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| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.8 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 88 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by FjordogFjell on 3/26/2024 & rated 92 points: Til påskepinnekjøtt på Stryn. Klassisk nese med rik vanilje, gulplomme. Rik og fruktig smak med god syre som sitter lenge. 1 dag: rik og solid (134 views) | | | Tasted by GregK59 on 12/30/2022: Oxidised - undrinkable. (778 views) | | | Tasted by AudunG on 4/30/2022 & rated 90 points: Quite dark yellow. Rich, old styled Rioja, with pronounced old barrel aromas in addition to some citrus and ripe apples. Very concentrated and intense. Unashamedly young! (1327 views) | | | Tasted by FjordogFjell on 12/24/2021 & rated 92 points: Forsmak til 3 nøtter. Krydret lukt med gul fruk mot mandarin skall. Overaskende klar og rein smak med omboplomme delikat eik og krydder. Sitron frisk syre som sitter lenge sammen med eik i ettersmaken. 4 dager i flaske: Klar gulplomme og litt sherry. Fin frukt. 6 dager: Rik lukt og smak, nesten mer en ved åpning. Flott vin (1589 views) | | | Tasted by Janstan on 10/1/2020 & rated 92 points: Went great with halibut, capers and tomatoes. Sweet fennel and sweet basal fresh oregano honeycomb,. Baked apricot, wet hay, baked apple (2097 views) | | | Tasted by FjordogFjell on 12/24/2019 & rated 92 points: Kraftig lukt av voks og litt kålrot, motorolje. Klar smak av marsipan, gulpommer, treverk. Klar og syrlig smaksprofil. Lang frisk ettersmak. Fantastisk til pinnekjøtt. Perfekt moden? Ingen kokkus fat-preg eller sødmefylt feit frukt. 2 dager i flasken: Fyldigere og bedre balanse i dag (2415 views) | | | Tasted by SimonG on 4/16/2019 & rated 92 points: Lovely. The right balance between the waxy, lanolin and chalky Tondo style and a slight freshness and lightness of foot. Balanced, complex and long. **** (2370 views) | | | Tasted by Janstan on 12/9/2018 & rated 90 points: Could not identify fruit. Went well with Moroccan sardines, stuffed mushrooms w/orange rind, Manchego cheese, Marcona almonds (2201 views) | | | Tasted by nzinkgraf on 12/7/2017: In a really great spot right now. Drinks great with simple foods. (2981 views) | | | Tasted by PEKB on 10/12/2017 & rated 91 points: Beautiful amber color. Tangerine, orange blossom, ripe yellow apples, ginger and cloudberry on the nose. Oxidative. Good acidity and aging potential. A great Rioja experience. I will try to get hold of a few more bottles from this producer! (3205 views) | | | Tasted by BrionHammond on 11/3/2016 & rated 92 points: Lemon and tangerine on the nose. Good acid on the palate. Young, good balance and complex. (3669 views) | | | Tasted by MC2 Wines on 8/18/2016: Nice age, good acidity, a touch of bitterness (which works for the wine), maybe some older lemon notes. For some reason I get some characteristics of honey if you took out the sweet. Nice and elegant. (3509 views) | | | Tasted by ckinv368 on 8/18/2016 & rated 93 points: Orange, lemon, spice box, tangerine and some burnt pineapple. Smooth, supple, still young and fresh. (3181 views) | | | Tasted by Janstan on 6/17/2016 & rated 88 points: Surprisingly light, took about 1/2 hour to come to its best, perhaps warming up from 57. No discernable flavors. Went. Very well with Spanish smoke paprika rubbed chicken. (2667 views) | | | Tasted by honest bob on 10/3/2015 & rated 88 points: From 75cl, good cork. Tondonia blanco in a light-scaled format. Drink up this vintage. 88P (3449 views) | | | Tasted by JVG on 5/2/2015: No formal notes, but this was excellent. I couldn't believe the freshness it had at 22 years old. Preserved lemon, savory oak, salinity, toasted nut, and bright acid structure. Great balance and complexity. (3113 views) | | | Tasted by Blauweiss on 2/28/2015 & rated 91 points: Last bottle, still great! (3018 views) | | | Tasted by FjordogFjell on 12/24/2014 & rated 88 points: Forsmak på kjøkkenet: Litt flat på smak rett etter åpning, svak syre. Litt skuffende, kom seg litt i løpet av noen dager :-) (971 views) | | | Tasted by Los 12 Glotones on 2/5/2014 & rated 90 points: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Els12golafres Wine Tasting Group: http://vinosclasicos.blogspot.com.es/2013/07/vina-tondonia-1993-blanco-reserva.html
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De color amarillo dorado, algo oscuro, limpio, reflejos dorados y ambarinos. Mucha sensación de grosor, lágrimas amplias, permanentes.
En nariz está dominado por la fruta madura y un matiz licoroso y avainillado que trae el brioche, orejones, carne de membrillo, cítricos dulces, limón escarchado. Barrica menos intrusiva de lo habitual y completamente integrada al conjunto. Despuntan suaves notas especiadas a semillas de cilantro, cúrcuma, laurel, que van ganando poco a poco más presencia. Suave, cremoso, aromático, directo, sin grandes artificios pero cumplidor.
En boca es carnoso, seco, corpulento. Muy buena acidez que da paso a un conjunto de enorme madurez con recuerdos de fruta en sazón. Adictivo, sabroso, redondo. Algo menos complejo que otras añadas pero compensado por su inmediatez. Se bebe con gran placer. No parece un vino con grandes posibilidades de envejecimiento pero sin dudas se disfruta como en pocas ocasiones.
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90% viura, 10% malvasía - 12.5% vol.
Vendimia manual. Fermentación en viejas tinas de roble de 60 hectolitros sin control de temperatura. Permanece durante 6 años en barricas de roble americano de 225 litros. Sometido a 2 trasiegas manuales cada año. Clarificado con claras de huevos frescos. Embotellado directamente de la barrica sin filtrar. Permanece durante un mínimo de 9 años en los calados de la bodega antes de ser comercializado. Producción limitada a 14.000 botellas.
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Day 2: this hasn't improved, on the contrary. Now it has something distinctly unpleasantly plastic-ether-like on the mid-palate. Not a good drink in this condition. I'll settle for 87P for P+P. (3208 views) | | | Tasted by igaf on 7/11/2013: Rich, full nose with marzipan, spice, honey, wax, very light VA, getting slightly nutty character with time. Quite fascinating. Full, fresh, very nicely balanced, waxy and complex. Apricots, citrus rind, aged notes on the palate. Very long, candied citrus aftertaste. (2739 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, September/October 2011, IWC Issue #158
(R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva Blanco Rioja) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (6/14/2011)
(López Heredia, Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja White) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (6/28/2012)
(R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia) Medium golden color; savory, preserved lemon, coriander, light cumin nose; tasty, silky textured, baked lemon, mineral, preserved lemon, coriander palate; medium-plus finish 93+ points 93 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (1/8/2012)
(R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia) Light medium golden yellow color; floaty, almond, tart lemon, lemon gelee, sweet butter nose; tasty, youthful, oily textured, lemon oil, potato salad, light butter palate; long finish 93 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (10/12/2011)
(R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia) Light golden yellow color; rich, savory, mineral, baked apple nose; tasty, baked apple, mineral, savory palate; medium-plus finish 91+ points (90% Viura, 10% Malvasia) 91 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and JancisRobinson.com and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| R. López de Heredia Producer WebsiteWhite 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 TondoniaJay 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-infoSpain 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-infoLa Rioja Alta Map on weinlagen-infoRioja 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
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