena impresión general aunque todavía por desarrollarse. En boca es pura energía, fresco, nervioso, con bastante cantidad de fruta roja cítrica y taninos marcados, vivos pero dulces. Tiene finas notas tostadas, maderas de calidad, un rastro de cacao y un potencial de guarda enorme. Un Tondonia que hace honor a la bodega, de gran pureza y clasicismo. Una apuesta segura que ya se disfruta pero que irá a más. Las últimas cosechas embotelladas del Gran Reserva están a la altura de la historia de López de Heredia. Wine Info - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 75% tempranillo, 15% garnacho, 5% graciano, 5% mazuelo - 12% vol. Permanece durante 6 meses en depósitos de madera donde acabar de realizar la fermentación maloláctica. Criado durante 9 años en viejas barricas de roble americano de 225 litros elaboradas por los toneleros de la misma bodega. El vino es sometido a 2 trasiegas manuales cada año. Clarificado con claras de huevo frescas. Embotellado directamente de la barrica, sin filtrar. Lacrado especial para favorecer su mejor evolución en botella y preservarlo de contaminaciones. Producción limitada a 15.000 botellas. Descansa un mínimo de 44 meses en botellero antes de ser comercializado. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (4974 views) | |
| Tasted by cardsandwine on 4/9/2014: Crumbly cork. Upon opening wine was a bit closed. After 30 minutes it began to blossom with ripe fruit, balance and finesse and continued to do so over the next couple of hours. Finished with earthy elegance. (3882 views) | |
| Tasted by Wine Canuck on 2/8/2014 & rated 92 points: Year 2 - Super Tasting 2 of 5 - Andrew does Rioja (Langdon Hall, Cambridge, ON): Similarly to the '91 Bosconia served beside it this showed young, but for me showed a bit more promise. Nose of saline, sweat, sweet and sour pork, cherries, soil, vanilla, and some nutty brown spice notes. Again we have a bit of a tough palate with drying tannin and fierce acid. Young and should improve. (4667 views) | |
| Tasted by Dave Canada on 2/8/2014 & rated 91 points: Year 2 - Super Tasting 2 of 5 - Andrew does Rioja (Langdon Hall, Blair, Ontario): Inviting nose of violets, spice, earth, mushroom and dark cherry and some obvious american oak The palate shows minerals, mushroom, earth, dark cherry, spice and lively acidity. The finish is medium+ and quite complex. Again....wait on this at least 10 years. (4467 views) | |
| Tasted by alittle on 2/8/2014 & rated 92 points: Year 2; Tasting 2 of 5; Andrew does Rioja (1954-1994) (Red Room, Langdon Hall, Cambridge, Ontario): Garnet in the glass, leaning a touch darker in shade than the Bosconia served alongside it. On the nose, rather tight, but with some coaxing, deep red cherry, cranberry, orange zest, sandalwood, light herbal notes, a touch of unintegrated oak, baking spice, and some very light oxidative notes. On the palate, much like the Bosconia, this has very lively acidity; medium plus; as well as some moderate unintegrated tannin that really dries out the finish. There is a lot brooding in this wine with a ton of upside and class, but it definitely needs another 5-10 years to strut its stuff. Did not budge over the time followed. (4193 views) | |
| Tasted by elledeca on 11/26/2013: excellent. roses, tobacco, redu fruit, leather...seamless and very long (4380 views) | |
| Tasted by Dale M on 9/24/2013: P&P and served in Riedel Burg Stems. At first almost overwhelmingly acidic, I was a little worried that this wasn’t going to yield much in the way of actual enjoyment. Fortunately, dinner came to rescue (Lamb skewers and sautéed polenta), harnessing that acidic bite, and allowing the wines true flavors to shine. I must admit, I read the notes on this particular wine very thoroughly, so I fully admit I was cued to seek out the orange peel and mushroom traits so often described, and they were pretty easy to detect. Very elegant and classy tannic structure, hard to say what additional aging would do, but this was a very educational not to mention fun wine to drink, glad for the opportunity. (4544 views) | |
| Tasted by mikeaukenbals on 9/3/2013 & rated 93 points: wouldn't wait much longer. bargain at $80 (4411 views) | |
| Tasted by Papies on 8/28/2013: For us this wine is a story of one good bottle and 5 bottles looking for a repeat of that experience but to no unveil. We tried we promise. Today the wine was light in colour and looked way older than a 91. Sweet Rioja core, good fruit , spice, delicate wine. A lot of earthy, mushroom notes. Good wine but given bottle variation we are not sure how characteristic of the wine this bottle was. (5150 views) | |
| Tasted by CWilliam on 8/12/2013: Didn't take notes - still drinking very well - earthy, mushrooms, orange peel & sweet cherry on the nose. (3744 views) | |
| Tasted by Janstan on 7/5/2013 & rated 90 points: Great with char-grilled chicken. Plum skin, cherry pit, smooth leather, mushroom, hints of indian spices and barn mud. Very pretty. (3413 views) | |
| Tasted by rmh66 on 6/21/2013 & rated 90 points: Totally fun wine. Starts a bit awkward but opens up over 30 minutes. Continues to change over an hour or so. Cherries, strawberries, brown sugar, aged wood, and all kinds of foresty, earthy, funky smells. Some VA. Tart cherry, red cherry, earth, and some wood on the palate. Strong acidity, long tasty finish, tannins still quite present. Overall, this was a great wine to keep going back to over the course of a meal. The acidity calls for certain kinds of food, like sherry vinaigrette or sheep cheese. (3761 views) | |
| Tasted by wcchang on 5/18/2013 & rated 88 points: Light amber brick color. The legs are Medium. The nose is like Dust, Mushroom, and Fur. Not fruity at all. It tastes like Stoniness, Dust, and Mushroom. Lots of acidity and the acidity does not blend in well. The body is Light. The wine has Silky texture. Acidity makes the finish quite long, but it is not in total balance. This seems like over it's prime to me. Similar taste on the second day. (4022 views) | |
| Tasted by mxpbuy on 5/10/2013 & rated 92 points: Distinctly orange hue throughout, and after just 15 minutes in the glass, the wine opens up beautifully. Elegant Tempranillo with a long silky finish (3854 views) | |
| Tasted by Yagil on 5/3/2013 & rated 91 points: (at Eli F) earthy mature tertiary aromas elegant and enjoyable during the first 30 min - then get oxidised too fast. still alive and kicking. (3875 views) | |
| Tasted by Mr T on 3/27/2013: This one really never got going...... (4071 views) | |
| Tasted by pjaines on 12/31/2012: Tarte and acidic. The third bottle I have had of this - not sure it will ever swing round into a brilliant wine. There is just too much acidity getting in the way. (5526 views) | |
| Tasted by kennyg on 12/9/2012 & rated 94 points: Lived up to expectations. Sl carmel red. Somewhat earthy nose. 1 hour decant lead to beautiful wine with sour cherries, a little earth, great acidity and extremely long enjoyable finish. Ready to drink now. I will be looking for more! (5769 views) | |
| Tasted by Periko on 9/20/2012 & rated 88 points: Rioja tasting (Vadebacus (Sant Cugat - Spain)): Following a kind advice from a CT fellow the wine was opened for 1 hour. Very subtle but complex bouquet, with black olives, subtle cedar, leather, small forrest strawberries, mushrooms and earth... unfortunately had some sulphurous notes. Despite all those notes, after 20 min in glass the wine shut down and didnt start to show again until the tasting was done. On palate had a metallic taste, leather, red dried fruit and underbrush. Finish was a bit short. That was my first Heredia GR and I ended somehow disappointed... maybe needed more time to taste or maybe was the bottle.. or me ;) 87-88 (7750 views) | |
| Tasted by redwhiteandrich on 9/1/2012 & rated 92 points: Is there a better value than rioja? Better than lopez? Even with the recent price increases, this bottle destroys bottles in similar price ranges. Strawberries and cream on the nose with a touch of funk. Could smell this for days. On the palate, tight for the first hour but explodes with goodness. The tannins could be resolved with another 10 years but nonetheless the mouthfeel is tremendous. Cigar box and strawberries. Wish i had kept this in the cellar. (7294 views) | |
| Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 8/24/2012: Smooth as silk and went down like water. I have always thought these could age forever but this feels so complete I am not sure whereelse it could possibly go. And as a side note -- man do these LdH wines not like being shipped. For about three months after shipping they go dead (this has been sitting for eight months). (7024 views) | |
| Tasted by pjaines on 7/14/2012: A big variation on the bottles here - very high acidity here that really juts into the fruit. So much so that it is a struggle to make it through a second glass. Really needs food to counteract the acidity. At this age I guess the variation is to be expected. (6665 views) | |
| Tasted by pjaines on 7/6/2012: Aaaaahhh the wonder of Tondonia. Is it cooked? Is it corked? Is it too old? Is it brilliant? It treats the line between all these elements. This flickers and flutters between ugly and beautiful. Whispy and delicate, sour and meaty. On the palate this undoubtedly has high acidity and a zingy palate but then the cherries and funk kick in. Ugly beautiful is the way I would describe it. The anthithesis of the fruit bomb. Time is on its side to let those leathery and feral elements come to the fore. (6413 views) | |
| Tasted by rjonwine@gmail.com on 6/28/2012 & rated 93 points: Bricked medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; redolent, tobacco, cigar box nose; tasty, mature, tobacco, cigar box, dried currant, dill, iodine palate; medium-plus finish 93+ points (3610 views) | |
| Tasted by DRob on 5/24/2012: Tawny brick color, touch of hay, elegant cherry skin. Still has great acidity. Lively on the tongue, tea leaf in the finish. (5826 views) | |
| Tasted by Rechrom on 5/18/2012 & rated 93 points: Decanted and drunk over next four hours. Light brick red. Striking nose of flowers, tar, forest floor. Great palate with tart cherry, herb notes, tannin and acid in good balance. Finish good but a tiny bit bitter and clipped, which is the only thing holding this back from outstanding. Excellent bottle with food and pleasant alone. Can clearly age further, and likely benefit from age. (5830 views) | |
| Tasted by Papies on 5/16/2012 & rated 92 points: Lopez de Heredia Vertical, with Maria Jose Lopez de Heredia (The Sampler, South Ken, London): Red colour, brown tint on the rim. More textbook Rioja with a sweet core of fruit. Red/Dark fruit combo on the nose. Light smoky and earthy notes. Powerful wine with lots of length . Feels a lot younger than a 1991. 92 and drink at will. Good life ahead. (6602 views) | |
| Tasted by manonthemoon on 5/8/2012 & rated 91 points: Heredia Tasting; 5/7/2012-5/8/2012 (Palena, Washington, DC): This was served with the fifth group of wines. N red berries, pine, earth P red raspberry, pine, barnyard, spice Good structure and finish. Not as impressed this time around. 90-91 (6562 views) | |
| Tasted by Papies on 4/12/2012 & rated 91 points: Finally a good bottle! or decent we should say. We have had a lot of bottle variation with these. In neck level with solid but fully wet cork. Nose is earthy with light fruit, elegant and long with a rioja sweet core through it. On the palate is seems to have lost its vitaliity and it was on the Thin side. Again this could well be bottle variability. Good but nowhere close to how good the first bottle we had was (that was from a direct source) and we would suggest one buys direct from Tondonia if one needs old bottles of these. Else the risk is high. 91ish and drinks very nicely now. (6111 views) | |
| Tasted by Sleepy Dave on 3/23/2012 & rated 86 points: 2012 - ES #2 (Extra Space Boon Keng): Alcohol :: 12% Light ruby red. This has some funkiness and muskiness which mellowed down with time, though not completely gone. The bouquet offers lots of plum, preserved and fresh one, surrounded by earth, blackberry and saline mineral. Light - medium bodied, the palate is fresh and delicate with good delineation and balance. I like the freshness and friendliness of this wine. Feminine, medium length finish. Quite simple but a wine I can keep drinking. (6774 views) | |
| Tasted by lowereastscott on 3/21/2012: The Wines of López de Heredia with María José López de Heredia (Cork Market Tasting Room, Washington, DC): Light red with slight bricking on the edges; cedar and cigar box nose; palate unbelievably fresh for its age with lovely sweet cherries emerging after a few minutes in the glass. A revelation. (7049 views) | |
| Tasted by salcorn on 3/20/2012 & rated 94 points: Earth, dill from the American oak, leather, mushrooms, smoked ham rind. (6197 views) | |
| Tasted by italio39 on 2/25/2012 & rated 94 points: Incredible nose... best described as the smell of a wonderfully old musty oak wine cellar. Beautiful chocolate color! Very balanced and moderate body. Rich dark berries, earthy leather, and a slow relaxed finish. Will need to buy more of this wine to keep on hand! Enjoyed with a well marbled sirloin! (6272 views) | |
| Tasted by salil on 1/29/2012 & rated 92 points: Leo's Blind Tasting Group - Jan '12 edition (Montclair, NJ): Remarkably pale and advanced in colour. It's drinking superbly though with a stunning fragrance combining all sorts of floral, tarry, leathery and high toned red fruited elements, and an incredibly polished, graceful palate presence. This seems fully mature with the tannins fully resolved, a spine of bright acidity keeping the flavours very fresh and lively and wonderful balance. (7682 views) | |
| Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 11/26/2011: Strong smell of wet earth and mushrooms. Always seems a bit corked to me at the start. Swirling brings up chocolate, roasted walnuts, sour cherries. Palate is wonderfully silky. Very interesting night. In a field of Gran Reservas, this certainly distinguished itself. Even more interesting is the drinking time frame of the Gran Reservas. It seemed to me that the "young" Gran Reservas, meaning under 25 years of age, almost all seemed a little bit corky or musty. Then post year twenty five (and this is all just guess work) the corky note fades into a walnut / chocolate / sour cherry note. Just my guess work. So my thought is to drink Gran Reservas between 25 and 45 years of age. (7631 views) | |
| Tasted by Rani on 11/22/2011 & rated 95 points: Tasted blind. Very translucent brick color. Show polish, quince, dried figs and some mushrooms on the nose. Fully mature, perfectly balanced, silky and very very smooth. A pleasure. (5933 views) | |
| Tasted by cardsandwine on 11/18/2011: As superb as last bottle. My previous comments remain in tact. (7480 views) | |
| Tasted by gbm on 11/13/2011 & rated 96 points: So, it was 50% off night at the local tapas place and we picked this up for $60! Fantastic value. COlor was tough given the lighting in the restaurant, but it looked a rahter pale garnet. The nose was very expressive. Off the cork you could find orange peel or prange marmalade, mushrooms, and cigar smoke. The palate was smooth and mature. Very low acidity. Not a lot of fruit left, but what was there was wonderful - a little reminiscent of red licorice. This is really a terrific wine. (5+14+18+9) (7785 views) | |
| Tasted by Tim Heaton on 11/12/2011: My 3rd time with this wine, and there seems to be a fair bit of bottle variation here. The most recent notes score this 96,94, but my impression are more along the lines of Zweder's and Richard's. This absolutely begs for food. Fair on its own, but the acids are a bit too lively and the fruit not really up to the task of standing on its own. I think this bottle had a Slow-O of 2 hours, and perhaps could have benefited from a 2 hour aeration in a decanter. Drink thru 2027, score: B+/A- (7537 views) | |
| Tasted by atubbs on 10/27/2011 & rated 93 points: PNP. Pale brick with surprising structure despite its appearance. Lovely; tasted alongside the 2001 Reserva. Brussel sprouts, stewed cherry, vanilla, old used leather, burnt sugar, game meat, metalworking oils, tar on the nose. A minute or so of flavors evolving on the palate as the finish carries you on a nice little journey. Evolved rather rapidly in the glass with the peak at about 30 minutes, after which it started gaining a bit more balance but losing some of the depth and complexity. Marvelous at $70. (7442 views) | |
| Tasted by VTCellarDweller on 10/18/2011 & rated 93 points: Purchased in June and allowed to rest a few months before opening. PnP, bright medium brick core with tawny rim. Luscious mature aromas of roses, leather, spices, fruitcake, caramel, coconut, and wet fall leaves leading into a burst of complex, elegant, layered flavors with a smooth but lively feel in the mouth. Superb balance and exceptional length with the firmness to indicate many years before any decline. Served with a selection of spanish cheeses and fig marmalade…happy, happy mouth. (8168 views) | |
| Tasted by joewarmelink on 10/11/2011 & rated 92 points: Amazing vibrant nose of raspberry, rose, and dash of cocoa. Nice dark bricking. Mouth of puckering acidity, red fruits, leather, and game. Wonderful wine! (7415 views) | |
| Tasted by Rupert on 9/22/2011: At Coq d'Argent: sadly I didn't have time to give this the attention it deserved, but it seemed to be on form, lots of intrigue, high acid, dried fruit (6662 views) | |
| Tasted by tooch on 9/9/2011: Friday Night Dinner (Medium Rare - Cleveland Park, Washington, DC): A real treat. Nose had a good deal of sherry with lithe red fruit and potpourri. The palate featured nice smokey herbs, subtle florals, and a reductive fruit quality that was interestingly not abrasive. This was my first time having the 1991 Gran Reserva and would like to try another to see if the reductive qualities are consistent. (6705 views) | |
| Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 8/24/2011: Old school barrelled out nose. I love it. Great palate weight and concentration. Exceptional finish with length. 11 hours later: nose of coffee, cooked fruits, figs, jasmine (yes, jasmine, ok, well coconut), black pepper, walnuts. Leather, animal. Palate is soft and silky, in harmony all the way through. Drinks like water. The acidity and tannins ride up just a touch on the finish. I actually could see this going further in bottle. Seemless, a beauty to me although I can understand why some would lean against it. (6331 views) | |
| Tasted by Blackland on 8/16/2011 & rated 88 points: Maybe this was a bad bottle. It was light, with a nose of berry coming out of the bottle. It oxidized very quickly in the glass and offered little to be excited about. (6143 views) | |
| Tasted by Charlie Pendejo on 8/13/2011 & rated 93 points: Serious. Elegant, earthy, gentle, berry, a little citrus. Heaven with a grilled pork tenderloin with apple-chipotle salsa... and with the 1987 LdH white. (6217 views) | |
| Tasted by Papies on 6/21/2011 & rated 85 points: Rioja through the Decades (The Sampler, South Ken, London): Another dissapointing showing from this. Om the last year we have had one great and 5 bad bottles from a variety of sources. Wine is a bit thin, broken and lacks life. (7046 views) | |
| Tasted by Kirk Grant on 6/13/2011 & rated 93 points: Complete and complex...opened with friends with no chance for formal tasting notes. A wonderful expression of Rioja....lithe and light bodied with good acidty. A food wine that deserves attention and thought. (6371 views) | |
| Tasted by rjonwine@gmail.com on 5/2/2011 & rated 93 points: 2011 Rioja Grand Tasting: 197 wines from 63 producers (Westin St. Francis, 32nd Imperial Floor, San Francisco, California): Bricked light medium red color with pale meniscus; lovely, mature, smoke, mushroom nose; tasty, mature, mushroom, smoke, tart currant, tart red fruit palate; medium-plus finish 93+ points (9067 views) | |
| Tasted by Zweder on 4/22/2011 & rated 91 points: Attention! If the bottle I had is representative of all the other bottles, you can expect something special and not everyone will like it! The color is quite light orange brown/red. Complex and mature bouquet with earthy and autumn forest impressions. Very tasteful, but hardly any fruit left. Some currants, earthy and underbrush and oxidized impressions. Soft tannin and good acidity. Complex and a long finish. Will be lovely with small game meat. I score it "only" 91 because I think this wine will not be so great without appropriate food. With a good food match and truffle/mushrooms it will be great! (6395 views) | |
| Tasted by mcases on 4/18/2011 & rated 96 points: I close my drinking of 1991 gv tondonias. Still several left for opening in couple of years but this will be another exciting step Now buying 1994 vintage I will rate the wine now. First.Never decant this wine. You will spoil it. Brick colour, scents of chocolate, cuban cigar and dried fruits, delicate texture,good acidity and rusty freshness. Long, very long and elegant. (7077 views) | |
| Tasted by Papies on 3/23/2011 & rated 85 points: Good bottle, good cork and perfect wax seal. Wine is a bit thin and lacks vibrancy. Good fruit around but the age has taken away the best of this. Very different to the wine we tried 6 months ago. (6399 views) | |
| Tasted by SimonG on 2/16/2011: Dinner with Jesus Madrazo (28-50, London): Deep ruby. Red fruit. A touch of orange. Lovely freshness and acidity. A little on the young side but freshness probably accentuated after the Beaucastels. Classic trad Rioja. **** (7256 views) | |
| Tasted by mcases on 2/7/2011: This wine is very difficult to understand and not for amateurs. I would say that is probably one of the best wines I´ve tried ever. I will not describe it. Frenchies would price this wine in 200€ only for its cost of bringing it up. Enormous. (6990 views) | |
| Tasted by JeffGMorris on 2/5/2011 & rated 95 points: Dinner at Table 16 for Barb's Birthday. As I read back through my notes and remember this bottle I question myself a bit on how I found this to be the most enjoyable of the reds tonight but that was definitely the case, if by a slight margin. Clearly old world in style, it showed notes of sweet fruit mixed with cedar and cigar box. The cigar box note is why I question myself not normally being a fan of wines like this. Tannins clamp down hard on the finish and this clearly has several years of positive development to go. A real surprise for me. 50+14+13+9+9= 95 (5477 views) | |
| Tasted by beezer6 on 12/7/2010 & rated 88 points: Taste at Elysian. Showing a lot of age. Color is medium light tawny brown. Nose showed predominantly notes of oxidization, some light molasses and really light orange marmalade action. Still tastes ok and definitely intriguing but past its prime without a doubt. The bottle was barely finished. Some didn't care for this at all but I saw the more subtle qualities that I believe most experienced wine lovers would appreciate. (7067 views) | |
| Tasted by CWilliam on 11/27/2010 & rated 95 points: Loved this wine - tasted blind in a flight with 3 other "old-world" reds. This was a touch better than the '82 Chateau La Lagune and way better than an '05 Bordeaux (Chateau Peyraud). Classic old school Rioja. Very light red color - showing it's age. Apricots, burnt oak, licorice, spice box on nose. On palate, dried red fruits, red licorice, - very rich acidity and a very long finish - I can still recall the taste 24 hours later - this is one of the best wines that I have ever had - cork was soaked through but the wine was still in great condition - wine of the night. Don't have enough experience to truly describe this wine - 94+ for me. (7332 views) | |
| Tasted by rayq on 11/25/2010: Tempranillo (75%), Garnacha (15%), Mazuelo and Graciano. Slightly more high toned nose than the Bosconia. More classic orange peel nuance on the nose. 12% alcohol. Lovely foil to the Bosconia. Excellent. (6226 views) | |
| Tasted by SimonG on 11/25/2010: Lopez de Heredia Tour & Tasting (Haro, Rioja): Denser, plusher nose. More rounded on the attack with less obvious sous-bois. orange peel starting to come through. Again, lovely. **** (7400 views) | |
| Tasted by don_quichotte on 11/9/2010 & rated 93 points: This is seriously nice. Already had a few other wines before that one so can't remember all of the details but delivers a beautiful mix between the transparence of a good red burg and the density of a good bordeaux. Recommended and underpriced... (6248 views) | |
| Tasted by cardsandwine on 11/8/2010: I am a huge Lopez de Heredia fan and this wine really underscores my love affair with the vineyard. Like all of these wines it is a full "round" wine that is absolutely pure on the palate. Wines like this really can not be described other to say they are simply delicious and elegant. I have had the pleasure of meeting Maria Jose de Heredia, winemaker, on two occasions. She is one of the most knowledgeable winemakers I have ever had the pleasure to meet. She says, because her wines are aged so long in cask (usually large 100+ year old American oak) and bottle, you should never decant them. "Since they have be deprived of oxygen about 10 years, decanting will cause you to miss their evolution in the glass" she says. From my experience she is on the money. In any case this is superb! (6176 views) | |
| Tasted by Papies on 11/5/2010: Lanessan Re-United at Chez Papies, London: Not sure as to the quality of the bottle and for sure nothing to do with the wine we had on 5th of Sep. Earlier comment as it is more valid (6642 views) | |
| Tasted by ews3 on 10/20/2010 & rated 92 points: Zachys Robin Hood 2010 Wine Tasting (La venue, NYC): nice leather and tobacco notes with some fruit (mostly dried fruit) remaining. medium(+) finish. impressive (8818 views) | |
| Tasted by aagrawal on 10/14/2010: Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting- Brief Notes (San Francisco Design Center): Nice woody aromas, subtle and understated but awesome. For a wine with just a hint of fruit, it has a lot of flavor. (7375 views) | |
| Tasted by rjonwine@gmail.com on 10/13/2010 & rated 92 points: 2010 Wine & Spirits Top 100 Wineries Tasting (Galleria at the San Francisco Design Center, SF, CA): Dried berry, sandalwood nose; dried berry, sandalwood, pomegranate palate; medium-plus finish (6064 views) | |
| Tasted by Faryan on 9/28/2010 & rated 93 points: Tempranillo tasting (Weygandt Wines, DC): Grand and light meaty notes. Opens mercurial with its lovely orange crimson tinge. Very mooth and clearly old school in complexion and philosophy. With swirling, some very interesting fruit emerges: cherry and tons of apricot. The palate is beauitful with a high acidic pitch, but perhaps a bit out of touch on its own, requiring some food to pair. Finish a touch buttery as the remnance of its sleep in barrique pokes through. Complex and fun, but not profound. Nevertheless, a very elegant wine. (6792 views) | |
| Tasted by manonthemoon on 9/28/2010 & rated 94 points: Nose of green pepper, cherry, funk, barnyard. Palate of dried cherry, barnyard, funk, lanolin, spice, red licorice. Great mouthfeel. My WOTN. (6024 views) | |
| Tasted by isaacjamesbaker on 9/28/2010 & rated 90 points: Dios, Mio, Tempranillo! (Weygandt Wines - Washington, D.C.): light ruby, almost orange colored. the nose on this shows a really interesting caramel aspect, along with gran marnier, raisins and green pepper. it still has life on the palate. good acid, medium body, silky tannins. sour cherry, plums, a bit of toast, but there's also a bit of apricot as well. nicely made wine, and the age has helped develop some good complexity. this was the wine of the night, but, for me, it just didn't have enough to make it exceptional. (6765 views) | |
| Tasted by Papies on 9/5/2010 & rated 93 points: Turning brick and showing its age. Well kept restaurant bottle and had with no decanting. Really the wine is ready to go from the word go. And a very nice wine indeed. A very seductive nose, full of complexity and finesse. Stayed with the wine over 2 hours that i kept a bit ( more like defended it from Nicol's advances) int he glass. Fine and mild on the palate with lots of charecter and beautifull rioja earthiness to it. We really loved this wine and although not of the calibre of the 1964 we tried a coule of months ago we are now big Tondonia fans. Great. (5917 views) | |
| Tasted by dougsmith on 7/12/2010 & rated 91 points: Five Nights in Rioja, July 2010; 7/8/2010-7/13/2010 (Rioja, Spain): Light garnet color. Nose of mint, beeswax, pencil lead and dry herbs. Light bodied on the palate and mouthcoating with fine tannins and good acidity. Definitely a friendly, easy drinking wine, but is it worth the tariff? (7142 views) | |
| Tasted by abh on 6/8/2010: At El Portal in Rioja. Stunning nose, everything you would hope for. Not so sure on the palate though, I can live with a lot of acidity, but this didn't' seem balanced to me, just a little too shrill and harsh. Not an off bottle in the sense of flawed, but not fully convinced it was spot on either. The sommelier thought it was fine, and air did open it up a bit, maybe it just needed longer. I love their wines, but this wasn't quite what I hoped for. (6320 views) | |
| Tasted by jwwinec on 5/13/2010: Wild, rustic, savory, bloody, yet lively and elegant with bright acidity, layers of flavor and concentration, and a long finish. Tannins are there on the finish, but they are subtle and mostly resolved. There is a bit of hardness to this wine that makes it more intellectually pleasurable than purely sexual, but the pleasure is real nonetheless. (6218 views) | |
| Tasted by Alex H on 5/9/2010 & rated 80 points: Aged claret styled with a bit of aged burg nose. Dried fruits, dried figs, dry wine with just a drop of honeysuckle and stewed winter melon tea. Very amateurish, rootish. (5866 views) | |
| Tasted by jjoyce on 4/15/2010 & rated 92 points: WLTV Forum Offline Montclair (Table 8, Montclair, NJ): Dill, smoke and earthy nose. Beautifully smooth, well balanced Rioja. Perfect cherry flavor with no sweetness, just a pleasing citrus finish. (6974 views) | |
| Tasted by amateurwino on 3/16/2010 & rated 97 points: A more beautiful nose than the rest of the range so far, with fuller fruit that shows more age but also possesses a sweetness that really pushes this wine into the range of truly memorable. Very impressive that the wine is showing so impactfully at this point. Just a thrilling nose - it's got openness, a little oxidative note, a hint of something a bit diesel-like, some savory notes - just so much going on here. Really, really terrific. Palate is the same - just a wonderful example of balance, harmony. Has everything - beautiful acidity, pleasing sweet fruit, spice for complexity. Notions of dried herbs, flowers, etc. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. Truly special. 96-98 (5987 views) | |
| Tasted by Rupert on 2/21/2010 & rated 89 points: An earthy edge to the fruit, soft, fragrant, strawberryish, long and nicely layered (5491 views) | |
| Tasted by Biggsy on 12/11/2009 & rated 94 points: Garnet with browning at the rim. Tarry red fruits, polish and subtle charred oak on the nose. Pure and elegant with long, well defined dried cherry flavour. Lovely precision and balance with long lingering flavours. (5120 views) | |
| Tasted by Rupert on 11/18/2009 & rated 92 points: An evening of López de Heredia wines (Islington, London): This had less on the nose than the Bosconia, but this grows on the palate as the dried cherry and sweetness blazes through - lovely (6023 views) | |
| Tasted by bin905 on 10/10/2009 & rated 89 points: Clay, copper red color. Light fruit, spice, oak and a hint of caramel. Somewhat thin in the middle. Good tannins. The best years have passed. (5307 views) | |
| Tasted by JJL on 9/13/2009 & rated 91 points: Spainish Treasures #3 over Lunch at Mugaritz (San Sebastian, Spain): This started off weak too, but again with air it opened up nicely. Nice body and fruit, but too light for me. (6291 views) |
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R. López de HerediaProducer Website1991 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña TondoniaFrom Distributor Website:Little about López de Heredia has changed in the 125 years since its founding. The family adheres to a winemaking doctrine blueprinted in the 1880’s — to make wine only from their own vineyards, using natural yeasts, long aging in wood, and no filtration at bottling. The winery and vineyards, some of the first in the region, are located in the Alta Rioja’s capital city, Haro. Unlike most of its competitors, now owned by outside investors, López de Heredia is owned—and every detail of its operation is handled—by the family who founded it. The bodega is now in the capable hands of the family’s youngest generation, Maria José, Mercedes, and Julio Cèsar. López de Heredia’s greatest wines are their two red Gran Reservas—Viña Tondonia and Viña Bosconia — aged 6 to 8 years in immaculate old barrels, which mellows the fruit, allows for natural clarification, and gives the wines a wonderful complexity. But even after these Gran Reservas are bottled, they’re not ready for sale; López de Heredia often keeps them a decade more before shipping a bottle. Tondonia, Gravonia, and Bosconia refer to single-vineyard designated sites from which the winery grows all their fruit. The blends from year-to-year do not vary much. The Tondonia reds are a blend of 75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha (Grenache), and 10% Manzuela and Graciano, the classic Rioja proportions. The backbone is provided by Tempranillo since it is the most balanced varietal in Rioja. Its aging-capabilities and alcohol content are derived from the Garnacha, while the acidity and color come from the Graciano and Manzuela grapes. Of the last two varieties, Graciano is a high-yielding vine in which the grapes never reach full maturity, while Manzuela has a very long ripening cycle and also rarely reaches maturity; both therefore provide the acidity for which Lopez wines are famous. Gran Reserva wines are chosen especially for particularly great vintages. If you haven’t tasted traditional style Rioja – we mean no chemicals, no pesticides, no chaptalization, no machines, only hand-harvesting, only hand-racking with oak funnels, and 4 barrel-makers on staff, etc., etc. – Lopez should be at the top of your list. Tempranillo BlendTempranillo is the backbone of wines made ihvhhcn the best well-known Spanish regions Rioja and Ribera del Duero, but is also grown as far afield as Mexico and Australia.As a flavor profile, red fruits like strawberries and cherries can predominate - but with a rustic edge. The Many wines made from Tempranillo will spend a few years in barrel and bottle before reaching the consumers . Many Tempranillo-based wines see a few years of oak - add that to a few years of bottle and the wine can give a subtle - and occasionaly not-so-subtle - leathery mouthfeel. The combination of the tart fruit and tannins make this wine very food friendly. Gran ReservaTradition Ascendant in RiojaBy ERIC ASIMOV August 11, 2009 One of my stops on my recent trip to Spain was Rioja, where I was able to spend quite a bit of time at the venerable winery López de Heredia, which is the focus of my column this week. As those of you who have been reading this blog for a long time may guess, I’ve had a long love affair with the wines of López de Heredia. In fact, my second post ever was about its wonderful rosado, which, unusually for any wine, let alone a rosé, is generally released when it’s about 10 years old. It’s almost reflexive when talking about López to describe it as classic or unyielding, because it is quite immune to the trend-following that so often guides decision-making in the world of wine. That is true. But it took me this visit to realize that in its own way, López de Heredia is now a cutting-edge winery. It’s a case of what goes around comes around, as forward-thinking winemakers have in many ways come around to López de Heredia’s ways of doing things. This is particularly true in the vineyard, where its gentle, natural viticultural approach is now the preferred approach my many of the world’s great producers. In the winery, it’s harder to say, except that Lopez’s gentle handling, reliance on natural yeasts and overall artisanal methods are likewise an ideal today. Of course, the fact that Lopez uses old barrels, including enormous wooden fermentation vessels that have been around almost as long as the 132-year-old winery itself, leaves a lot of room for debate. Very few producers use barrels that old, though one that comes to mind is Biondi Santi in Montalcino. Still, styles oscillate over the years, and I believe we are now retreating from an era of overly oaky wines, back to wines where the barrel regimen is as much if not more about imparting texture as it is flavor. In fact, oaky flavors can be important in López de Heredia wines. All you have to do is taste one of its wonderful older white wines, like the 1991 reserva, to taste the hazelnut, coconut flavors of American oak beautifully integrated with the wine. And if you ever get a chance to taste a rare 1964 white, as I did in Rioja, you will be rewarded with a rich, pure wine tasting almost entirely of minerals. The strange thing about López de Heredia is that because its wines have never changed, people tend to think of the company as a dour, humorless, rigid sort of place, haunted by the imperative of adhering to tradition. Nothing could be further from the truth. For instance, while the winery is largely a sturdy example of late 19th century architecture, the new boutique for visitors, designed by the Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid, is fully in keeping with the non-linear architectural look of modern Rioja. It was in the boutique that I watched one afternoon as Maria José López de Heredia, along with her sister, Mercedes, and father, Pedro, about to turn 81, regaled tourists with a boisterous Spanish drinking song. Many people might be surprised, for example, at some of the winery’s plans for tourism. Maria José, who often takes the lead role in public but runs the winery with her sister, father and brother, Julio César, would like to build a little train line to take tourists back and forth between the winery and its most famous vineyard, Viña Tondonia, just across the Ebro River. “Why not?’’ she said. “It’s very important to teach people, and it’s easier to teach them if you give them a good time.’’ Of course, she has a serious reason as well. “It’s impossible for people to understand the soul of a wine if they don’t know how the grapes are grown,’’ she told me. For people who do have the opportunity to visit López de Heredia, doubtless the most striking moment is seeing the thousands of bottles of gran reserva wines, aging in a cellar covered in mold and cobwebs. For people who are used to the squeaky clean hygiene of New World cellars (or for somebody like my mother, for example, who did not permit dirt in her kitchen) such a sight might prove troubling. But the mold and cobwebs are typical of more than a few old Old World cellars, where they are considered an intrinsic part of the terroir. Maria José, for example, insists that the mold and webs are absolutely beneficial to the wines, and that cleaning them out under the mistaken notion of pursuing hygiene would have many unintended consequences. “It’s protection, not affliction!’’ she said, and I don’t doubt her. Her wines, at least, are paragons of purity. Viña TondoniaJay Miller in WA, June 2010A visit to the venerable Bodega Lopez de Heredia, located in the Rioja Alta capital of Haro, is akin to entering a time machine taking you back 100 years. Construction of the Bodega began in 1877 and continues without any apparent changes to the present day. The winery is operated by the voluble Maria Jose Lopez de Heredia, her sister Mercedes, and their father Pedro, still active into his 80s. All of the wines are produced from estate grown bush vines. Tondonia and Bosconia are two different vineyards; Bosconia has a larger percentage of Tempranillo and a different orientation. For an excellent overview of the estate, read Eric Asimov’s blog in the New York Times dated August 11, 2009. Map on weinlagen-info SpainVinos de España - Wines of Spain (Instituto Español de Comercio Exterior) | WikipediaWine Map on weinlagen-info Spain is the third largest wine producing nation in the world, occupying the majority of the Iberian Peninsula with vast diversity in climate, culture, and of course, wine. From inky, dark reds of the [Priorat] to dry, white Finos from Andalusia, Spain can easily boast of elaborating a wide variety of notable styles. Within Spain there are currently 62 demarcated wine regions, of which a handful have gained international recognition: [Rioja], Priorat and [Ribera del Duero]. Yet these regions are only a small sample of the high quality wines Spain produces. Regions such as Cava, Penedes, Somontano, Galicia, Rueda and Jerez are only a few of the numerous regions worthy of exploration throughout Spain. Spain can also lay claim to having the most land under vine in the world, growing up to, by some accounts, 600 indigenous varietals of which Tempranillo is their most well known. Other popular varietals include [Garnacha], Bobal and Monastrell for reds and for whites; the infamous [sic] Palomino Fino grape which is used in the production of sherry wine, Pedro Ximenez in Montilla Morilles, Albarino used in the creation of the bright, effervescent wines of Galicia, and Verdejo in Rueda. - Source: - Catavino.net Spain is not in the forefront of winemaking for its dessert wines, other than for its sweet wines from Sherry country including the highly revered Olorosos (when sweetened). But apart from Sherry Spain has a range of styles of dessert wines, ranging from the those made from the Pedro Ximenez grape primarily in Jerez and Montilla-Moriles) to luscious, red dessert wines made in the Mediterranean from the Garnacha (Grenache) grape. Some good Moscatels are made in Mallorca, Alicante and Navarre. The northwest corner of Spain, Galicia, with its bitter Atlantic climate, is even making dessert wines, called “Tostadillos” in the village of Ribadivia (similar to France’s “Vin de Paille”). The Canary Islands have made interesting dessert wines for centuries (they are mentioned by Shakespeare, for example) and in recent years the quality of winemaking has been improved and the Canary Islands wines are being better marketed now. The winemaking styles for “Vinos Dulces” are also diverse, from “Late Harvest” (Vendimia Tardía) to “Fortified Wines” (Fermentación Parcial). Based on in-spain.info. La RiojaConsejo Regulador DOC Rioja - Control Board of the D.O.Ca. RiojaMap on weinlagen-info La Rioja AltaMap on weinlagen-infoRiojaConsejo Regulador DOC Rioja - Control Board of the D.O.Ca. RiojaHISTORY The wine region of La Rioja in Spain was first demarcated by the area's governing body, the Consejo Regulador, in 1926. The region extends for approximately 120 kilometres along both sides of the Ebro River and is, at its widest point, bounded by mountains on either side. In fact, the word 'Rioja' is a derivation of the two words 'Rio' (River) and 'Oja (the name of a tributary of the Ebro that runs right through La Rioja creating a series of microclimates and providing much needed water for the vines). La Rioja has always been a vital part of Spain's history. Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Moors, and finally, medieval Crusaders have all played a part in the area's history. The Romans, however, made wine a part of their culture wherever they travelled, and La Rioja was no exception. Ancient sites of Roman wineries still exist in and around the area today. After the Romans came the Moors, and winemaking all but ceased. It wasn't until after the famous 'El Cid' liberated Spain, and medieval Christianity brought trade via the Crusaders through the region, that it flourished again. The Benedictine monks of Cluny in Burgundy, known for their viticulture, helped to establish three monasteries in the area. The vines they planted were mostly white grapes. In the fourteenth century, English traders acquired a taste for a local Rioja wine, which was a blend of white and red wines called Blancos Pardillos. Over time, development of lighter reds came about satisfying eighteenth century English and French courts. The real improvements to Rioja's viticulture began around 1780 when the need to prolong wine during transport brought about experimentation with different woods and preservatives. Studies were made of the techniques used by great chateaux in Bordeaux. With the outbreak of the Peninsular War, progress was halted until 1852, when the Bordelais came south to Rioja seeking vines because their vineyards had been blighted with oidium. French winemaking methods were eagerly taken up by great rivals the Marques de Murrieta and Marques de Riscal (who both claim to have been the first in Rioja to make wine in the Bordeaux fashion). When phylloxera devastated Bordeaux in the 1870s and the French influence really took hold in Rioja, many of the region's finest bodegas started production on what we now consider as the great wines of Rioja. It’s important to remember that Bordeaux winemaking methods then were very different to those employed today in France, and involved long ageing in barrel, a factor that the Riojans took up enthusiastically. So enthusiastically in fact that to this day there are a number of Bodegas that still make their wine in a surprisingly similar fashion to that of the Bordelais in the later part of the 1800s and this also explains why oak ageing is such an important part of Riojan winemaking. USE OF OAK Pronounced vanilla flavours in the wines are a trademark of the region though some modern winemakers are experimenting with making wines less influenced by oak. Originally French oak was used but as the cost of the barrels increased many bodegas began to buy American oak planks and fashion them into barrels at Spanish cooperages in a style more closely resembling the French method. This included hand splitting the wood, rather than sawing, and allowing the planks time to dry and 'season' in the outdoors versus drying in the kiln. In recent times, more bodegas have begun using French oak and many will age wines in both American and French oak for blending purposes. In the past, it was not uncommon for some bodegas to age their red wines for 15-20 years or even more before their release. One notable example of this is Marqués de Murrieta which released its 1942 vintage Gran Reserva in 1983 after 41 years of ageing. Today most bodegas have shifted their winemaking focus to wines that are ready to drink sooner with the top wines typically ageing for 4-8 years prior to release though some traditionalists still age longer. The typical bodega owns anywhere from 10,000 to 40,000 oak barrels. The use of oak in white wine has declined significantly in recent times when before the norm was traditionally 2-5 years in oak. This created slightly oxidised wines with flavours of caramel, coffee, and roasted nuts that did not appeal to a large market of consumers. Today the focus of white winemakers has been to enhance the vibrancy and fruit flavours of the wine. WINE CLASSIFICATION Most Riojan Bodegas believe that the ageing of a wine should be the responsibility of the producer rather than that of the consumer, and this is why much Rioja is more mature than wines from other countries. Rioja red wines are classified into four categories. The first, simply labelled 'Rioja', or 'Sin Crianza' (meaning 'without ageing') is the youngest, spending less than a year in oak. A "Crianza" is wine aged for at least two years, at least one of which is in oak. 'Reserva' is aged for at least three years, of which at least one year is in oak. Finally, 'Gran Reserva' wines have been aged at least two years in oak and three years in bottle. Reserva and Gran Reserva wines are not necessarily produced each year. Also produced are wines in a semi-crianza style, those that have had a couple of months of oak influence but not enough to be called a full crianza. The designation of Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva might not always appear on the front label but may appear on a neck or back label in the form of a stamp designation known as Consejo. SUB REGIONS Rioja Alta Located on the western edge of the region, and at higher elevations than the other areas, the Rioja Alta is known for more fruity and concentrated wines which can have very smooth texture and mouth feel. Rioja Alavesa Despite sharing a similar climate as the Alta region, the Rioja Alavesa produces wines with a fuller body and higher acidity. Vineyards in the area have a low vine density with large spacing between rows. This is due to the relatively poor conditions of the soil with the vines needing more distance from each other and less competition for the nutrients in the surrounding soil. Rioja Baja Unlike the more continental climate of the Alta and Alavesa, the Rioja Baja is strongly influenced by a Mediterranean climate which makes this area the warmest and driest of the Rioja. In the summer months, drought can be a significant viticultural hazard, though since the late 1990s irrigation has been permitted. Temperatures in the summer typically reach 95°F. Twenty percent of the vineyards actually fall within the Navarra appellation but the wine produced from the grapes is still allowed to claim the Rioja designation. The predominant grape here is the Garnacha which prefers the hot conditions, unlike the more aromatic Tempranillo. Consequently Baja wines are very deeply coloured and can be highly alcoholic with some wines at 18% alcohol by volume. The wines typically do not have much acidity or aroma and are generally used as blending components with wines from other parts of the Rioja. The Riojans are master blenders (as they have to be because there are relatively few single estates in the area, the norm being to blend from a wide variety of vineyards and wine areas). Consequently they are able to reduce vintage variation by careful blending and many of the best wines vary relatively little between vintages. VITICULTURE & GRAPES Rioja wines are normally a blend of various grape varieties, and can be either red (tinto), white (blanco) or rosé (rosado). Rioja has a total of 57,000 hectares cultivated, yielding 250 million litres of wine annually, of which 85% is red. The harvest time for most Rioja vineyards is September-October with the northern Rioja Alta having the latest harvest in late October. The soil here is clay-based with a high concentration of chalk and iron (which provides the redness in the soil that may be responsible for the region's name, Rioja, meaning red). There is also significant concentration of limestone, sandstone and alluvial silt. Among the Tintos, the best-known and most widely-used variety is Tempranillo. Other grapes used include Garnacha Tinta, Graciano, and Mazuelo. A typical blend will consist of approximately 60% Tempranillo and up to 20% Garnacha, with much smaller proportions of Mazuelo and Graciano. Each grape adds a unique component to the wine with Tempranillo contributing the main flavours and ageing potential to the wine; Garnacha adding body and alcohol; Mazuelo adding seasoning flavours and Graciano adding additional aromas. With Rioja Blanco, Viura is the prominent grape (also known as Macabeo) and is sometimes blended with some Malvesia and Garnacha Blanca. In the white wines the Viura contributes mild fruitness, acidity and some aroma to the blend with Garnacha Blanca adding body and Malvasia adding aroma. Rosados are mostly derived from Garnacha grapes. The 'international varieties' of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have gained some attention and use through experimental plantings by some bodegas but their use has created wines distinctly different from the typical Rioja. Some of the most sought after grapes come from the limestone/sandstone based 'old vine' vineyards in the Alavesa and Alta regions. These 40 year old plus vines are prized due to their low yields and more concentrated flavours. A unique DO regulation stipulates that the cost of the grapes used to make Rioja must exceed by at least 200% the national average of wine grapes used in all Spanish wines. VINTAGE CHART Rioja (Red) Year % 2004 Superb vintage, classic wines Drink or Hold 94 2003 Hot, dry year, long-ageing wines Drink or Hold 91 2002 Smallest vintage in 10 years. Variable quality. Keep to top names Drink or Hold 87 2001 Excellent year for long ageing Reservas and Gran Reservas Drink or Hold 94 2000 A generally good vintage with fine Reservas Drink or Hold 89 1999 Smaller vintage of good quality Drink or Hold 88 1998 Good vintage Drink or Hold 97 1997 Unexciting so far, but quaffable Drink or Hold 84 1996 Good year, plenty of ageing potential Drink or Hold 89 1995 Very good vintage, Reservas now showing excellent fruit Drink or Hold 92 1994 Outstanding, some great long-ageing wines Drink or Hold 94 1993 Lesser wines, apart from best-known names Drink 77 1992 Rather light vintage Drink 80 1991 Still improving, average quality Drink or Hold 85 1990 Fairly ordinary but quaffable Drink 84 1989 Good, firm structure Drink 88 Rioja Reserva & Gran Reserva – Vintages of the Eighties Year % 1989 Goodish vintage, well balanced Drink 88 1988 Fairly good vintage, well balanced wines Drink 88 1987 Very attractive vintage, now at peak Drink 90 1986 Average year, now drinking well Drink 87 1985 Average year, now drinking well Drink 87 1984 Disappointing, with problem weather Avoid 80 1983 Don't keep it any longer Drink 86 1982 Now past its best Drink 83 1981 Superb wines, finest will keep longer Drink 90 1980 Average vintage, don't keep any longer Drink 86 More vintage charts Mp on weinlagen-info |