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 Vintage2001 Label 1 of 137 
TypeWhite
ProducerR. López de Heredia (web)
VarietyWhite Blend
DesignationBlanco Reserva
VineyardViña Tondonia
CountrySpain
RegionLa Rioja
SubRegionLa Rioja Alta
AppellationRioja

Drinking Windows and Values
Drinking window: Drink between 2018 and 2032 (based on 9 user opinions)
Wine Market Journal quarterly auction price: See Lopez de Heredia Rioja Reserva Blanco Vina Tondonia on the Wine Market Journal.

Community Tasting History

Community Tasting Notes (average 92.2 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 69 notes) - hiding notes with no text

 Tasted by NickA on 1/31/2024 & rated 95 points: Lorne Rangers 2024 (Lorne): Cor, what a wine! Fresher and with more pizazz than the '92, but not particularly less complex and tertiary in flavour profile. More orange peel than its flight-mate's lemon, with additional aromas of dill, Wrigley's Spearmint and a mellow, smoky rubber note reminiscent of a pre-war bus at a transport museum. Juicy, chewy and so, so long on the palate, and also refreshing and moreish, with a clean, yeasty finish and other fun notes like savoury sourdough, mushroom and lapsang souchong. Really exciting stuff. (598 views)
 Tasted by Vinumming & Ahhing on 1/31/2024 & rated 92 points: Lorne Rangers 2024 - Rioja (Lorne Restaurant, London): Tangerine and ginger nose with some flecks of spearmint. With air some subtle smokiness too. Palate really in a good place with an acid core and savoury structure around it. With an hour in the glass there are all sorts of other aromas spotted around the table; some dill a little Lapsang Souchong, hints of marzipan and pine resin. Very hard to separate from the '92 it is served with; by the finest of margins I prefer that. (498 views)
 Tasted by Claret & CdP Gang on 8/16/2023: Revisiting a favourite of mine, oxidative style with rich full bodied palate, at its peak I believe (866 views)
 Tasted by futronic on 6/24/2022 & rated 95 points: Honeycomb, lanolin, lemon drops, white flowers, hay, and a hint of dried herbs in the traditional, slightly oxidized LdH style. Wow. What a stunning bottle of wine. Can easily go another ten years, or more. (1628 views)
 Tasted by forceberry on 1/15/2022 & rated 97 points: A blend of Viura aka. Macabeo (90%) and Malvasia Riojana aka. Alarije (10%). After the spontaneous fermentation, the wine is aged for 6 years in predominantly old American oak barrels, bottled unfiltered and aged for a further 5-6 years in the bottles before release. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted in Tondonia Blanco 1999-2005 vertical.

Luminous burnished golden color - very similar to the 2000 vintage and more youthful than the darker 1999 and 2002 vintages. The nose feels complex, slightly evolved and quite powerful with somewhat concentrated aromas of slivered almonds, some resinous tones, a little bit of hay, light creamy oak nuances, a sweet evolved hint of wizened peach, a touch of smoke and a toasty whiff of brioche. The wine feels remarkably concentrated, moderately full-bodied and even slightly oily on the palate with intense and remarkably dry, layered flavors of ripe red apple and tart lemony citrus fruits, tangy salinity, some savory wood spice, a little bit of oxidative nutty complexity, light creamy nuances, a sweet hint of dried yellow fruits and a touch of chalky mineral bitterness. Although the wine shows some sense of concentration and weight, the prominent, remarkably high acidity makes the wine feel very balanced and structure-driven. The finish is long, complex and tangy with bright, dry flavors of lemony citrus fruits, sharp saline mineral notes, some crisp Granny Smith apple, a little bit of chalky minerality, light evolved nuances of hay and chopped nuts, a developed hint of creamy oak and a touch of bruised or baked apple.

This has been consistently an outstanding vintage of Tondonia Blanco Reserva, but as I've tasted the wine previously only soon after release, I really haven't been able to glimpse the full potential of the wine. Now, in a vertical tasting, the wine really stood head and shoulders above the surrounding vintages, showing some evolved complexity, yet coming across as remarkably youthful, focused and structure-driven, even for a Tondonia Reserva. I really wish I would've purchased more of this upon release - at 20,95€ this was a screaming bargain. A very singular wine that is offering tons of complexity already now, yet still manages to show some additional potential for future evolution. I'd say this was my WotN in out Tondonia Blanco vertical and probably my favorite vintage of the Heredia Reservas vintages from the past 25 years - it is really difficult to make a white Rioja any better than this. (3021 views)
 Tasted by rocknroller on 11/20/2021 & rated 94 points: Big Al & Janelle's Spanish Inspired Blowout (Big Al & Janelle's, St. Anthony, MN): Medium golden color. Drank a glass over an hour plus. This was in great shape tonight showing a vibrant nose with lemon oil, lacquer, dried oranges, lanolin, smoke infused bees wax and fusil. The palate is robust and layered, oily textured with an array of citrus oils from mandarin orange to grapefruit, citrus zest, flinty and smoky minerals and loads of dry extract on a long vigorous finish. Loved it. 94+pts. (2342 views)
 Tasted by Chasse_spleen on 11/12/2021 & rated 92 points: Very special wine, dry and slightly bitter (meant as a compliment), did not work at all with the cod and hollandaise. But was fantastic to the Etivaz hard cheese with fig/date marmalade! Wonderful combination. Very good wine - but match it carefully with the right food. Probably good to charcuterie as an aperitif as well. (1966 views)
 Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 1/3/2021: A stunning wine hands down, and then even more stunning with porchetta sandwhiches and a meyer lemon / almond remoulade. (2761 views)
 Tasted by Winestwit on 12/5/2020 & rated 93 points: Still seems young, golden in colour, orange peel and some notes of honey on the nose and palate. Simply delicious and could last for many more years. (1953 views)
 Tasted by Lype on 8/7/2020: Youthful a bit resinous oxidised nose which gives the impression of a young but promising wine, the palate is tightly knit, profound and full of future promise, a dense and complex package of resin, peach, citrus tones, almonds, nuts, apricot and more, oily and savoury, the usual suspects oak, vanilla, fudge and hints of iron are there but deeply buried underneath the bone dry fruit component. Quite enjoyable now but - despite the age of 19 years - the best years are clearly yet to come. Also the firm acidity reveals that this vintage has a long future ahead. The excellent vintages -04 and -05 are really good and drinking well now but the unbelievable -01 is still at the beginning of its drinking curve and in a class of its own, maybe even reminiscent of a good vintage of Blanco Gran Reserva. I will wait several years before opening the next bottle. (2146 views)
 Tasted by Claret & CdP Gang on 7/14/2020: Sushi/sashimi omakase lunch, dark golden yellow, salty, complex, distinctive, will be long lived (2011 views)
 Tasted by europat55 on 1/13/2019 & rated 88 points: Modest nose (B+)
Long finish (B+) (3105 views)
 Tasted by _water.into.wine_ on 11/9/2018 & rated 92 points: Opened and slow oxed for 3 hours. This is a clear gold. Orange peel, high acidity, medium to full body floral character, an oily texture. A great mouthfeel that pairs well with roast pork. Balanced. Ready to drink. Drink now to 2031+ (2337 views)
 Tasted by portman63 on 10/9/2018 & rated 92 points: Showing a golden slightly amber color with lovely savory, lemony, and stony elements all in balance - with food. Just perfect for a rich shellfish-based paella or the nutty hard Spanish cheeses and Serrano/Iberico as I believe this only shows really well with a meal. The acidity/minerality takes over for me if this is tasted on it's own. (2474 views)
 Tasted by Deux Chevaux on 9/11/2018: Golden. Rich, vibrant. Waxy, caramel, curry, savory. Salty, with bracing acidity. Beautifully distinctive. Smoother than the 2004s we’ve recently had. Super wine. (At Kaia Kaipe.) (2521 views)
 Tasted by _water.into.wine_ on 9/7/2018 & rated 92 points: Straw in colour. Oily, buttery, and creamy. Much nicer than a bottle of 2004 vina gravonia I had a few years earlier. (2250 views)
 Tasted by Claret & CdP Gang on 9/7/2018 & rated 92 points: Creamy, oily, wazy, quite ready, unique & singular, a good Tondonia
92 (1692 views)
 Tasted by Christian von Dresky on 8/27/2018 & rated 96 points: Intense, clean, pure, delicate and yet so complex and powerfull - this was all I expected and I am happy that I have been so patiened to open the first bottle. This is really a special wine with an enormous complexity. Bright and fresh with those wonderfull integrated oxydative notes. Salty, very dry with a lot of minerality but also very etheral lemon flavours and a lot of floral hints. Still young, allready a big delight, also a lot of time to improve or better: grow! (1843 views)
 Tasted by David J Cooper on 7/21/2018 & rated 88 points: Clear medium yellow. Fresher then the 2000 Gravonia, pear, cement, and bruised apple nose. Dry apple sauce flavours and a very dry refreshing finish.

Probably needs more time. (1631 views)
 Tasted by Claret & CdP Gang on 2/10/2018: Dark yellow, waxy and buttery, distinct & unique, full bodied white, delicious! (2027 views)
 Tasted by Herr Big Ben on 2/9/2018 & rated 94 points: Feeling addicted to this classic Tondonia style.

Opened this bottle 4 days ago and there was absolutely no development. This will last for ages I guess.


Nose is filled with bee-wax and caramel
On the palate it’s like flesh of a ripe lemon without the hard acidity. Pure and elegant in-mouth feeling with precise structure and mouthwatering flow.
Gripping and chasing for the next sip.
Should drink this more often I guess
Worth any search (high range in price; pays out to look closely) (2512 views)
 Tasted by Claret & CdP Gang on 7/14/2017 & rated 93 points: Golden yellow, honey and butterscotch, fresh and lively, still young even after being opened since morning and a lengthy decant, this needs to be served at the right temperature, not too cold I would say around 16 degrees
93+ (2904 views)
 Tasted by SimonG on 3/2/2017 & rated 92 points: Traditional Rioja (RSJ, London): Slightly musty on the nose initially, but this blows off to reveal a classic Tondo profile. Pale to mid straw. Lemony, waxy and a touch of lanolin. Lovely. **** (3793 views)
 Tasted by Claret & CdP Gang on 2/24/2017 & rated 94 points: Golden yellow, biscuits, creamy, white flowers, a stunner! Decanted for 3 hours & it needs it to open up, still young, long finish, will improve
94+ (3135 views)
 Tasted by Stirling on 2/9/2017 & rated 94 points: Deep yellow/gold in colour. Honey, almonds, pear and melon are just some of the notes one picks up in this incredibly complex and delicious white wine. One thing of particular note was just how much it changed in the glass. With a bit of air it became richer and the floral notes became more accentuated. Medium + to full in body, the unctuous texture was perfectly balanced by the crisp acidity. On the finish there are citrus notes and hints of grapefruit. Made from 90% Viura and 10% Malvasia, it spent 6 years in 25 year old oak barrels. A unique and amazing wine. www.advinetures.ca (1567 views)
 Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine...

CellarTracker Wiki Articles (login to edit | view all articles)

R. López de Heredia

Producer Website

White Blend

"White blend" means the wine is made from a blend of two or more different white varieties - or in some cases a blend of pink or red varieties that are vinified white, ie. without any skin contact.
A blend of Antao, Arinto, Rouperio.

Viña Tondonia

Jay Miller in WA, June 2010
A 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

Spain

Vinos de España - Wines of Spain (Instituto Español de Comercio Exterior) | Wikipedia
Wine 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 Rioja

Consejo Regulador DOC Rioja - Control Board of the D.O.Ca. Rioja
Map on weinlagen-info

La Rioja Alta

Map on weinlagen-info

Rioja

Consejo Regulador DOC Rioja - Control Board of the D.O.Ca. Rioja

HISTORY
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

 
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