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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.9 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 53 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Utstein on 12/29/2023 & rated 93 points: A little closed and funky at opening, but reveals itself nicely after a while. Nut, honey, mushroom, apples. Acidity is great and a long aftertaste. Great with cheese and cured meat. (2141 views) | | | Tasted by PacoHigon on 11/24/2023: Color dorado con destellos oro viejo. 2009 es una edad razonable para un blanco de Tondonia pero me pareció algo evolucionado. Comienza algo reducido en nariz, para dar paso a notas de ciruela amarilla, flores silvestres, especias dulces, tostados, corteza de pomelo, miel ligera y frutsos secos. En boca la entrada es buena, pasa bastante fluido aunque por momento hay cierto peso en boca, lo mejor la frescura, suaves amargos, cuerpo medio y bastante persistencia. (1736 views) | | | Tasted by MasterWis on 10/18/2023 & rated 94 points: First time experiencing this wine and clearly a step above from the Gravonia. The ageing is integrated (but maybe too much wood for my taste, not an issue, just a question of preference), superb presence on the palate, long finish. Drink this with a nice selection of hard cheese and you'll be in heaven (2042 views) | | | Tasted by glou.sf on 10/13/2023 & rated 95 points: Expressive nose with lovely notes of white flowers, almonds, lemon, citrus, apple, and smoke. Nice acidity on the palate with deep and rich flavors of nuts, more lemon, flowers, and minerals. Long finish. This was outstanding, even better than the last bottle. The wine is complex and rich, yet doesn't feel heavy at all. (2109 views) | | | Tasted by canan on 9/1/2023 & rated 91 points: Lopez di Heredia BYO (@MichaelsPlace): Apple-core bitterness, mint and barnyard. (1622 views) | | | Tasted by remyworldpeace on 8/31/2023 & rated 93 points: Nose of ripe yellow fruit, brown sugar, with a lovely toasty oak and sweet marzipan note. Palate yellow fruit, melon, some lime acidity and a notable ferrous streak of minerality. Touch of the "blood" taste I'd tasted before in the 2006, but less pronounced. Certainly very interesting again. And indeed enjoyable. (1913 views) | | | Tasted by glou.sf on 7/4/2023 & rated 94 points: Fragrant on the nose with notes of white flowers, apple, lemon, spices, chalk, and rich yellow fruit. Quite high acidity with a distinct saline note, minerals, lemon juice and zest, and just a tiny hint of vanilla/oak. Nice finish. Really interesting and complex wine, this should age beautifully. 94+ (2428 views) | | | Tasted by Heynetty on 4/17/2023: A medium gold
N: Pronounced nose of yellow apple, ripe lemon, dried apricot, vanilla, acetaldehyde, baking spices, like cinnamon and nutmeg, dried herbs, hazelnuts, honey, caramel
P: Dry, high acidity, medium alcohol, medium body, pronounced intensity, long finish
C: This is more savory than ever. It is developing and so is suitable for ageing. The presence of primary, secondary and tertiary elements in the aromas/flavors are in fine balance in this developing wine. The persistent pomaceous , citrus and stonefruit push through with their high concentration to deliver a complex wine with over 6 descriptive clusters. This wine is of outstanding quality.
There is sufficient acid to keep this fresh as the primary and secondary characters combine and further develop to add further complexity to this already outstanding wine.
Outstanding wine. Not as smoky as I remember it (2584 views) | | | Tasted by merlotsmile on 1/10/2023 & rated 93 points: The 2009 Rioja Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia showed extremely well with notes of dried apricot, almonds, vanilla, honey, fudge and spices. Very complex and a great long finish.
@poemasbyhermanospadron (3160 views) | | | Tasted by NoTrollingerPlease on 12/10/2022 & rated 92 points: R. López de Heredia Tasting (Freiheit Vinothek, Ulm, Germany): Glass: Zalto Universal
Tasted blind. Popped and poured. Clear, deep golden color. At the beginning a bit strange nose with lots of sweet/sour vegetables, but it vanished with temperature and air and become more Tondonia like.
Seemed to me like a younger version of the 2003 vintage, probably even a bit lighter. The same beautiful saltiness, freshness, juiciness and elegance, beautiful grip. Long, lingering finish. 92-93 (3069 views) | | | Tasted by Barsacpinci on 10/30/2022: Quite lovely. I'm not usually a fan of this oxidative style of wine but this handled it quite well. Beautiful mineral nose followed by a ton of stone fruit. I quite enjoyed this. (2916 views) | | | Tasted by Claret & CdP Gang on 10/27/2022 & rated 93 points: Golden, oily, aromas of sherry, bees wax, wild honey, full bodied, sweetish, fresh, full of energy, a lovely Tondonia, will it get better? Probably but it’s in a lovely spot now
93+ (2712 views) | | | Tasted by Xavier Auerbach on 10/16/2022 & rated 93 points: Utregs Wijnhuis Lopez de Heredia Tasting (Restaurant Maeve, Utrecht. NL): Spicy oak and tart citrus on the nose, fresh and elegant palate, almond cream, lemon curd, salted butter, very energetic and elegant, floral finish, youthful, so bright. (3386 views) | | | Tasted by gornals on 10/4/2022 & rated 99 points: The wine looks yellow gold colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like toast, medium toast, cedar, oak, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, stoniness, honeysuckle, almond, hazelnut, sherry, leesy and biscuity. The body is medium. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has high acidity. Exceptional wine! (2146 views) | | | Tasted by ThijsV on 9/29/2022 & rated 93 points: [Restaurant purchase] very curious to see how this would perform as I have a couple (04, 05 & 10) in the cellar. No detailed notes. Sherry on the nose and as it got warmer a bit of butterscotch, beewax. Similar on the palate, with a bit more vanilla. Long finish. On the young side (2082 views) | | | Tasted by shza on 9/28/2022 & rated 91 points: This was my first time trying this, after picking up this bottle on a whim a few years ago. Dark yellow/amber, with a nose and palate that borders on sherry-like. Better at cellar or even room temperature than colder — it’s almost a red wine in white wine’s clothes. Unique and very good, and I enjoyed it more and more as The night went on, but I don’t rate this quite as highly as this site as a whole seems to, or what current prices might suggest. I’d happily rebuy at the ~$60-ish I paid though. (2245 views) | | | Tasted by Matata on 9/18/2022 & rated 92 points: Intens duft. Oliven, salt, ristede nøtter. Heftig konsentrasjon og lengde. (2108 views) | | | Tasted by timothynbond on 8/6/2022 & rated 90 points: Hazy gold color with loads of butterscotch on the nose. Medium body, medium-to-medium-plus acid. Waxy mouthfeel with honey, lime, sea salt and orange juice. Lovely. (2414 views) | | | Tasted by xwine on 7/23/2022: Stellar! An intoxicating nose flowers, vanilla, spice. Just a hint of oxidation, with perfect structure and texture. So good. This wine never disappoints. (2567 views) | | | Tasted by drwine2001 on 7/14/2022: Deep yellow with an amber tinge. Just the slightest hint of oxidation, almond paste, and soil. Medium weight, excellent glycerine feel. Honeysuckle, bitter citrus, and earth backed up by strong acidity. As usual, incredibly interesting and long. My pathetic descriptors don't do it justice. (3035 views) | | | Tasted by Bgropp4 on 3/15/2022 & rated 95 points: Cracked into another of these for a Spanish wine tasting. I buy a lot of this wine because it simply puts a smile on my face every time. Singular and expressive per usual, there’s nothing else like these bottlings besides the sibling Gravonia and Rosado. See my other post for TN’s. Out of 10 Spanish bottles this was my WOTN. (3382 views) | | | Tasted by nzinkgraf on 12/14/2021: Orange rind, nutty and leesy at the cork pull. (4298 views) | | | Tasted by Morrisson on 11/28/2021 & rated 92 points: Un vin assez extraordinaire qui présente beaucoup de complexité. Il prend un peu de temps à se placer lors de l’ouverture. Des saveurs de noix, de miel avec un petit fonds de tabac se dévoilent progressivement. Un vin vraiment savoureux, unique et intéressant. (3753 views) | | | Tasted by rmalloy on 11/8/2021 & rated 93 points: Delicious. (2416 views) | | | Tasted by ludwigbpm on 10/30/2021 & rated 94 points: Couleur dorée mais un peu plus pâle qu’à l’habitude. Arômes de fruits confits, miel, un peu de noix enrobée de caramel en finale. Un peu moins de fraîcheur en ce millesime, c’est riche mais l’alcool reste faible (12,5%!) et l’acidité présente pour contrebalancer l’aromatique mûre. Excellent. (4257 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Nancy Gilchrist MW
Decanter, Wood & Winemaking (5/1/2022)
(R Lopez de Heredia, Viña Tondonia Reserva Blanco, Viura, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, White) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com (9/25/2021)
(López de Heredia Rioja Viña Tondonia Reserva, Spain) Subscribe to see review text. | By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, Rioja: The Past Is Always Present (Apr 2021) (4/1/2021)
(R. Lopez de Heredia Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia White) Subscribe to see review text. | By Simon Field MW
Decanter, Lopez de Heredia producer profile (2/1/2021)
(R Lopez de Heredia, Viña Tondonia Reserva, Rioja, Alta, Spain, White) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Decanter and JamesSuckling.com and Vinous. (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
Mp on weinlagen-info
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