Stunning nose, fresh rose petals and smokey leather.
Palate very much the same with lots of spicy cinnamon, black pepper bite, deliciously elegant pure lightweight mouthfeel. Old slightly smokey post-rain Haro earth.
Some tart red sour cherry, great lively acidity. Red plumb skin. Fruit in its softened mature stage, everything really integrated together seamlessly. Great length evolving through a minute long finish.
Maybe 5-10 years left given bottle variation and where you like your tertiary fruit/acid balance to be. With Flannery lamb for mamas 70 with the aunties. Hau'oli lā hānau!
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Lorne Rangers 2024 (Lorne): Discernibly elegant just from its pale ruby appearance in the glass, and smelled fantastic from the moment it was poured, with soft leather, hot earth and that delightful sense that the fruit is poised to complete its transformation into something gamey, but hasn't quite finished doing so. A touch of truffle on the saline, savoury palate, and plenty of spry red fruit. Delicious, and so food-friendly.
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Lorne Rangers 2024 - Rioja (Lorne Restaurant, London): Bell pepper, bridle and cepe stock on pouring. Something gamey too. Palate has a hint of caper, is beautifully savoury and has flawless balancing acidity. Love the way each time you go back to this there are subtle changes around the edges, a hint of Worcester Sauce umami, a little sweet chestnut, a touch of clove and that hint of high class leather. Lovely mature GR Rioja in a great place.
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Rich and elegant, with no appreciable oak notes. Complex nose of dark cherries and red berry Tempranillo fruit with a touch of leather, camphor, and wet leaves. Long finish and still some dustiness of the tannins. This was excellent and will go for decades. 30 minutes of air helped.
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Jim and Michelene for their 40th wedding anniversary w/ chef Don Saunders. Dave D's btl flighted w/ Matt L's 95 Bosconia. What a flt!!! Tonight I slightly preferred the fruit and intensity of this Tondonia. This is totally in the pocket now but, I'd be delighted if I owned at least 3 of them as this still may have some upside, if that's possible? This is/was stunning! 97+ And, I think of myself as more of Bosconia guy. As Dave would say..."amazing". Thanks Dave D!
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Gorgeous nose with complex notes of mushrooms, dried berries, leather, and red fruit. Good acidity with a velvety mouthfeel, notes of old leather, underwood, and red berries on the palate. Long finish. Excellent wine that felt quite mature and drinking close to peak right now. It will probably last for decades, but I don't think it get much better than this.
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[Tasted Double Blind] This pours light garnet in the glass with light bricking. The nose shows sour cherry, green leaf, rose petals, peony, cranberry, cigar ash, and dry soil. The palate is lean and light with cranberry on entry turning to medium minus, almost low tannin, and high acid that is tinged with cranberry and grapefruit pith. The finish is dominated by the sour red fruit, only lightly showing some cigar ash character. A lovely bottle which I expect has great days ahead of it.
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Lopez di Heredia BYO (@MichaelsPlace): Lovely refined small red berry fruit with a touch of licorice, coffee and chicken stock. The wine feels resolved and open with a lovely depth combined with a lovely acidity and solid length. Loved the expression and refinement!
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Tondonia Tasting (Utregs Wijnhuis, Utrecht, NL): Tasted side by side with the Bosconia GR 2001. This was clearly more developed with much more tertiary notes. Savoury, mushrooms, leather, red fruit, blackberry, vanilla, mocha, coffee. Medium+ acidity, medium+ tannins, long finish
Great wine, delicious
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A bit disappointed by this bottle. Robe shows clear signs of oxidation. Nose is a bit shy showing dried prunes and raisins. Mouth is a bit watery and not very complex with a rather short aftertaste. Probably past it’s peak, at least this bottle which clearly lacks intensity and persistence.
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R. López de Heredia Tasting (Freiheit Vinothek, Ulm, Germany): Glass: Zalto Universal Tasted blind. Popped and poured. Clear, deep ruby-garnet color. Fine nose, some barn, tobacco and herbs. On the palate very consistent with my previous notes. It has the elegance and finesse of the 2001 Gran Reserva, but lacks a bit depth and complexity. Full peak, but no hurry at all. 92-93
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Tempranillo (80%), Garnacho (15%), Graciano and Mazuelo, fermented with indigenous yeasts, aged 8 years in American oak barrels, being racked twice per year and fined with fresh egg whites, 12.5% vol;. Acidity: 6,2 g/l.
Cork was totally soaked and the wine showed notes of advanced oxidation when I opened the bottle at lunch time. Decanted then 2 hours before dinner and I was positively surprised and impressed how positively it evolved with air. Quite intense nose with animal and balsamic notes now, ethereal and a suggestion of prune and plum, on the palate good freshness, resolved tannin, medium bodied and very long finish, awesome.
Very unique, on the wild side with an elegant touch, not sure about the further ageing potential, but as it is hard to get more than a single bottle, this does not have to bother me. This wine is from an another sphere, with a complexity that is hard to beat, enjoy it.
Dave's btl at Chez Jimmy! A great feast of Lamb & Prime rib in the hands of one of our favorite local Greeks! This flight was to die for tonight. David's btl was paired alongside Dave's '95 Tondonia Gran Rerserva. Perfect scenario for a wine flight! Both wines were weightlessly ethereal & classics! The Bosconia was just a tic more layered & tertiary while Dave's Tondonia offered up a bit more vibrant fruit. Degrees of greatness from both btls. Both mesmerizing!!! Dam it, I wish I had grabbed more of these aged Lopez Gran Reservas 10yrs ago! Thank you Dave & David for sharing these rare birds!
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Served alongside a 95 Bosconia Gran Reserva and served up with the best lamb chops I’ve ever had. Gorgeous expression of Tondonia with that additional structure one expects here. Like the Bosconia, drinks very youthful and this wine will likely outlive most of those who drank it last night. Wished I had some of these in my cellar. Thanks Dave for bringing this to do the side by side comparison with the Bosconia!
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Tasted blind next to the 1994. Decanted shortly before serving. Nose of vanilla, earth, and dry leaves. Lovely balance here, elegant but with a great core of red fruit and velvety texture. Compared to the 94 it’s more opulent and round.
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No formal note - tobacco, brine, spicy red fruit, medium bodied, elegant if still with a touch of firmness, vibrant acidity, long finish with a touch of orange peel showing,
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Wow... this is just outstanding. Similar to my last ones. Best to drink these soon. I don't think keeping them will hold any upside. it is close to the end of the plateau I think.
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A private dinner (Restaurant De Lage Vuursche, Lage Vuursche, NL): The production of Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva Tinto is not even that small (about 2,000 cases in 1995), but it is highly sought after, also because it is not made every year. In fact, as far as I am aware, there have only been 20 general releases in the past century (1920, '34, '42, '47, '54, '61, '64, '68, '70, '73, '76, '78, '80, '81, '85, '87, '91, '94, '95 and 2001). There is also some evidence of the existence of a a ‘60, ‘66 and ‘82. Drinking it is always a memorable experience, and this was another fine bottle. It is a paradoxical wine - its freshness and energy at 27 years of age seem to defy time, but on the other hand its balsamic flavour profile speaks convincingly of the long years spent in American oak barrels. As with all old(er) Riojas, it's not the tannic structure that keeps the wine alive, but the acidity, and the finish eloquently bears this out with notes of honey and citrus. A prime example of intensity without weight, this wine defines itself accurately in a in a clear and understated fashion, elegant and stylish, reserved without being aloof. It is essentially a feminine wine, lithe, petite almost, but with a steely backbone and great energy. Audrey Hepburn?
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Nose of tobacco, earth and sweet liquorice that reminded me a little of an Italian. Very silky with impressive power that bore a resemblance to a grand cru Burgundy of similar age, but the fruit was a little less fresh than I would have liked. Became a little plummy and raisined with air. Probably not the best bottle of this.
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This was an amazing wine. Decanted for 90 minutes and as time passed more subtle complexity revealed itself. Light to medium body. Somewhat pale red. The passage of the evening revealed more fruit and the noted salinity which I found greatly enhanced the complexity. Very unique and interesting wine
2/9, cork crumbly and fully soaked. Pale/medium garnet/mahogany core, wide pale rim. Nose is aromatic and fresh with dried red fruit, leather, lots of spice, touch of tobacco. Salty too. Medium bodied, spicy red fruit, leather, lovely salinity, resolves tannins on mid palate, lovely vibrant acidity, long finish, touch of orange peel, slightly firm at tail end. Nevertheless an excellent, classic Gran Reserva.
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My best tondonia 95 yet. Everyone around the table thought this was a premier of grand cru level burgundy. Silky, fruity and very complex. In a perfect drinking window with 1 hour decant.
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Rioja: Didn't take notes here. Immediately after putting the glass near the nose it's completely obvious this is standout wine. This really doesn't need further describing, just everything here you want from a red wine. In a class of its own this evening. 20/20.
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Online Blind Tasting #10: What I wanted to drink: *** Note is based on 0,1l bottles filled about 2 days before the tasting from 0,75l bottle *** Glass: Riedel Sommelier Bordeaux Clear medium garnet color with orange reflexes and watery rim. Clean, medium intense, fully developed nose. Very delicate aromas of fine red fruit, some tobacco, herbs and distant notes of oxidization. Elegant and nice. Bone dry, good, medium+ acidity, 12,5% abv. Medium, fine, silky tannin. On the palate some dried petals, herbs, fine tobacco, oak, sour cherries, some salt. Juicy balanced and elegant. Stronger on the mid-palate than at the finish. Finish is very delicate, but long. As my previous bottles I am sure, this is at its full peak. It will certainly stay there for quite a while, but don’t hesitate to drink now. 92-93
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Popped and poured; consumed over two days. My second time enjoying the 1995 Gran Reserva. The wine pours garnet with a translucent core accompanied by some fine sediment and a slightly watery rim. Medium viscosity. On the nose, high intensity and seems to have some VA. There’s also a little bit of the funk too. Highly perfumed with cherry, red rope licorice, balsamic, cumin, horse saddle, dill, and iron rich earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium++ acid. Tart cherries and again with the red rope licorice. Also, there are blackberries and plums, buzz buttons, iron, tomato, leather, olives and exotic spices. Long, savory finish. Despite being 26 years from vintage, the wine comes across super bright and fresh. Another lovely experience.
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Dinner with friends (Waldhotel Sonnora, Dreis, Germany): Quick note from memory: Opened about 2h before drinking, not decanted. Beautiful Tondonia GR, very elegant and balanced, with a high, racy acidity. Lacks a bit of depth and complexity to be really great, but this is a first world problem. I would consider it now at its full peak. I will certainly stay on this level for years, but I highly doubt, that it will gain more complexity and depth. 93-94
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A little more advanced than my last one. Still this had fruit and that old cellar smell. It showed its purposely oxidizing side. This still can live for a long time.
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This pours pale garnet in the glass. Quite light in appearance and not unlike a mature burgundy. The nose is immediate and complex showing bright red cherry, grapefruit zest, coffee bean, sweet cedar, sage, and worn leather. The palate is clean and precise showing virtually no tannin but medium plus acidity. The mouthfeel is fabulous and the finish is lengthy. Excellent bottle and nearly 95. Just a beautiful showing and really quite light on the american oak influence.
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Slow ox for two and half hours. Very classic Rioja nose. Medium bodied but still very concentrated. Black currant, plum, leather and tobacco come through. The wine shows a lot of old world character, is still early in its maturation process with the oak not having fully integrated yet. This is quite good today but I think it will get better with time.
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Belle couleur briquelée. Des aromes de sous bois (truffe), eau de vie de cerises, une belle signature de la maison Tondonia. Encore du fruit en bouche, tannins souples, acidité vivifiante, longue finale. Le vin est sur son plateau, mais risque d’y rester pour encore un bon moment( min 5 ans). Il lui en reste derriere la cravate!
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Esta botella fue abierta y decantada durante dos horas y guardada en frigorífico. Me parece que fue un error ya que tardó mucho en recuperar el aroma inicial. Presenta un color picota oscuro con capa media alta, borde atejado, pero muy pequeño. Aroma de intensidad media- alta, se encuentran flores frescas y ajadas, pimienta negra, cerezas, ciruelas negras, té y un fondo de humedad, formando todo un conjunto extremadamente seductor. El paladar es elegante, fino y resuelto con una magnífica acidez que lo hace fresco y sólido. Ahora el cuerpo es de carácter medio, dentro de poco este gran vino empezará a adelgazarse y al cabo de tres décadas llegará a su cenit mostrando la esencia de los riojas clásicos, capa baja, aromas terciarios con restos de fruta y un cuerpo finísimo, delgado, que lo identificara plenamente como uno de los grandes vinos de los que podemos disfrutar.
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Un beau vin a point avec un coté terreux tout en finesse ainsi que des élans de fruits murs. Tannins relativement fondus, excellent maintenant et dans les 5 prochaines années. Je m'attendais a plus de complexité et de longueur mais c'est tout de même un très bon vin.
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Pale garnet, medium+ red cherry, raspberry, fennel, dill, vanilla, leather, wet leave, dry, medium + acidity, medium smooth tannin, medium alcohol, medium+ body, medium+ finish, outstanding wine, suitable for bottle aging. kinda like vintaged bordeaux, more red fruit than I expected.
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Medium ruby color. Bright and full nose of bubblegum and fresh red cherry. Dry, unusually bright acidity for this vintage, soft tannins, palate follows through. Medium full body. Great balance. Medium long finish.
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A private dinner (Restaurant De Lage Vuursche, Lage Vuursche, NL): The current release(!). A blend of 80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha and 5% Graciano and Mazuelo, aged for 8 years on American oak, racked twice every year, fined with fresh egg whites, bottled unfiltered, TA 6.2 gr/l, 12.5% ABV, with 24,867 bottles produced. Not decanted. As traditional as it gets and it does exactly what it says on the tin. No need to describe every detail. Instantly recognisable, totally true to type, beautifully pure and well defined, delicate but intense, wonderfully fresh with a comforting balsamic quality, hint of plums from the warmer vintage, excellent length. For my palate this is completely ready, but it will no doubt age very well.
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1/3, typical LdH (fully soaked) cork. # 910639. Pale/medium garnet/mahogany core, wide pale mahogany rim. The nose is complex, aromatic showing leather, spice, tobacco, vanilla. fresh but with underlying richness and substance. Light/medium bodied with bright red fruit, spice, vanilla, leather, very fine tannins, vibrant acidity, lovely saline notes, long, harmonious finish. Lovely, drinking beautifully, an outstanding bottle
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C'est un vin d'une grande qualité qui s'avère particulièrement intéressant a déguster. Malgré son âge vénérable il demeure bien vivant avec encore une belle trame d'acidité. Il s'améliore après un léger passage en carafe. L'on se retrouve dans le domaine des odeurs et des saveurs tertiaires. Un beau voyage dans le temps!
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Head to head with a CVNE Imperial 1990...Another solid bottle. When first opened it gave me the shivers as it seemed oxidized however after leaving the bottle open 4 hours it was absolutely spectacular. The nose is mesmerizing, pinot like complex and cool. Lovely wine with notes of black tea and truffles as the wine got more air.
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Transparent and light bodied in the glass. Great balance, the tannins are fully integrated with a mature sous bois nose while tons of fruit and energy remain, rounded out with some texture and salinity.
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Very fresh, more acid-driven than fruit. Oldskool Rioja with heavy oak that is integrated. The structure of this wine is amazing: you could not guess it is already 25 years old. The oak-heavy original style does detract from the fruit but this is a great wine. And it paired perfectly with the reindeer fillet. It’s amazing how most of the better, older reds from Spain and eastern France go so well with the Finnish game. 😁
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Stood up for 4 weeks, decanted with some residual sediment in the last oz. Medium ruby, slight bricking consistent with its age; medium-plus aromatics, red fruit, dusty, smoke, leather, slight musk; palate is medium bodied, medium-plus fresh acidity, integrated medium tannins, dusty wood, slightly meaty, plenty of red fruits and black cherry with a side of soy or balsamic; finish is medium length. A very nice Rioja, balanced, but not as stellar as some Gran Reserva that I've tried from LdH. With 2 hours of air: opens up a bit more and a bit more Gran Reserva. 93
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A blend of Tempranillo (75%), Garnacha (15%), Mazuelo and Graciano, the grapes sourced from the Tondonia vineyard. Fermented spontaneously in old and very large oak fermenters, aged for 8 years in barrels, bottled unfiltered and then aged for a further 13 years in bottles before release in 2016. 12,5% alcohol, 6,2 g/l acidity. Total production 24,687 bottles.
Developed, moderately evolved and quite translucent brick-red color with a youthful ruby core and more developed mahogany hue closer to the almost colorless rim. Complex and sweet-toned nose which combines youthful vibrancy with more mature qualities. Aromas of smoke, old saddle leather, ripe wild strawberries, even some Pinosity, a little bit of dusty old wood, light notes of seared meat, hints of earth and a developed touch of wizened dark fruits. Silky yet firm on the palate with a medium body and rather acid-driven taste with complex, juicy and somewhat developed flavors of sweet red fruits and vibrant cherries, some old leather, a little bit of stony minerality, light sanguine notes of iron, a hint of hoi sin and a touch of dry-cured beef. The structure relies more on the very high, bright acidity than on the rather round, gentle and textural tannins. The finish is dry, moderately evolved and somewhat grippy with remarkably long, juicy and quite acid-driven aftertaste of tart lingonberries and sour cherries, wizened red fruits, some old leather, light umami notes notes of beef jerky and soy sauce, a little bit of ferrous blood, a hint of stony minerality and a sweeter touch of ripe dark berries.
Pretty much exactly how I'd expect a '95 Tondonia Gran Reserva to perform: the wine combines effortlessly some almost tertiary notes one would expect from a wine aged for 8 years in barrels with wonderfully vibrant and slightly sweet-toned fruit flavors that feels very youthful and almost out of place in a wine already 25 years old. What surprised me was the surprisingly pale color of the wine and its surprisingly resolved, gentle tannins - I've grown to expect Tondonia Gran Reserva to be darker and more tannic - but nevertheless the wine did not disappoint me in any way. Compared to often weightier and more concentrated Tondonia Reserva, the wine feels lighter, leaner and more acid-driven, but also noticeably more complex and coming across as more youthful than a Tondonia Reserva 1995 would be. The wine is very rewarding already now, this "young", but with its remarkable intensity, depth and acid structure, I can imagine it to improve for decades more. A very fine old Rioja. At 59€ (when the wine was released) this was a bargain.
Attractive nose with dark mocha features, the palate is youthful, rich and dense filled with dark cherries (not sour), leather, mocha, chocolate flauvors, spices, burnt candle, hints of iron as you ofter get it LdH reds. Oak and vanilla are still there but nicely buried under the fruit. The bright acidity and still present but gradually resolving tannins support the wine, together with the fruit component they will carry this for decades. Very enjoyable now but on the young side and will get better.
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I’m always hesitant to open 25 year old Lopez Heredia reds for those unfamiliar: I anticipate needing to maintain patience and grace when folks comment that the fruit is “sour” or “unripe.”. Decant this for about an hour. As with much critical analysis, your baseline frame of reference sets the stage for conclusion. Those open minded enough to appreciate that rich, sweet New World fruit is not a benchmark for all great wine, may come around to appreciate the unique aroma of a waterfall in a copper mine, fresh, brightly acidic, splashing vibrant milk chocolate and green plum notes with tobacco tannins as it enters the mouth. A brilliant food wine, particularly with venison, bison, elk, or quail. As it sits, more flavors develop: black pepper, violets in a cow field, and tart cherry pits. A long and bracing finish invites consumption. Wow, what a treasure! 50 years of great drinking ahead.
Copa extraída con Corvim. Después de un par de horas de oxigenación,....cuerpo medio, tonos atejados con bordes naranja, en nariz domina la tierra húmeda de bosque, en boca redondo, equilibrado, con perfecta acidez, notas dulces de cereza y frutos rojos. Taninos maduros y suaves, la madera totalmente integrada y notas de Pingüica, se extrañan las notas de cuero viejo y tabaco de otras añadas anteriores, quizá aún le falta un años para desarrollar notas terciarias.
Relaxed Wine evening with great Pizza (Restaurant Holz und Feuer, Kirchheim, Germany): Glass: Sophienwald Clear, medium garnet color. Unfortunately, not decanted. It would have benefitted from at least 1-2h decant. At first some funky notes in the nose that went away with time. Fine sweet red fruit, spices, oak, leather and tobacco emerged with time. Nose got better and better with air. Beautiful acidity, fine medium tannin. Only 12,5% abv. Fine red fruit, some green pepper, very elegant, good balance, long and juicy. With air also a nice sweetness. Will age effordlessly. 93+
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Andrew’s Rioja Fest (Marlow): No formal note but this had a classic, complex Tondonia leather, spice and tobacco nose. Well balanced on the plate with fine tannins, vibrant acidity and a good length finish. Tending towards the lean but excellent in that style.
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Super classic mature Rioja. Pungently aromatic, with lots of oak and savory tertiary notes of leather, cedar, smoke, dill, coffee, tobacco, crushed leaves, and some nuttiness. It still has fruit, mainly dried sour cherry and plum, and the structure is driven by the high acidity at this point now that the tannins are rather resolved. Very interesting and delicious, but you have to be a fan of the style.
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Complex nose of dark cherries, strawberries, leather, underwood, and smoke. Medium+ acidity with integrated tannins and flavors of red berries, iron, cedar, forest floor, and a hint of vanilla. Long finish. A fantastic wine, perfectly mature now, but I can see this live on for another 10-20 years. Awesome.
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Fragrant and austere, with tobacco, dill, and very soft sour berry fruits. The fruit has definitely taken a back seat to the more savoury and herbal notes, but it's not completely gone. As others have noted, there is a rather fresh, bright quality given the age, no doubt because of the rather vibrant acid backbone. Despite the layers of interest, this never fully came together for me texturally. I suspect, despite the age, this actually needs a much longer decant than we gave it.
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Tasted blind. I think this was an off bottle, I loved this wine when I had it last. This time, all I got was funky / herbal notes of onions and dill on the nose. Lots of acidity and iron on the palate and medium finish. Not at all how I remember it.
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Pale garnet color, earth, leather, dried cherries and strawberries, red currant, cranberry on the nose with pine needles and juniper.
Medium-bodied and elegant acidity on the palate, with dried red fruits, rhubarb and balsamic, more juniper berry and a lingering menthol quality to the medium finish.
I haven't had a Rioja with this many years on it, and it is stunning how fresh and lively it remains while displaying all the tertiary characteristics. The cork was hardened and pushed straight into the bottle with a pop when I tried to insert a corkscrew, but this shows no sign whatsoever of oxidation.
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A classic of Rioja classics. Don’t expect the fruity twist of modern Riojas. This is austere and elegant at the same time. Slightly woody. Ready to enjoy now and for the next 10 years
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Gorgeous Pinot-like aromas of pure red cherry with nuances of earth, clay and spice. Some overt American Oak dill, but its reasonably integrated. Silky and elegant palate. So refined and bright. Just starting to enter a drinking window. Upside from here.
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January birthdays (and porchetta) (Chicago, IL): You know the thing with old Rioja is that you can never quite tell if it's corked or not. This is just classic old Rioja funk, but there was also a touch of wet cardboard on the finish that seemed to indicate that this may have had some TCA. Nonetheless, this was a very intense wine, showing some clear black fruit, as well as a distinct leathery quality. The tannins are more resolved than the 2005 Tondonia Reserva alongside, but it is clear this too is a wine that could stand some more significant aging.
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Direkt vor dem Probieren geöffnet - Farbe: Rubinrot. Mittlere Konzentration. Leicht bräunlich. - Geruch: Eher geringe Intensität. Süßer rote Frucht (Erdbeere). Etwas Kräuter. Kein Kompott. - Geschmack: Noch frisch mit klarer Säure. Frucht schon etwas zurückgesetzt (Erdbeere, Brombeere). Vielleicht noch frische Kräuter (Dill). Schlank. Eher leicht. Mittlere Nachhall. - Gesamt: Rund. Balanciert. Super zu trinken. Mehr fehlt für den Preis aber die Komplexität und Länge.
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Very elegant and refine, with a very good acidity,, tannins are resolve and the wine has its own character,, very complex for a Rioja,, I could not stop drinking after the second sip....
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Brilliant! Von der ersten Minute an ein Genuß. Eine zarte Nase mit Erdbeer und Pflaume, natürlich leichte Reifenoten, Gewürze. Zimt, Nelken und Orangenzeste wehen aus der Ferne herüber, fast wie Orange mit Nelken gespickt. Die 10 Jahre in gebrauchten Barrique haben ihre Spuren hinterlassen, in Form von Geschmacksnuancen, Würze, die Microoxidation hat die schöne vorhandene Säure wunderbar in den Wein integriert. Mit Luftkontakt entwickeln sich ätherische Noten und ein Hauch Pflaumenkompott kommt hinzu. Der Wein ist fantastisch, wird seinem Ruf gerecht und ich wünschte ich hätte ein paar Flaschen um die Entwicklung zu beobachten. Wirklich groß!
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We had this with a seafood lunch. I double decanted it two hours before lunch. It was a brownish brick colour and absolutely delicious. Exactly as a mature old fashioned Rioja should taste. It was pale and smooth. My lunch companion who is an oenophile said it was the best wine he had ever had. Why pay outrageous prices for Grand Cru Burgundy when you can buy this?
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Very disappointing. Surprisingly advanced for a new release GR with pale red fruit, lots of savoury earthy and leathery notes, and a sour austerity on the palate that never went away with time in the decanter.
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Red fruit of strawberry reminding some Vosne-Romanne wines. Signature high acidity. Immense elegance. Terroir driven and very traditional Rioja which in fact is unlike any other Rioja.
Decanted about an hour prior. A positively gorgeous wine that just seemed to get better the longer it sat; gaining power and expressing more and more life. VA on the nose; to be expected. Dark cherry fruit, leather, mushrooms, kalamata olives. Unbelievably fresh. Winner.
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This wine was nice but it was showing older than I expected for this bottling. Nice rustic dirt covered stewed cherries, dried rose petals, some rusty nail elements as well as a touch of sweet Indian spice. The palate shows more medium bright red fruit and some nice elements of age - but this is mature and ready to drink. Some nice acidity and the tannin, though resolved, are still present. A nice showing but I wanted to be wowed. This bottle may have had storage issues before my purchase.
Blind Tasting...Wines That Don't Suck (House of Nanda - Chicago IL): Tasted double blind, I initially thought this 1996 Burgundy. Maturing red cherry throughout with bright energy on finish with sneaky power/ structure and very good length. Good now, clearly with upside.
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Blind. Initially hard to place but we got to Rioja and this is classic. Medium nose that seems to still be holding back plenty in the tank. Red berries with a tinge of American Oak and plenty of herb and spice. Palate is medium weight with a real elegance. Intense finish. Excellent.
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"Wines that don't suck" (Chicago, IL): Served double blind. Initially hard to guess, but then I found a slight bit of American oak on the nose and all the pieces fell into place -- this was obviously Rioja! I love the vibrancy of the nose here, all tart red fruit and earth, and there's a lightness that is just so pleasing. The palate is very much in the same vein; this is a really light and high-acid rendition of Rioja, and I quite enjoy it.
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Opened , decanted and served. Soft red in color and felt fragile and soft. Granted there is always bottle variability in these wines and thus we would always keep a question mark there,but compared to the excellent 1994 ( Papies 93-94) this felt a lower level. Balsamic, soft red fruits, light spice. Well round and silky tannin, soft residue of oak. Pure and special but felt a bit tired and not as energetic as the 1994 ( both from the same source). 92 nod keep an eye on it.
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Beautiful nose of dark berries, wood, cigars, iron, and vanilla. Savory notes on the palate with iron and blood, followed by black berries, plum, and vanilla. Long finish. This is outstanding, I love it! Wife: 97
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I agree with Hanibel's recent note. I'll just add that I double decanted the bottle 90 minutes before arriving at the event. Initially it was thin. It was much better after 2 hours open......light to medium body, incredibly balanced, mild acid and tannin, darker fruits and a long finish. Mature...will last....
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In a bit of a strange spot. Seriously musty, earthy and rusty. Zero fruits. All tertiary and old wardrobe. I would love to try this again and see if it was bottle variation. I suspect a bit more air may help too.
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Opened with Ah so....what a nose ! smells more like an old burgundy. Raspberries, cherries menthol and herbs. Tannins are mellow but present, acidity is medium high and alcohol medium. The taste is pure enjoyment and very long in the mouth. What a nice wine !
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While this needs an hour to open, perhaps less w glass swirling, its perfectly delicious to drink now, as it will be in 15 years. Smells like bitter chocolate, melting with crushed underripe black raspberries in a very rusty metal can. Hint of mothball and honeycomb. In a good way. Slightly more acidity than tannin at this point framing metallic black fruits. Dried strawberry and cigar wrapper. A salty crushed shell essence as well. Really delicious with slow braised Persian spiced lamb shanks. An uncompromising classic old school rioja.
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Languorous Memorial Day Barbecue Lunch (San Francisco): Opened last night. Light red with bricking. Compared to the 1994 tasted the other night, similar elegant weight and underlying minerality, but more of that ethereal faded strawberry that makes old Heredia wines so seductive. At or near maturity, not profound, but better than the older vintage and really very good or more. Not sure that I would hold it that much longer.
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Every López de Heredia Gran Reserva is a star. This is a baby, full of sweet licorice, strawberry, menthol, a cool wine with fantastic depth and a total Burgundy feeling.
This will last for decades. I guess it may get more intensity, power and internal light in a few years. Elegance in a bottle. Love it.
María José López de Heredia at Adri BBQ / 15 May 2018
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I took this to a friends 5/5/18 Cinco de Mayo celebration. It had a deep, rich, elegant bouquet of floral, damp earth, leather, black cherry, raspberry and spice aromas. The palate was rich, dry, seamless and elegant with flavors that followed the nose.
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Wine Tasting Group - Theme: Spain - March 25, 2018 (Javier's Home): Decanted off fine sediment for 2h then back in bottle for wine group. Almost transparent ruby-brown color. Seamless and elegant aromas of flowers, black cherries, herbs and earth. Palate showed similarly with mix of dried and fresh berries, herbs, earth, hint of basalmic flavors that flowed seamlessly on an elegant, lithe frame, lifted by present but unobtrusive acids. Finish was long and lingering. Beautiful wine.
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My first time with a Lopez GR Tondonia and I was really hoping to love it - and while it was good, it was not particularly special. I am thinking that it is still far too young to really be in the optimal drinking window. The somm suggested decanting - but I have since read that the estate suggests their wines should never be decanted. Red and dark fruits, some dill and vanilla on the nose, tannins are still quite present but with time in the glass settled down a bit. Some earth and leather on the palate along with the fruit, but no fireworks.
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Tasting: Very mixed emotions. First of all your typical rioja notes; vanilla and dill. Normally I truly dislike these riojas, but this time it was done in an acceptable fashion.
Was this a more evolved bottle? Or is the 1980 just on a glacial pace? Drinking great, but I’d have to give this more attention. Seemed much closer in age to the 1980 than 15 years would suggest.
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Slightly tart with the acidity being a little forward upon opening, but mellowed out with air in the glass. Recommend an hour or more of breathing. Elegant, harmonious, but still fresh tasting despite it's age. Red fruit with an expected bricking colour, dusty cherries, black tea, tobacco, resolved tannins. Fantastic.
Hard to go wrong with this producer. Another score on another late released, perfectly aged rioja. Mellow, plenty of fruit, and plenty of interest. Drank with a Spanish tapas plate and really enjoyed it.
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Family trip to Rioja - June 2017; 6/20/2017-6/26/2017 (Rioja): Fascinating English Bitter aroma! Sour cherry, milk chocolate, sausage notes. Sharp acidic spine with red cherry. Some leather and sandalwood flavours. It was a very enjoyable but perhaps in a slightly funny place at the moment.
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Bought at Los Agustinos, Haro - €75 off the list. No formal note. Pale garnet, wide pale mahogany rim. Aromatic, expressive nose, tobacco, orange peel. Light/medium bodied, fully resolved tannins, elegant, developed flavours - tobacco, orange peel, notes of soil, fresh acidity, harmonious very good length finish. Excellent, fully mature. Good bottle.
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Opened and served. Did not feel it needed much of decanting to be honest. Very good wine and really a testament of old school classic Rioja. Good fruit, still a decent amount of sweet american oak feel and the wine really needs another 5-10yrs to assimilate this to hit its maximum. Well round and vibrant, light gamy at times and full of charm. Patience will be rewarded her. 92 for now but with lots of potential.
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Tasted blind. Semi-shut down with faint nose of red fruit and coffee. Very high acidity, sour cherry and some mild sweetness on the finish. Needs plenty more time.
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López de Heredia - Viña Tondonia Tasting Event (Bodega Santa Cecilia - Madrid): Drain odors dissipate quickly so do not put the note of a flawed wine, you easy-trigger. Changes musty, wet leather (single moisture to others) and marzipan. I love that deep acidity that cleanses the mouth completely. Too young for its range.
Olores a desagüe que rápidamente se disipan así que no pongas la nota flawed vaquero. Cambia a rancio y a cuero mojado (simple humedad para otros) y a mazapán. Me encanta esa acidez profunda que limpia la boca totalmente. Muy joven para lo que es.
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The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like light toast, vanilla, nutmeg and baker's yeast. The body is medium. The wine has silky texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity. As of today, I liked the aroma of the wine. Decanted for two hours, but it needs to mature more in the cellar .
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Aromas de buena intensidad, perfumado en vainillas y apuntes de orden vegetal que le dan un claro aspecto de juventud que contrasta con la madurez y clasicismo de la cosecha del 94. Serio, abierto, fresco, nada cansino, sacando discretas notas de hierbas aromáticas, laurel, y un fondo suave a tierra húmeda que permanece ahí, siempre en segundo plano, sin apoderarse del conjunto. Seductor a más no poder.
En boca es acariciante, seco, concentrado, aúpado en una acidez intensa que le insufla energía y frescor. Hay finura y maneras, muy buenas maneras. Taninos de lujo, lustrosos, de enorme calidad. Sorprende su extrema juventud y solidez. Aún por acabar desplegarse. Una excelente inversión para dentro de 20 años. Beberlo ahora es un sinsentido y valorarlo es engañarse. Probado junto al Tondonia 2004 reserva, ambos acabados de salir al mercado, y el Tondonia 94 Gran Reserva. Menudo trío!!!
Wine Info - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 80% tempranillo, 15% garnacho, 5% graciano y mazuelo. 12% vol. - Toda la uva proviene de viñedos propios. Vendimia manual a partir del 9 de octubre. Transporte a bodega en comportas. Permanece durante 6 meses en depósitos de madera en los que completa las fermentaciones antes de ser transavasado para su posterior crianza en madera. Permanece durante 10 años en barricas usadas de roble americano de 225 litros elaboradas por los toneleros de la propia 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 24.687 botellas. Descansa un mínimo de 10 años en botellero en los calados de la bodega en Haro antes de ser comercializado, a principios del año 2016. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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Rioja Dinosaurs (Enoteca Barolo - Madrid): Brownish colour. Box of a new shoes at first. Leather, red berries and gunpowder Acid, smooth mouthfeel. Great. Balanced. An outsider.
Color amarronado. Al principio caja de zapatos nuevos. Cuero, frutillos rojos y pólvora. Sensación en boca ácida, suave. Grande. Equilibrado. Inesperado.
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Medium/light red. A touch of VA sending a bit of a Ranch dressing thing, but it blew off very quickly. Savoury tomato, dill and earth nose. Later the nose and palate improved and didn't seem quite so shrill. In the end a very nice medium weight old Rioja.
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3/20/2024 - Neumann U47 wrote:
Stunning nose, fresh rose petals and smokey leather.
Palate very much the same with lots of spicy cinnamon, black pepper bite, deliciously elegant pure lightweight mouthfeel. Old slightly smokey post-rain Haro earth.
Some tart red sour cherry, great lively acidity. Red plumb skin. Fruit in its softened mature stage, everything really integrated together seamlessly. Great length evolving through a minute long finish.
Maybe 5-10 years left given bottle variation and where you like your tertiary fruit/acid balance to be. With Flannery lamb for mamas 70 with the aunties.
Hau'oli lā hānau!
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1/31/2024 - NickA Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lorne Rangers 2024 (Lorne): Discernibly elegant just from its pale ruby appearance in the glass, and smelled fantastic from the moment it was poured, with soft leather, hot earth and that delightful sense that the fruit is poised to complete its transformation into something gamey, but hasn't quite finished doing so. A touch of truffle on the saline, savoury palate, and plenty of spry red fruit. Delicious, and so food-friendly.
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1/31/2024 - Vinumming & Ahhing Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lorne Rangers 2024 - Rioja (Lorne Restaurant, London): Bell pepper, bridle and cepe stock on pouring. Something gamey too. Palate has a hint of caper, is beautifully savoury and has flawless balancing acidity. Love the way each time you go back to this there are subtle changes around the edges, a hint of Worcester Sauce umami, a little sweet chestnut, a touch of clove and that hint of high class leather. Lovely mature GR Rioja in a great place.
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1/31/2024 - doctornoah Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rich and elegant, with no appreciable oak notes. Complex nose of dark cherries and red berry Tempranillo fruit with a touch of leather, camphor, and wet leaves. Long finish and still some dustiness of the tannins. This was excellent and will go for decades. 30 minutes of air helped.
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10/19/2023 - chablis28 wrote: 97 Points
Jim and Michelene for their 40th wedding anniversary w/ chef Don Saunders. Dave D's btl flighted w/ Matt L's 95 Bosconia. What a flt!!! Tonight I slightly preferred the fruit and intensity of this Tondonia. This is totally in the pocket now but, I'd be delighted if I owned at least 3 of them as this still may have some upside, if that's possible? This is/was stunning! 97+ And, I think of myself as more of Bosconia guy. As Dave would say..."amazing". Thanks Dave D!
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10/13/2023 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 96 Points
Gorgeous nose with complex notes of mushrooms, dried berries, leather, and red fruit. Good acidity with a velvety mouthfeel, notes of old leather, underwood, and red berries on the palate. Long finish. Excellent wine that felt quite mature and drinking close to peak right now. It will probably last for decades, but I don't think it get much better than this.
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10/8/2023 - Wine Canuck wrote: 93 Points
[Tasted Double Blind] This pours light garnet in the glass with light bricking. The nose shows sour cherry, green leaf, rose petals, peony, cranberry, cigar ash, and dry soil. The palate is lean and light with cranberry on entry turning to medium minus, almost low tannin, and high acid that is tinged with cranberry and grapefruit pith. The finish is dominated by the sour red fruit, only lightly showing some cigar ash character. A lovely bottle which I expect has great days ahead of it.
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10/4/2023 - benjamin96 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Magnifique bouteille, parfum enivrant, excellent
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9/1/2023 - canan wrote: 96 Points
Lopez di Heredia BYO (@MichaelsPlace): Lovely refined small red berry fruit with a touch of licorice, coffee and chicken stock.
The wine feels resolved and open with a lovely depth combined with a lovely acidity and solid length. Loved the expression and refinement!
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5/13/2023 - benjamin96 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Apres une bouteille deviante, celle ci est top!
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4/5/2023 - ThijsV Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tondonia Tasting (Utregs Wijnhuis, Utrecht, NL): Tasted side by side with the Bosconia GR 2001. This was clearly more developed with much more tertiary notes. Savoury, mushrooms, leather, red fruit, blackberry, vanilla, mocha, coffee. Medium+ acidity, medium+ tannins, long finish
Great wine, delicious
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3/26/2023 - Woodbridge Brad wrote: flawed
DOA Brett bomb
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2/26/2023 - Philou68 wrote: 88 Points
A bit disappointed by this bottle. Robe shows clear signs of oxidation. Nose is a bit shy showing dried prunes and raisins. Mouth is a bit watery and not very complex with a rather short aftertaste. Probably past it’s peak, at least this bottle which clearly lacks intensity and persistence.
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2/3/2023 - paulst Likes this wine: 97 Points
Leather and lead pencil and cedar; lean; light sei-sweet cherry-raspberry; balanced; long elegant finish.
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12/10/2022 - NoTrollingerPlease Likes this wine: 93 Points
R. López de Heredia Tasting (Freiheit Vinothek, Ulm, Germany): Glass: Zalto Universal
Tasted blind. Popped and poured. Clear, deep ruby-garnet color. Fine nose, some barn, tobacco and herbs.
On the palate very consistent with my previous notes. It has the elegance and finesse of the 2001 Gran Reserva, but lacks a bit depth and complexity. Full peak, but no hurry at all. 92-93
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12/7/2022 - decaturwinedude wrote: 95 Points
A Good Tuesday, Vol VIII: Lopez de Heredia and Friends: The two notes from 11/29/22 sum up the two wines perfectly.
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12/2/2022 - amateur62 Likes this wine:
Tempranillo (80%), Garnacho (15%), Graciano and Mazuelo, fermented with indigenous yeasts, aged 8 years in American oak barrels, being racked twice per year and fined with fresh egg whites, 12.5% vol;. Acidity: 6,2 g/l.
Cork was totally soaked and the wine showed notes of advanced oxidation when I opened the bottle at lunch time. Decanted then 2 hours before dinner and I was positively surprised and impressed how positively it evolved with air. Quite intense nose with animal and balsamic notes now, ethereal and a suggestion of prune and plum, on the palate good freshness, resolved tannin, medium bodied and very long finish, awesome.
Very unique, on the wild side with an elegant touch, not sure about the further ageing potential, but as it is hard to get more than a single bottle, this does not have to bother me. This wine is from an another sphere, with a complexity that is hard to beat, enjoy it.
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11/29/2022 - chablis28 wrote: 97 Points
Dave's btl at Chez Jimmy! A great feast of Lamb & Prime rib in the hands of one of our favorite local Greeks! This flight was to die for tonight. David's btl was paired alongside Dave's '95 Tondonia Gran Rerserva. Perfect scenario for a wine flight! Both wines were weightlessly ethereal & classics! The Bosconia was just a tic more layered & tertiary while Dave's Tondonia offered up a bit more vibrant fruit. Degrees of greatness from both btls. Both mesmerizing!!! Dam it, I wish I had grabbed more of these aged Lopez Gran Reservas 10yrs ago! Thank you Dave & David for sharing these rare birds!
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11/29/2022 - minndavid60 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Served alongside a 95 Bosconia Gran Reserva and served up with the best lamb chops I’ve ever had. Gorgeous expression of Tondonia with that additional structure one expects here. Like the Bosconia, drinks very youthful and this wine will likely outlive most of those who drank it last night. Wished I had some of these in my cellar. Thanks Dave for bringing this to do the side by side comparison with the Bosconia!
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11/17/2022 - paulst Likes this wine: 95 Points
Light with earthy cherry; nice acidity and velvety tannin; sweet cherry long finish.
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10/29/2022 - Rani Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted blind next to the 1994. Decanted shortly before serving. Nose of vanilla, earth, and dry leaves. Lovely balance here, elegant but with a great core of red fruit and velvety texture. Compared to the 94 it’s more opulent and round.
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10/26/2022 - Paul D wrote: 93 Points
No formal note - tobacco, brine, spicy red fruit, medium bodied, elegant if still with a touch of firmness, vibrant acidity, long finish with a touch of orange peel showing,
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10/26/2022 - Paul D wrote: flawed
Corked
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10/18/2022 - Hanibal Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow... this is just outstanding. Similar to my last ones. Best to drink these soon. I don't think keeping them will hold any upside. it is close to the end of the plateau I think.
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8/28/2022 - LWI wrote: 92 Points
BYO Homecoming: Blind. Godt utviklet, sursøt og frisk, fin lengde, brukbar balanse. Meget fin vin.
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8/25/2022 - fcxj wrote: 92 Points
Quaffable.
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8/8/2022 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 94 Points
A private dinner (Restaurant De Lage Vuursche, Lage Vuursche, NL): The production of Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva Tinto is not even that small (about 2,000 cases in 1995), but it is highly sought after, also because it is not made every year. In fact, as far as I am aware, there have only been 20 general releases in the past century (1920, '34, '42, '47, '54, '61, '64, '68, '70, '73, '76, '78, '80, '81, '85, '87, '91, '94, '95 and 2001). There is also some evidence of the existence of a a ‘60, ‘66 and ‘82. Drinking it is always a memorable experience, and this was another fine bottle. It is a paradoxical wine - its freshness and energy at 27 years of age seem to defy time, but on the other hand its balsamic flavour profile speaks convincingly of the long years spent in American oak barrels. As with all old(er) Riojas, it's not the tannic structure that keeps the wine alive, but the acidity, and the finish eloquently bears this out with notes of honey and citrus. A prime example of intensity without weight, this wine defines itself accurately in a in a clear and understated fashion, elegant and stylish, reserved without being aloof. It is essentially a feminine wine, lithe, petite almost, but with a steely backbone and great energy. Audrey Hepburn?
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6/11/2022 - melvinyeowq wrote: 90 Points
Nose of tobacco, earth and sweet liquorice that reminded me a little of an Italian. Very silky with impressive power that bore a resemblance to a grand cru Burgundy of similar age, but the fruit was a little less fresh than I would have liked. Became a little plummy and raisined with air. Probably not the best bottle of this.
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5/29/2022 - schwickert Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was an amazing wine. Decanted for 90 minutes and as time passed more subtle complexity revealed itself. Light to medium body. Somewhat pale red. The passage of the evening revealed more fruit and the noted salinity which I found greatly enhanced the complexity. Very unique and interesting wine
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4/29/2022 - merlotsmile wrote: 90 Points
Vinminnen 8
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2/27/2022 - Paul D wrote: 93 Points
2/9, cork crumbly and fully soaked.
Pale/medium garnet/mahogany core, wide pale rim. Nose is aromatic and fresh with dried red fruit, leather, lots of spice, touch of tobacco. Salty too. Medium bodied, spicy red fruit, leather, lovely salinity, resolves tannins on mid palate, lovely vibrant acidity, long finish, touch of orange peel, slightly firm at tail end. Nevertheless an excellent, classic Gran Reserva.
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2/26/2022 - Hanibal Likes this wine: 94 Points
My best tondonia 95 yet. Everyone around the table thought this was a premier of grand cru level burgundy. Silky, fruity and very complex. In a perfect drinking window with 1 hour decant.
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1/14/2022 - ploher wrote:
Rioja: Didn't take notes here. Immediately after putting the glass near the nose it's completely obvious this is standout wine. This really doesn't need further describing, just everything here you want from a red wine. In a class of its own this evening. 20/20.
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12/31/2021 - Yassine23 Likes this wine:
Amazing wine. Smoky, saline, loads of fruit. Very long finish. Shame this wasn't a magnum.
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12/10/2021 - NoTrollingerPlease Likes this wine: 93 Points
Online Blind Tasting #10: What I wanted to drink: *** Note is based on 0,1l bottles filled about 2 days before the tasting from 0,75l bottle ***
Glass: Riedel Sommelier Bordeaux
Clear medium garnet color with orange reflexes and watery rim. Clean, medium intense, fully developed nose. Very delicate aromas of fine red fruit, some tobacco, herbs and distant notes of oxidization. Elegant and nice.
Bone dry, good, medium+ acidity, 12,5% abv. Medium, fine, silky tannin. On the palate some dried petals, herbs, fine tobacco, oak, sour cherries, some salt. Juicy balanced and elegant. Stronger on the mid-palate than at the finish. Finish is very delicate, but long. As my previous bottles I am sure, this is at its full peak. It will certainly stay there for quite a while, but don’t hesitate to drink now. 92-93
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11/28/2021 - thesternowl wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured; consumed over two days. My second time enjoying the 1995 Gran Reserva. The wine pours garnet with a translucent core accompanied by some fine sediment and a slightly watery rim. Medium viscosity. On the nose, high intensity and seems to have some VA. There’s also a little bit of the funk too. Highly perfumed with cherry, red rope licorice, balsamic, cumin, horse saddle, dill, and iron rich earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium++ acid. Tart cherries and again with the red rope licorice. Also, there are blackberries and plums, buzz buttons, iron, tomato, leather, olives and exotic spices. Long, savory finish. Despite being 26 years from vintage, the wine comes across super bright and fresh. Another lovely experience.
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11/13/2021 - NoTrollingerPlease Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dinner with friends (Waldhotel Sonnora, Dreis, Germany): Quick note from memory:
Opened about 2h before drinking, not decanted. Beautiful Tondonia GR, very elegant and balanced, with a high, racy acidity. Lacks a bit of depth and complexity to be really great, but this is a first world problem. I would consider it now at its full peak. I will certainly stay on this level for years, but I highly doubt, that it will gain more complexity and depth. 93-94
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11/6/2021 - Hanibal Likes this wine: 93 Points
A little more advanced than my last one. Still this had fruit and that old cellar smell. It showed its purposely oxidizing side. This still can live for a long time.
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10/12/2021 - Wine Canuck wrote: 94 Points
This pours pale garnet in the glass. Quite light in appearance and not unlike a mature burgundy. The nose is immediate and complex showing bright red cherry, grapefruit zest, coffee bean, sweet cedar, sage, and worn leather. The palate is clean and precise showing virtually no tannin but medium plus acidity. The mouthfeel is fabulous and the finish is lengthy. Excellent bottle and nearly 95. Just a beautiful showing and really quite light on the american oak influence.
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10/3/2021 - lovanc@outlook.com wrote:
This wine started off slow and was monolithic for the first hour. However it then evolved in a aromatic bomb with layers of fruit and savory flavors.
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9/21/2021 - mclanew Likes this wine: 94 Points
Slow ox for two and half hours. Very classic Rioja nose. Medium bodied but still very concentrated. Black currant, plum, leather and tobacco come through. The wine shows a lot of old world character, is still early in its maturation process with the oak not having fully integrated yet. This is quite good today but I think it will get better with time.
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9/17/2021 - benjamin96 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Belle couleur briquelée. Des aromes de sous bois (truffe), eau de vie de cerises, une belle signature de la maison Tondonia. Encore du fruit en bouche, tannins souples, acidité vivifiante, longue finale. Le vin est sur son plateau, mais risque d’y rester pour encore un bon moment( min 5 ans). Il lui en reste derriere la cravate!
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8/15/2021 - FEDEVIDAL Likes this wine: 94 Points
Esta botella fue abierta y decantada durante dos horas y guardada en frigorífico. Me parece que fue un error ya que tardó mucho en recuperar el aroma inicial.
Presenta un color picota oscuro con capa media alta, borde atejado, pero muy pequeño.
Aroma de intensidad media- alta, se encuentran flores frescas y ajadas, pimienta negra, cerezas, ciruelas negras, té y un fondo de humedad, formando todo un conjunto extremadamente seductor.
El paladar es elegante, fino y resuelto con una magnífica acidez que lo hace fresco y sólido. Ahora el cuerpo es de carácter medio, dentro de poco este gran vino empezará a adelgazarse y al cabo de tres décadas llegará a su cenit mostrando la esencia de los riojas clásicos, capa baja, aromas terciarios con restos de fruta y un cuerpo finísimo, delgado, que lo identificara plenamente como uno de los grandes vinos de los que podemos disfrutar.
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7/12/2021 - Goodwine4ever wrote: 93 Points
Un beau vin a point avec un coté terreux tout en finesse ainsi que des élans de fruits murs. Tannins relativement fondus, excellent maintenant et dans les 5 prochaines années. Je m'attendais a plus de complexité et de longueur mais c'est tout de même un très bon vin.
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6/22/2021 - MarshallLi Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pale garnet, medium+ red cherry, raspberry, fennel, dill, vanilla, leather, wet leave, dry, medium + acidity, medium smooth tannin, medium alcohol, medium+ body, medium+ finish, outstanding wine, suitable for bottle aging. kinda like vintaged bordeaux, more red fruit than I expected.
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6/20/2021 - Costes76 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Medium ruby color. Bright and full nose of bubblegum and fresh red cherry. Dry, unusually bright acidity for this vintage, soft tannins, palate follows through. Medium full body. Great balance. Medium long finish.
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5/22/2021 - Stout Likes this wine: 96 Points
MBA grad gift from parents. Subtle fragrance. Extremely smooth, with flavors of raspberry, vanilla and cacao. Strong tannins.
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4/29/2021 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 94 Points
A private dinner (Restaurant De Lage Vuursche, Lage Vuursche, NL): The current release(!). A blend of 80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha and 5% Graciano and Mazuelo, aged for 8 years on American oak, racked twice every year, fined with fresh egg whites, bottled unfiltered, TA 6.2 gr/l, 12.5% ABV, with 24,867 bottles produced. Not decanted. As traditional as it gets and it does exactly what it says on the tin. No need to describe every detail. Instantly recognisable, totally true to type, beautifully pure and well defined, delicate but intense, wonderfully fresh with a comforting balsamic quality, hint of plums from the warmer vintage, excellent length. For my palate this is completely ready, but it will no doubt age very well.
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4/4/2021 - Paul D wrote: 95 Points
1/3, typical LdH (fully soaked) cork. # 910639.
Pale/medium garnet/mahogany core, wide pale mahogany rim. The nose is complex, aromatic showing leather, spice, tobacco, vanilla. fresh but with underlying richness and substance. Light/medium bodied with bright red fruit, spice, vanilla, leather, very fine tannins, vibrant acidity, lovely saline notes, long, harmonious finish. Lovely, drinking beautifully, an outstanding bottle
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3/29/2021 - Morrisson Likes this wine: 93 Points
C'est un vin d'une grande qualité qui s'avère particulièrement intéressant a déguster. Malgré son âge vénérable il demeure bien vivant avec encore une belle trame d'acidité. Il s'améliore après un léger passage en carafe. L'on se retrouve dans le domaine des odeurs et des saveurs tertiaires. Un beau voyage dans le temps!
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3/27/2021 - Hanibal Likes this wine: 93 Points
Head to head with a CVNE Imperial 1990...Another solid bottle. When first opened it gave me the shivers as it seemed oxidized however after leaving the bottle open 4 hours it was absolutely spectacular. The nose is mesmerizing, pinot like complex and cool. Lovely wine with notes of black tea and truffles as the wine got more air.
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3/24/2021 - Christian von Dresky wrote: flawed
Heavy TCA, are real shame!
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2/13/2021 - visto Likes this wine: 96 Points
Transparent and light bodied in the glass. Great balance, the tannins are fully integrated with a mature sous bois nose while tons of fruit and energy remain, rounded out with some texture and salinity.
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1/16/2021 - Samuel_the_Tired Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very fresh, more acid-driven than fruit. Oldskool Rioja with heavy oak that is integrated. The structure of this wine is amazing: you could not guess it is already 25 years old. The oak-heavy original style does detract from the fruit but this is a great wine. And it paired perfectly with the reindeer fillet. It’s amazing how most of the better, older reds from Spain and eastern France go so well with the Finnish game. 😁
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12/28/2020 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
Stood up for 4 weeks, decanted with some residual sediment in the last oz. Medium ruby, slight bricking consistent with its age; medium-plus aromatics, red fruit, dusty, smoke, leather, slight musk; palate is medium bodied, medium-plus fresh acidity, integrated medium tannins, dusty wood, slightly meaty, plenty of red fruits and black cherry with a side of soy or balsamic; finish is medium length. A very nice Rioja, balanced, but not as stellar as some Gran Reserva that I've tried from LdH. With 2 hours of air: opens up a bit more and a bit more Gran Reserva. 93
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12/11/2020 - forceberry wrote: 94 Points
A blend of Tempranillo (75%), Garnacha (15%), Mazuelo and Graciano, the grapes sourced from the Tondonia vineyard. Fermented spontaneously in old and very large oak fermenters, aged for 8 years in barrels, bottled unfiltered and then aged for a further 13 years in bottles before release in 2016. 12,5% alcohol, 6,2 g/l acidity. Total production 24,687 bottles.
Developed, moderately evolved and quite translucent brick-red color with a youthful ruby core and more developed mahogany hue closer to the almost colorless rim. Complex and sweet-toned nose which combines youthful vibrancy with more mature qualities. Aromas of smoke, old saddle leather, ripe wild strawberries, even some Pinosity, a little bit of dusty old wood, light notes of seared meat, hints of earth and a developed touch of wizened dark fruits. Silky yet firm on the palate with a medium body and rather acid-driven taste with complex, juicy and somewhat developed flavors of sweet red fruits and vibrant cherries, some old leather, a little bit of stony minerality, light sanguine notes of iron, a hint of hoi sin and a touch of dry-cured beef. The structure relies more on the very high, bright acidity than on the rather round, gentle and textural tannins. The finish is dry, moderately evolved and somewhat grippy with remarkably long, juicy and quite acid-driven aftertaste of tart lingonberries and sour cherries, wizened red fruits, some old leather, light umami notes notes of beef jerky and soy sauce, a little bit of ferrous blood, a hint of stony minerality and a sweeter touch of ripe dark berries.
Pretty much exactly how I'd expect a '95 Tondonia Gran Reserva to perform: the wine combines effortlessly some almost tertiary notes one would expect from a wine aged for 8 years in barrels with wonderfully vibrant and slightly sweet-toned fruit flavors that feels very youthful and almost out of place in a wine already 25 years old. What surprised me was the surprisingly pale color of the wine and its surprisingly resolved, gentle tannins - I've grown to expect Tondonia Gran Reserva to be darker and more tannic - but nevertheless the wine did not disappoint me in any way. Compared to often weightier and more concentrated Tondonia Reserva, the wine feels lighter, leaner and more acid-driven, but also noticeably more complex and coming across as more youthful than a Tondonia Reserva 1995 would be. The wine is very rewarding already now, this "young", but with its remarkable intensity, depth and acid structure, I can imagine it to improve for decades more. A very fine old Rioja. At 59€ (when the wine was released) this was a bargain.
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12/11/2020 - Lype Likes this wine:
Attractive nose with dark mocha features, the palate is youthful, rich and dense filled with dark cherries (not sour), leather, mocha, chocolate flauvors, spices, burnt candle, hints of iron as you ofter get it LdH reds. Oak and vanilla are still there but nicely buried under the fruit. The bright acidity and still present but gradually resolving tannins support the wine, together with the fruit component they will carry this for decades. Very enjoyable now but on the young side and will get better.
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11/28/2020 - OenoEd Likes this wine: 95 Points
I’m always hesitant to open 25 year old Lopez Heredia reds for those unfamiliar: I anticipate needing to maintain patience and grace when folks comment that the fruit is “sour” or “unripe.”. Decant this for about an hour. As with much critical analysis, your baseline frame of reference sets the stage for conclusion. Those open minded enough to appreciate that rich, sweet New World fruit is not a benchmark for all great wine, may come around to appreciate the unique aroma of a waterfall in a copper mine, fresh, brightly acidic, splashing vibrant milk chocolate and green plum notes with tobacco tannins as it enters the mouth. A brilliant food wine, particularly with venison, bison, elk, or quail. As it sits, more flavors develop: black pepper, violets in a cow field, and tart cherry pits. A long and bracing finish invites consumption. Wow, what a treasure! 50 years of great drinking ahead.
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11/22/2020 - julao Likes this wine: 95 Points
Copa extraída con Corvim. Después de un par de horas de oxigenación,....cuerpo medio, tonos atejados con bordes naranja, en nariz domina la tierra húmeda de bosque, en boca redondo, equilibrado, con perfecta acidez, notas dulces de cereza y frutos rojos. Taninos maduros y suaves, la madera totalmente integrada y notas de Pingüica, se extrañan las notas de cuero viejo y tabaco de otras añadas anteriores, quizá aún le falta un años para desarrollar notas terciarias.
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11/12/2020 - paulst Likes this wine: 92 Points
Early; tart blackberry-raspberry; scratchy acidity; earth; light tart finish.
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10/2/2020 - NoTrollingerPlease Likes this wine: 93 Points
Relaxed Wine evening with great Pizza (Restaurant Holz und Feuer, Kirchheim, Germany): Glass: Sophienwald
Clear, medium garnet color. Unfortunately, not decanted. It would have benefitted from at least 1-2h decant. At first some funky notes in the nose that went away with time. Fine sweet red fruit, spices, oak, leather and tobacco emerged with time. Nose got better and better with air.
Beautiful acidity, fine medium tannin. Only 12,5% abv. Fine red fruit, some green pepper, very elegant, good balance, long and juicy. With air also a nice sweetness. Will age effordlessly. 93+
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9/14/2020 - MemorialWineFan Likes this wine: 92 Points
The cork was really saturated. Fortunately, bottle was still good. Great wine.
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8/27/2020 - Paul D wrote: 92 Points
Andrew’s Rioja Fest (Marlow): No formal note but this had a classic, complex Tondonia leather, spice and tobacco nose. Well balanced on the plate with fine tannins, vibrant acidity and a good length finish. Tending towards the lean but excellent in that style.
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8/23/2020 - bvivio Likes this wine: 95 Points
(no formal tasting notes)
Super classic mature Rioja. Pungently aromatic, with lots of oak and savory tertiary notes of leather, cedar, smoke, dill, coffee, tobacco, crushed leaves, and some nuttiness. It still has fruit, mainly dried sour cherry and plum, and the structure is driven by the high acidity at this point now that the tannins are rather resolved. Very interesting and delicious, but you have to be a fan of the style.
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8/1/2020 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 96 Points
Complex nose of dark cherries, strawberries, leather, underwood, and smoke. Medium+ acidity with integrated tannins and flavors of red berries, iron, cedar, forest floor, and a hint of vanilla. Long finish. A fantastic wine, perfectly mature now, but I can see this live on for another 10-20 years. Awesome.
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7/25/2020 - I1bearup Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very nice but still not as special as the ‘94.
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7/20/2020 - Danneskjöld wrote: flawed
Duft av sur, våt kjeller. Ikke klart om flaske er off eller bare for gammelt for meg.
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7/18/2020 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fragrant and austere, with tobacco, dill, and very soft sour berry fruits. The fruit has definitely taken a back seat to the more savoury and herbal notes, but it's not completely gone. As others have noted, there is a rather fresh, bright quality given the age, no doubt because of the rather vibrant acid backbone. Despite the layers of interest, this never fully came together for me texturally. I suspect, despite the age, this actually needs a much longer decant than we gave it.
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6/15/2020 - glou.sf wrote: flawed
Tasted blind. I think this was an off bottle, I loved this wine when I had it last. This time, all I got was funky / herbal notes of onions and dill on the nose. Lots of acidity and iron on the palate and medium finish. Not at all how I remember it.
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3/12/2020 - paulst Likes this wine: 92 Points
Light nose; cherry and raspberry; sweet and tart finish.
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2/26/2020 - hckschr40 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pale garnet color, earth, leather, dried cherries and strawberries, red currant, cranberry on the nose with pine needles and juniper.
Medium-bodied and elegant acidity on the palate, with dried red fruits, rhubarb and balsamic, more juniper berry and a lingering menthol quality to the medium finish.
I haven't had a Rioja with this many years on it, and it is stunning how fresh and lively it remains while displaying all the tertiary characteristics. The cork was hardened and pushed straight into the bottle with a pop when I tried to insert a corkscrew, but this shows no sign whatsoever of oxidation.
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2/25/2020 - Alvarovazquez Likes this wine: 93 Points
A classic of Rioja classics. Don’t expect the fruity twist of modern Riojas. This is austere and elegant at the same time. Slightly woody. Ready to enjoy now and for the next 10 years
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1/13/2020 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
Gorgeous Pinot-like aromas of pure red cherry with nuances of earth, clay and spice. Some overt American Oak dill, but its reasonably integrated. Silky and elegant palate. So refined and bright. Just starting to enter a drinking window. Upside from here.
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1/13/2020 - acyso wrote: 90 Points
January birthdays (and porchetta) (Chicago, IL): You know the thing with old Rioja is that you can never quite tell if it's corked or not. This is just classic old Rioja funk, but there was also a touch of wet cardboard on the finish that seemed to indicate that this may have had some TCA. Nonetheless, this was a very intense wine, showing some clear black fruit, as well as a distinct leathery quality. The tannins are more resolved than the 2005 Tondonia Reserva alongside, but it is clear this too is a wine that could stand some more significant aging.
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11/24/2019 - DonDon wrote: 94 Points
Super. Really elegant and evolved. Heavy tobacco, leather and tar. Quite high acidity. I don’t usually drink Rioja but this was excellent
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11/15/2019 - s******n Likes this wine: 91 Points
Direkt vor dem Probieren geöffnet
- Farbe: Rubinrot. Mittlere Konzentration. Leicht bräunlich.
- Geruch: Eher geringe Intensität. Süßer rote Frucht (Erdbeere). Etwas Kräuter. Kein Kompott.
- Geschmack: Noch frisch mit klarer Säure. Frucht schon etwas zurückgesetzt (Erdbeere, Brombeere). Vielleicht noch frische Kräuter (Dill). Schlank. Eher leicht. Mittlere Nachhall.
- Gesamt: Rund. Balanciert. Super zu trinken. Mehr fehlt für den Preis aber die Komplexität und Länge.
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9/24/2019 - Danielgbm Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very elegant and refine, with a very good acidity,, tannins are resolve and the wine has its own character,, very complex for a Rioja,, I could not stop drinking after the second sip....
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8/30/2019 - Christian von Dresky Likes this wine: 98 Points
Brilliant! Von der ersten Minute an ein Genuß. Eine zarte Nase mit Erdbeer und Pflaume, natürlich leichte Reifenoten, Gewürze. Zimt, Nelken und Orangenzeste wehen aus der Ferne herüber, fast wie Orange mit Nelken gespickt. Die 10 Jahre in gebrauchten Barrique haben ihre Spuren hinterlassen, in Form von Geschmacksnuancen, Würze, die Microoxidation hat die schöne vorhandene Säure wunderbar in den Wein integriert. Mit Luftkontakt entwickeln sich ätherische Noten und ein Hauch Pflaumenkompott kommt hinzu. Der Wein ist fantastisch, wird seinem Ruf gerecht und ich wünschte ich hätte ein paar Flaschen um die Entwicklung zu beobachten. Wirklich groß!
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8/25/2019 - debenlodge Likes this wine: 95 Points
We had this with a seafood lunch. I double decanted it two hours before lunch. It was a brownish brick colour and absolutely delicious. Exactly as a mature old fashioned Rioja should taste. It was pale and smooth. My lunch companion who is an oenophile said it was the best wine he had ever had. Why pay outrageous prices for Grand Cru Burgundy when you can buy this?
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8/3/2019 - salil wrote: 83 Points
Very disappointing. Surprisingly advanced for a new release GR with pale red fruit, lots of savoury earthy and leathery notes, and a sour austerity on the palate that never went away with time in the decanter.
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7/19/2019 - StasMedvedev.lv Likes this wine: 94 Points
🏅Rating 94/100 (4,4⭐)
Red fruit of strawberry reminding some Vosne-Romanne wines. Signature high acidity. Immense elegance. Terroir driven and very traditional Rioja which in fact is unlike any other Rioja.
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6/11/2019 - thesternowl Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted about an hour prior. A positively gorgeous wine that just seemed to get better the longer it sat; gaining power and expressing more and more life. VA on the nose; to be expected. Dark cherry fruit, leather, mushrooms, kalamata olives. Unbelievably fresh. Winner.
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6/6/2019 - beezer6 wrote: 92 Points
This wine was nice but it was showing older than I expected for this bottling.
Nice rustic dirt covered stewed cherries, dried rose petals, some rusty nail elements as well as a touch of sweet Indian spice.
The palate shows more medium bright red fruit and some nice elements of age - but this is mature and ready to drink.
Some nice acidity and the tannin, though resolved, are still present. A nice showing but I wanted to be wowed. This bottle may have had storage issues before my purchase.
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5/11/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
Blind Tasting...Wines That Don't Suck (House of Nanda - Chicago IL): Tasted double blind, I initially thought this 1996 Burgundy. Maturing red cherry throughout with bright energy on finish with sneaky power/ structure and very good length. Good now, clearly with upside.
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5/11/2019 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
Blind. Initially hard to place but we got to Rioja and this is classic. Medium nose that seems to still be holding back plenty in the tank. Red berries with a tinge of American Oak and plenty of herb and spice. Palate is medium weight with a real elegance. Intense finish. Excellent.
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5/11/2019 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
"Wines that don't suck" (Chicago, IL): Served double blind. Initially hard to guess, but then I found a slight bit of American oak on the nose and all the pieces fell into place -- this was obviously Rioja! I love the vibrancy of the nose here, all tart red fruit and earth, and there's a lightness that is just so pleasing. The palate is very much in the same vein; this is a really light and high-acid rendition of Rioja, and I quite enjoy it.
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4/21/2019 - Papies wrote: 92 Points
Opened , decanted and served. Soft red in color and felt fragile and soft. Granted there is always bottle variability in these wines and thus we would always keep a question mark there,but compared to the excellent 1994 ( Papies 93-94) this felt a lower level.
Balsamic, soft red fruits, light spice. Well round and silky tannin, soft residue of oak. Pure and special but felt a bit tired and not as energetic as the 1994 ( both from the same source). 92 nod keep an eye on it.
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3/30/2019 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 96 Points
Beautiful nose of dark berries, wood, cigars, iron, and vanilla. Savory notes on the palate with iron and blood, followed by black berries, plum, and vanilla. Long finish. This is outstanding, I love it! Wife: 97
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3/23/2019 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 93 Points
I agree with Hanibel's recent note. I'll just add that I double decanted the bottle 90 minutes before arriving at the event. Initially it was thin. It was much better after 2 hours open......light to medium body, incredibly balanced, mild acid and tannin, darker fruits and a long finish. Mature...will last....
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2/22/2019 - paulst Likes this wine: 91 Points
Rubber; raspberry; composed; soft tannins; nice finish.
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2/7/2019 - _water.into.wine_ wrote: 90 Points
In a bit of a strange spot. Seriously musty, earthy and rusty. Zero fruits. All tertiary and old wardrobe. I would love to try this again and see if it was bottle variation. I suspect a bit more air may help too.
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1/9/2019 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Complex, balanced, and delicious. This is the best Rioja producer.
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12/15/2018 - Hanibal Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened with Ah so....what a nose ! smells more like an old burgundy. Raspberries, cherries menthol and herbs. Tannins are mellow but present, acidity is medium high and alcohol medium. The taste is pure enjoyment and very long in the mouth. What a nice wine !
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10/27/2018 - OenoEd Likes this wine: 94 Points
While this needs an hour to open, perhaps less w glass swirling, its perfectly delicious to drink now, as it will be in 15 years. Smells like bitter chocolate, melting with crushed underripe black raspberries in a very rusty metal can. Hint of mothball and honeycomb. In a good way. Slightly more acidity than tannin at this point framing metallic black fruits. Dried strawberry and cigar wrapper. A salty crushed shell essence as well. Really delicious with slow braised Persian spiced lamb shanks. An uncompromising classic old school rioja.
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9/9/2018 - Cofxc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful, aromatic, nose with wild strawberry, cinnamon. The palette is more floral A touch thick at the moment. High acidity. 96 for the nose.
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6/29/2018 - tlangle Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fantastic
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5/28/2018 - drwine2001 wrote:
Languorous Memorial Day Barbecue Lunch (San Francisco): Opened last night. Light red with bricking. Compared to the 1994 tasted the other night, similar elegant weight and underlying minerality, but more of that ethereal faded strawberry that makes old Heredia wines so seductive. At or near maturity, not profound, but better than the older vintage and really very good or more. Not sure that I would hold it that much longer.
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5/15/2018 - ve23 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dinner with María José López de Heredia (Adri BBQ, Moscow): 95/100
Every López de Heredia Gran Reserva is a star. This is a baby, full of sweet licorice, strawberry, menthol, a cool wine with fantastic depth and a total Burgundy feeling.
This will last for decades. I guess it may get more intensity, power and internal light in a few years. Elegance in a bottle. Love it.
María José López de Heredia at Adri BBQ / 15 May 2018
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5/5/2018 - garambler Likes this wine: 93 Points
I took this to a friends 5/5/18 Cinco de Mayo celebration. It had a deep, rich, elegant bouquet of floral, damp earth, leather, black cherry, raspberry and spice aromas. The palate was rich, dry, seamless and elegant with flavors that followed the nose.
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3/25/2018 - James Kim Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wine Tasting Group - Theme: Spain - March 25, 2018 (Javier's Home): Decanted off fine sediment for 2h then back in bottle for wine group. Almost transparent ruby-brown color. Seamless and elegant aromas of flowers, black cherries, herbs and earth. Palate showed similarly with mix of dried and fresh berries, herbs, earth, hint of basalmic flavors that flowed seamlessly on an elegant, lithe frame, lifted by present but unobtrusive acids. Finish was long and lingering. Beautiful wine.
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2/9/2018 - Bobhelge wrote: 93 Points
There is something really amazing about the vividness and the acidic structure of a Viña Tondonia.
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1/20/2018 - retired_and_roving wrote: 89 Points
My first time with a Lopez GR Tondonia and I was really hoping to love it - and while it was good, it was not particularly special. I am thinking that it is still far too young to really be in the optimal drinking window. The somm suggested decanting - but I have since read that the estate suggests their wines should never be decanted. Red and dark fruits, some dill and vanilla on the nose, tannins are still quite present but with time in the glass settled down a bit. Some earth and leather on the palate along with the fruit, but no fireworks.
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12/14/2017 - Sundbyberg wrote: 90 Points
Tasting: Very mixed emotions. First of all your typical rioja notes; vanilla and dill. Normally I truly dislike these riojas, but this time it was done in an acceptable fashion.
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12/7/2017 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Was this a more evolved bottle? Or is the 1980 just on a glacial pace? Drinking great, but I’d have to give this more attention. Seemed much closer in age to the 1980 than 15 years would suggest.
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9/19/2017 - Hazeo wrote: 94 Points
Slightly tart with the acidity being a little forward upon opening, but mellowed out with air in the glass. Recommend an hour or more of breathing. Elegant, harmonious, but still fresh tasting despite it's age. Red fruit with an expected bricking colour, dusty cherries, black tea, tobacco, resolved tannins. Fantastic.
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9/16/2017 - Rollerball wrote: 92 Points
Hard to go wrong with this producer. Another score on another late released, perfectly aged rioja. Mellow, plenty of fruit, and plenty of interest. Drank with a Spanish tapas plate and really enjoyed it.
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8/28/2017 - ProfByron Likes this wine: 89 Points
Lovely mellow old Rioja. Tannin is gone. Just enough acidity to keep it lively in the mouth and balance the oxidation.
Oak still present.
Interesting, but there are far better younger Rioja's available (note: I usually prefer older wines to younger).
Drink now! {12.5%, cork - an excellent very long cork}
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7/28/2017 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pale red, Rayas like nose, gamey, strawberry, feminine, a stunner, maybe the best tondonia I've drunk, better than the 94
94
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6/23/2017 - OmiyaDrinker wrote: 91 Points
Family trip to Rioja - June 2017; 6/20/2017-6/26/2017 (Rioja): Fascinating English Bitter aroma! Sour cherry, milk chocolate, sausage notes. Sharp acidic spine with red cherry. Some leather and sandalwood flavours. It was a very enjoyable but perhaps in a slightly funny place at the moment.
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5/13/2017 - Paul D Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bought at Los Agustinos, Haro - €75 off the list. No formal note. Pale garnet, wide pale mahogany rim. Aromatic, expressive nose, tobacco, orange peel. Light/medium bodied, fully resolved tannins, elegant, developed flavours - tobacco, orange peel, notes of soil, fresh acidity, harmonious very good length finish. Excellent, fully mature. Good bottle.
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1/8/2017 - Papies wrote: 92 Points
Opened and served. Did not feel it needed much of decanting to be honest.
Very good wine and really a testament of old school classic Rioja. Good fruit, still a decent amount of sweet american oak feel and the wine really needs another 5-10yrs to assimilate this to hit its maximum. Well round and vibrant, light gamy at times and full of charm. Patience will be rewarded her. 92 for now but with lots of potential.
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11/26/2016 - Rani wrote: 91 Points
Tasted blind. Semi-shut down with faint nose of red fruit and coffee. Very high acidity, sour cherry and some mild sweetness on the finish. Needs plenty more time.
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11/15/2016 - ravikalaga Likes this wine: 92 Points
At Barcelona in Stamford: Typical Tondonia. Nothing more to add than what others have. Superlative wine!
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10/6/2016 - Harley1199 Likes this wine:
López de Heredia - Viña Tondonia Tasting Event (Bodega Santa Cecilia - Madrid): Drain odors dissipate quickly so do not put the note of a flawed wine, you easy-trigger.
Changes musty, wet leather (single moisture to others) and marzipan.
I love that deep acidity that cleanses the mouth completely. Too young for its range.
Olores a desagüe que rápidamente se disipan así que no pongas la nota flawed vaquero.
Cambia a rancio y a cuero mojado (simple humedad para otros) y a mazapán.
Me encanta esa acidez profunda que limpia la boca totalmente. Muy joven para lo que es.
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9/5/2016 - Gkaspo Likes this wine: 93 Points
Need more time in the Cellar
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9/5/2016 - Gkaspo wrote:
Kathy and Wright Lassiter Jazz celebration
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9/3/2016 - Gkaspo wrote: 90 Points
The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like light toast, vanilla, nutmeg and baker's yeast. The body is medium. The wine has silky texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
As of today, I liked the aroma of the wine. Decanted for two hours, but it needs to mature more in the cellar .
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4/22/2016 - Los 12 Glotones Likes this wine: 92 Points
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Els12golafres Wine Tasting Group: http://vinosclasicos.blogspot.com.es/2016/04/vina-tondonia-1995-gran-reserva.html
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De color rubí rojizo de capa media-alta, tapado, límpido, sin precipitados. Reflejos cobrizos y granatosos, brillante, refulgente. Borde estrecho, azafranado. Lágrimas finísimas, permanentes.
Aromas de buena intensidad, perfumado en vainillas y apuntes de orden vegetal que le dan un claro aspecto de juventud que contrasta con la madurez y clasicismo de la cosecha del 94. Serio, abierto, fresco, nada cansino, sacando discretas notas de hierbas aromáticas, laurel, y un fondo suave a tierra húmeda que permanece ahí, siempre en segundo plano, sin apoderarse del conjunto. Seductor a más no poder.
En boca es acariciante, seco, concentrado, aúpado en una acidez intensa que le insufla energía y frescor. Hay finura y maneras, muy buenas maneras. Taninos de lujo, lustrosos, de enorme calidad. Sorprende su extrema juventud y solidez. Aún por acabar desplegarse. Una excelente inversión para dentro de 20 años. Beberlo ahora es un sinsentido y valorarlo es engañarse. Probado junto al Tondonia 2004 reserva, ambos acabados de salir al mercado, y el Tondonia 94 Gran Reserva. Menudo trío!!!
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80% tempranillo, 15% garnacho, 5% graciano y mazuelo. 12% vol.
- Toda la uva proviene de viñedos propios. Vendimia manual a partir del 9 de octubre. Transporte a bodega en comportas. Permanece durante 6 meses en depósitos de madera en los que completa las fermentaciones antes de ser transavasado para su posterior crianza en madera. Permanece durante 10 años en barricas usadas de roble americano de 225 litros elaboradas por los toneleros de la propia 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 24.687 botellas. Descansa un mínimo de 10 años en botellero en los calados de la bodega en Haro antes de ser comercializado, a principios del año 2016.
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4/22/2013 - Harley1199 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Rioja Dinosaurs (Enoteca Barolo - Madrid): Brownish colour.
Box of a new shoes at first.
Leather, red berries and gunpowder
Acid, smooth mouthfeel. Great. Balanced. An outsider.
Color amarronado.
Al principio caja de zapatos nuevos.
Cuero, frutillos rojos y pólvora.
Sensación en boca ácida, suave. Grande. Equilibrado. Inesperado.
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10/11/2012 - David J Cooper wrote: 90 Points
Medium/light red. A touch of VA sending a bit of a Ranch dressing thing, but it blew off very quickly. Savoury tomato, dill and earth nose. Later the nose and palate improved and didn't seem quite so shrill. In the end a very nice medium weight old Rioja.
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