1998 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia

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cardsandwine Likes this wine:

Tuesday, June 4, 2013 - Sensational wine. Amazing purity and evolves in the glass with each sip. A tantalizing earthy bouquet and lingering finish.

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Comment posted by Harley1199:

6/5/2013 3:45:00 PM - Absolutely agree with these 1998 LdH
Delicious and probably a long distance runner.
My magnum for 2018.
Cheers,
Comment posted by cardsandwine:

6/6/2013 5:47:00 PM - Harley, just posted a blog about these wines. You can view it here http://winewithoutnumbers.blogspot.com/2013/06/lopez-de-heredia.html
Comment posted by Harley1199:

6/7/2013 2:08:00 AM - Hi again Cardsandwine,
Very nice and complete blog.
What a fantastic group have you there!
You're a truly LdH fan and I understand why.
I was, still I am but have my fears for LdH.
I went there last summer and wine conception is unaltered in the final process but what is happening in the vines? What's going on in the middle? Any oak has been changed? I don't know but I felt something different in the last 2001 and I'm really scared cause I loved, love these wines.
Just a little correction.... Here we call Viña Real Gran Reserva, in any case CVNE Real. Sorry about it.
Cheers until the last drop,
Comment posted by cardsandwine:

6/7/2013 8:52:00 AM - Harley, thanks for the comments. I too hope nothing changes. I have had both the Tondonia and Bosconia from 2003 and both were great. I did have a couple of bad bottles of the 99 Tondodonio Reserva. The last bottle was ok, but much lighter than usual.

I am aware that the Real is CVNE and I am updating my post.

Stay well and keep enjoying LdH
Comment posted by Harley1199:

6/7/2013 10:43:00 AM - Hello cardsandwine,

Thanks for your kind advices and comments.
May I recommend last Viña Bosconia GR 95? Superior class here.
Trust me that Real is not good enough when here in Spain we refer to a Viña Real bottle ;-). On the other hand, Tondonia, Bosconia or Gramona are reconizible names for the LdH wines.
I know, I know there's not a logical here. Sorry.
My faith in LdH is almost indestructible. Don't worry about it.
Cheers,
Comment posted by cardsandwine:

6/7/2013 1:22:00 PM - Harley, I'm not worried at all. I have a lot of LdH in my cellar going back to 1964, including 3 bottles of the 95 Bosconia Gran Reserva which I have yet to open. My wife's birthday this weekend and I think I'll pop a cork on one. Thanks for the recommendation.

Saluté
Comment posted by Harley1199:

6/7/2013 2:51:00 PM - So good to find a LdH lover as you are.
More than recommendations I would like to know your opinion about our winemakers.
I mean, if have any experience with Remirez de Ganuza, Rioja Alta, Muga, Murrieta, Riscal, Remelluri, Franco Españolas among many others.
According with your TN at CT none but you never know.
Cheers!
Comment posted by cardsandwine:

6/7/2013 4:05:00 PM - Harley, I am an old world guy. Of the winemakers you mentioned I have only had, Ganuza, Muga and Remelluri to date. I find Ganuza and Remelluri a bit too modern for me. The older vintages of Muga that I have had I liked a lot, but have found new vintages are also on the modern side. While I have not had the La Rioja Alta yet, I just added the Gran Reserva 904 to my cellar and am looking forward to trying it soon. I am not familiar with Murrieta or Franco Espanolas. Who would you compare them to?

I am a very big fan of Gonzalez Byass Ololroso dry sherry. Here are my notes on the 1964. "Without question the finest Sherry I have ever had. It displayed a gorgeous clear amber color in the glass and possessed a bouquet that was both seductive and intoxicating. On the palate it was refined, lush and compelling with a monster finish". I just realized I never posted these notes and am about to do so.

Any suggestions on wines I should try would be welcomed.

Saluté
Comment posted by Harley1199:

6/8/2013 4:05:00 AM - So you're a big fan Oloroso too! Well done. You know what's good in life.
Let's talk a little about Sherry then at first.
In summer time I don't drink beer but cold Fino or Manzanilla, the freshest styles.
Oloroso, my favourite, Amontillado and Palo Cortado are more for the reflexion of a rainy day staying at home.
Recommendations? If you can find it please try Matusalem Palo Cortado with a light touch of PX, also Sacristia de Romate Amontillado and Oloroso, both are terrific.
Rioja talking. Castillo de Ygay GR is a property of Murrieta. That Castillo and Murrieta Reserva range always are a good place to take a rest. Traditional Rioja here so need to soft for a quilt, what about ten years plus?
Ganuza and Remelluri as modern style? Well it's hard to say for me cause to my taste are quite similar to Muga, specially a few years after bottling.
With time a Remirez de Ganuza GR o just Reserva of a good vintage are singing. Same thing for Remelluri GR.
Muga, I agree, needs time to show its beauty. I like their Crianza when 8-10 years old, its Reserva with ten years plus and its Prado Enea when 15 plus...
Franco Españolas has many different brands as Bordón or Royal. I know they've a distributor in Canada. Uncomplicated style always delicious and a food friend.
At least but not last, traditionalist Rioja Alta also with many ranges and brands.
Viña Alberdi a Crianza range for an early drinking.
Viña Ardanza, something more serious and complex to be enjoying with food when it's young and with a good Habano from Cuba when elder.
Try now those 2001 and 2004
Really complexity starts with 904. 1995 and 1998 worth a visit at this point but they'll improve for sure. 2001 is a freaking sweet vintage and it is open but better idea to let it soft.
La creme de la creme, 890 a multilayered Rioja. A delicious elixir to be enjoyed next decades. Youngest is 1998 but, not a surprise, a 1995 bottle will shows its potential at this point.
A Rioja and Oloroso lover is always welcome
Btw, age isn't anything more than a number on a paper...
Cheers,
Comment posted by cardsandwine:

6/8/2013 12:49:00 PM - Harley, thanks for the recommendations. Based on your comments i picked up a bottle of NV Equipo Navasos - La Bota de Palo Cortado 34 Sherry and a bottle of NV Equipo Navasos - La Bota de Fino 35 Sherry. I am looking forward to trying them.

As to my "modern" comments regarding the Ganuza and Remelluri I was referring to the pronounced presence of new oak that I find in these wines. I guess over time the oak becomes more integrated in the wine.

Thanks again for you informative comments.

Saluté
Comment posted by Harley1199:

6/8/2013 2:08:00 PM - Cardsandwine,
Take care with Navazos team.
Their wines come from some of the oldest, best even, wineries of Sherry and Sanlucar. In spite of that, there's not spirit at all inside those bottles.
To me Navazos is nothing more than a marketing operation.
Dislike wines without a soul. I prefer authenticity.
Remirez de Ganuza...try 1994 Reserva if you can catch it and tell me then the day after.
Cheers,
Comment posted by cardsandwine:

6/9/2013 7:10:00 AM - Harley, thanks for comments. I purchased these sherries upon the recommendation of my friend Chris Cree, MW who owns a wine shop that specializes in "wines with soul", as I am on board with seeking out these kind of wines. In fact in many of my notes in CT, I use those words. Plan I trying the fino today, so I will let you know my thoughts.

I have a good friend who is in the wine business, and used to specialize in Spanish wines here in the states. If anyone can locate the '94 Ganuza it will be him. Saluté
Comment posted by Harley1199:

6/9/2013 11:31:00 AM - Hi there New Jersey,
About Navazos team. These guys are buying old Sherry soleras from some prestigious wineries in order to bottling them with their own touch. The result is sherry like a robot. Beauty without soul. A clone.
There's not genuine sherry there but an absurd perfection. Supposed perfection.
About oldies from Rioja, some recommendations for that friend
- Baron d'Anglade 94/95 Possibly 01/04/05
- Señorio de San Vicente 95/98/99
- Castillo Ygay GR 59/68
- Royal GR 70
- Imperial GR 88/96/99
- Monte Real GR 64/87
Here you've a few examples
Cheers,
Comment posted by cardsandwine:

6/9/2013 11:37:00 AM - Harley, I must say you know your stuff. Just got back from the gym and opened the Navazos Fino. Chilled as per your suggestion. One sip & Iyour words rang true, 'NO SOUL". This is extremely light and quite flat. I don't think it will get any better.

I will pass your list on to my friend. I would love to try these wines. Saluté.
Comment posted by Harley1199:

6/9/2013 11:48:00 AM - Do you? That's Navazos...
Oh sorry for that bottle but afraid they're like they're.
Please, try some of those Rioja and post me your comments.
Cheers,