Thank goodness this was a better bottle than the one I opened three years ago. This bottle came from my late father’s cellar. It was a birthday gift to him nearly 20 years ago, but he never opened it. One the first anniversary of his passing it seemed appropriate to open it. After successfully dealing with the brittle wax on top, the cork came out in one very solid piece. So did an aroma of saddle leather and cherry preserves. A touch thin and jangly on the palate at first, it fleshed out after thirty minutes to be balanced, old wine. I put the bottle aside for ninety minutes to prep dinner (actually pick up takeout), and then settled in for a full glass with my meal. The depth had increased threefold and the fruit freshened. It also developed a dusty, herbal overtone. Medium-bodied, impeccably balanced, and incalculably long, after another hour I was reconsidering having opened it. There still upside here. Ultimately though, it was nice to enjoy the wine over a few hours, remember my dad, and enjoy a nice Friday evening with my biggest supporter, my wife.
Please open your good bottles. Open them with friends. Open them with family. Open them with a burger at In-n-Out Burger with Paul Giamatti. Just open them.
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tasted blind, gorgeous spice and dried fruits, very complex on the nose, the palate was a bit lean, but it was still a real pleasure... the table eventually figured it out, though we thought it was younger
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Unfortunately this has become plain, old, red wine. It’s tasty enough in a generic sense, but mostly old leather, old wood, dried flowers and herbs with no lift, no life. Sad, but it happens.
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The 1987 Tondonia Rioja Gran Réserva is soft and silky, fabulous to drink now. Saturated mixed berries, cedar wood, caramelised meaty core and subtle rose petal. Fully mature with fine tannins and vibrant acidity. Hints of ethereal note and citrus peel. Not a blockbuster Rioja but a traditional, and graceful Rioja. (88/100)
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I served this blind at a party and almost everyone mistook this as an aged Burgundy. Very smooth and leathery, dried meat, tobacco and dried cherry. There is also hints of macerated cherry note that I always relate to traditional Rioja, silky and fragrant. Medium bodied, and gentle style of Tondonia Gran Reserva. This is fully matured and should be consumed in the next 5-10 years. (89/100)
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From memory, previous bottle was a decade ago, just after release. Totally elegant, full of flavor and zest with the lightest possible texture, mostly red fruits with some pommes and a bit of smoke and old leather, terrific with filet mignon.
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Delightful nose, as mentioned by others -- leather, cherries -- quite, quite excellent. Just decanted, the wine is bricked without throwing any crust whatsoever (cork as extracted was intact too, btw). Initial tasting had a lot of citrus, no real tannin, no real astringency. After 3 hours, the citrus diminished but didn't disappear, remained the dominant note. This rioja resembled a decent and well-aged nebbiolo, IMHO. Not bad, perhaps not worth 30+ years of age. Drink it now, it's not getting better.
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Opened and followed for 4 hours. Soaked, crumbly cork with medium fill. Translucent rusty strawberry color. Billows of red plum, currant, leather, soy, and subtle oak scents on opening with quiet persistence of same through the evening. After two hours the palate filled out exhibiting layers of red and dark plum, black currant, leather, hints of beef blood, and deft oak. Bright acidity and smoothed tannin with a bit of polish. Moderately long finish of elegant red fruit, tea, and subtle earthy grip. Very much alive and kicking, this wine could have benefited from more time in a decanter.
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Decanted shortly before serving. First, a fabulous nose of smooth mature red wine. Then more leather and savoury red earth - classic Rioja. In the mouth it is medium-bodied and not really layered but shows very high acidity. It keeps expanding and the finish is exquisite. Overall the nose and the finish are better than the taste.
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Overall I found this bottle's flavours t to start showing their age. The nose was exquisite, as most LdH are, but the flavours are on the wane, not just a shift towards tertiary flavours, rather a loss of intensity. Showed better for similar age than a Bosconia GR 91 tasted side by side. That was a pretty ordinary wine by comparison.
Drink up. 13% abv
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light, ethereal. Gains complexity with air. last sip the best. ligt cranberry color. citrus peel. earl grey tea. high toned and acidic keeps all of it vibrant.
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Really nice and young! Still has a vibrance to it despite being 27 years old. Beautiful nose of leather, rose petals, bright red (slightly sour) berry. Smooth, well-integrated palate. This shows great balance now and I'm looking forward to checking in on it in a few years - this hasn't reached a full developed state in my mind.
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Sunday Night Dinner (RPM Steak - Chicago, IL): What's striking about this wine is just how youthful and energetic it was. Seductive nose filled with dried roses, leather, dusty cherries, and some smoke. The palate was so fresh and lively too...great acidity and the brightness of the fruit was surprising for a wine of this age. Even Lopez wines (which can age forever) tend to lose their brightness a bit and take on more earthy, meaty tones...but this hasn't gotten there yet.
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Recuerda en casi todo al Tondonia 85, cortados ambos por el mismo patrón. Íntegro y expresivo, sólido. Predominan los registros de hojarasca, tierra húmeda, frutos rojos (guindas en licor, endrinas, escarchados) y una brumosa cantidad de especias de fondo. Amplio, maduro, ganando en detalles reductivos muy finos, de gran calidad y elegancia. Aparecen notas de tabaco inglés, pétalos secos, salvia, cremosos, maderas envinadas.
En boca está totalmente hecho, redondo, para beber ya aunque con un correcto potencial de guarda. Mantiene un equilibrio entre finura y pujanza gracias a una enérgica acidez que aporta frescor y un rastro de maderas finas que es puro lujo!! Todo muy bien medido, excelentemente resuelto, resultón, frutoso, confitado, con unos taninos acariciantes, cremosos. Se disfruta muchísimo aunque es algo inferior al grandísimo 85.
En la línea de los más que regulares Viña Tondonia que ha ido elaborando la bodega en las últimas cosechas. Este gran reserva se nos había escapado, como a casi todo el mundo, y no sabíamos nada de él. Sorprende que se haya hablado tan poco de él y que no lo encontraramos en su momento a la venta, algo que recuerda a añadas "invisibles" como las del 76 y 80. Aprueba y con nota.
Wine Info - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 70% tempranillo, 20% garnacho, 10% graciano y mazuelo - 12% vol. Permanece durante 6 meses en depósitos de madera donde acabar de realizar la fermentación maloláctica. Criado durante 8 años en viejas barricas de roble americano de 225 litros elaboradas por los toneleros de la misma 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. Descansa un mínimo de 44 meses en botellero antes de ser comercializado. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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Knock out nose of ice tea, herbs, pot purri and strawberries. The pot purri, in particular, was a bit reminiscent of the '76. Delicate and nuanced flavors of tart cranberies and forest floor on the palate. Held strong for a good 5+ hours. My two two prior bottles of this vintage have been quite lackluster but this particular one was an absolutely beautiful example of Tondonia.
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This had a super colour and a bit of lift. I wrote 'Burgundian' which isn't my most positive descriptor. This was good but there was something not quite right about it. I would have expected better from such a good Rioja vintage. Perhaps this needs more time but it wasn't coming out to play on the night.
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Majestic Rioja (28-50, Marylebone, London): Red fruited and a little firmer on the nose than the second wine (that turns out to be the Reserva). Good red fruit on the attack with bright acidity. Quite dense. A little overshadowed by the lithe openness of the Reserva, but very decent and one for the future. ***(*)
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Britannia group (Hix Mayfair): very mature colour. Nose very fragrant and mineral. Slightly astringent. Very much in the hosuse style. Palate a bit dissappointing. Same slight astringent note with little fruit and the finish a bit short. Interesting but you need to love the style.
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Decanted just before serving and drank over a lovely rabbit ragout pasta at Amanusa in Bali, this was quite a beautiful wine. Tondonias really do last for ages, so it was no surprise that even at 25 years of age and showing clear secondary characteristics, this bottle nevertheless still felt really youthful - it would probably need quite a few years before really hitting its stride. Still though, it was immensely pleasurable on the night. There were such lovely aromas on the nose, from nice savoury suggestions of undergrowth and funk, to sweeter tones of ripe cherries and dried strawberries and then preserved dates and sour plums on a slighty smoky backdrop, all glowing with a matured sweetness. There was still a tiny touch of coconutty oak influence in there somewhere as well adding to the melange. Really lovely, complex stuff going on in that bouquet. The palate was delicious as well. Tight initially, it took a little while in the decanter to open up. But when it did, it showed bright flavours of red cherries and strawberries, along with a nice touch of earthiness and little drifts of smoke and black tea. Very yummy and still really lively, couched as it all was in fine but still firm tannins and a stream of bright acidity. It was almost deceptively light at first, but drinking this with the gamy meat showed just how much depth it had, with the acidity and tannins clearing the palate beautifully after each morsel of rabbit, and the gentle sweetness of the fruit rising from the depth of the the wine to layer over the flavourful ragout - just beautiful. Lovely finish too, silky, but with an impressive amount of grip underneath its slightly savoury notes of preserved sour plums. The wine did shut down after a couple of hours, with the fruit receding and the acidity sticking out a bit awkwardly, but boy, this was such a charming, elegant bottle of Rioja while it was showing. I could drink this all night, every night. Quite lovely even now, but I would really give it another few years, say 4 or 5, to fill out and take on a bit more complexity.
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Tasted non blind. Opened and decanted for sediment before serving.
Garnet color in the glass, dusty looking. Nose of leather, tar and black berries. Flavors of black berries, black raspberries and black cherries. Tart acidity, integrated tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink or hold.
Deep autumn red with a hint of orange down the middle and a orange to faint amber hue at the rim. The smells of leather, tar, coffee and meat came from the glass. The tastes were like tea, tobacco, coffee, minerals, sour cherry, sour raspberry, and savory and rare red meat. The tannins were faded and subdued and the body was light to medium and the finish was long! This, to me, was the most interesting wine of the lineup today.
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Heredia Tasting; 5/7/2012-5/8/2012 (Palena, Washington, DC): This was served with the fifth group of wines. N black cherry, earth, funk, spice P black cherry, barnyard earth, pepper Good finish, nice structure as welll. Really a nice bottle of vino. 91-92
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Another great bottle over xmas. Fantastic texture and aromas/taste of cherry, american oak, tobacco, autumn leaves, sous bois.The Tondonia's acidity makes it a wonderful complement to the roasted bird we had with it. It takes about an hour to reach its peak point. Do not decant is my advice. Great wine, no rush to drink it. 12.5% abv.
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Another exciting bottle of 87. Initially reserved and muted, the aromas soar out of the glass after about 45min, consistent with past bottle. Some brett, but rather faint and added to the wine.
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Popped and poured, cork was soaked almost completely. V: garnet with brown meniscus, transparent. N: Initially reserved, the aromas opened significantly over the first 30 minutes and stayed strong for the remaining 1.5h. Tobacco, dried figs, orange rind, spices, some oak. P: Refreshing acidity, succulent, vinous texture; more reserved flavors on the palate. Great wine, after a disapointing 81 a few months ago. enjoyed over 2h. 12%abv. Still 3 to go, and in no rush to drink.
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Another great experience with Heredia. This started off very light and soft, but quickly gained weight and fruit with each hour of air. Really complex and elegant. Just fabulous.
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Fabulous. The wine continues to show amazing youth for its age. Gorgeous clarity in the glass with a full nose of earth and hints of raspberries. Extremely well balanced and pure on the palate with a monster finish.
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Outstanding nose but falls flat on the palate. Raspberry and floral notes make it a pleasant wine but lacked any "wow" factor. Maybe a slightly off bottle.
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Classic aged rioja. Mellow, cherries, leather, old wood, cedar, spice. Good stuff, acidity there for food, and tannins seem to have resolved in this bottle.
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Covers the full spectrum of cherry flavors in parallel; nice depth including both young and mature flavors; ripe to raw pits, skin, tar; ultimately held back by its spikiness--it's got rough, uneven peaks. Best with natural rind cheeses.
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No detailed note, but this was a fantastic bottle, drinking absolutely great. Cherry and earth and leather and wonderful aged goodness. Yum, Yum and Yum!
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Orange-tinged red. Almost no sediment. Very open and expressive on the nose. Vanilla, smoke, spices. A little mint. Beautiful sweet n'sour mouth, good backbone. Plums, oak, leather. Mature tannins. Excellent now.
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Not much love here -a lot of tannins and acid but the fruit is faded and this is charmless. there seems to be a lot of bottle variations with this wine though this one was in pristine condition -a recent release. Tried it again over several days and things did not improve much
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Tasted alongside the 87 Bosconia Gran Reserva, the Tondonia had more tannic whoop-ass and was very masculine. Sooo young it's ridiculous. Not impenetrable, but the Bosconia is so much more approachable now. The nose is much less ethereal, with more autumnal, dried leaf and sous bois - but still capitivating in a different way. Clearly a unique wine that acts like a toddler, tuck these in the back of the cellar, has ample stuffing, though the Bosconia is more my speed.
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Terrific, expressive, savory aged Rioja. These are some of the last remaining bargains in the wine world. Earthy, leathery, and characteristic, this iced-tea colored wine was a joy to drink.
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Finally another awesome bottle after a few that failed to live up to my staggering first taste of this. Fragrant, sappy, and even lightly tannic, this still has some of the grip of youth to complement its savory, aged wininess.
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Mucho Lopez (Il Corso): Fabulously expressive wide-open nose of brothy mushrooms with perfect integration and finesse on the palate, yet with a level of fruit concentration that exudes umami-laden sap. The fruit is so vivid it shows its youth next to its older brethren but the finesse and polish make it irresistible to drink now. This is THE bargain Lopez for drinking now or cellaring for the future.
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Light cherry color. Classic old style Rioja with bright and delicious earthy cherry fruit surrounded by sweet vanilla oak. Not overly complex at this point but still a joy to drink. Has a great middle-palate with lovely fragrance and a hint of woodsy spice. Still quite young.
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Polaner Selections Fall Preview Tasting (New York City): Light tawny color with an orange rim. Ultra-traditional Rioja nose of spice, leather, tobacco with a touch of apricot. On the palate it has a long complex finish with good acidity.
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2/2/2024 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Thank goodness this was a better bottle than the one I opened three years ago. This bottle came from my late father’s cellar. It was a birthday gift to him nearly 20 years ago, but he never opened it. One the first anniversary of his passing it seemed appropriate to open it. After successfully dealing with the brittle wax on top, the cork came out in one very solid piece. So did an aroma of saddle leather and cherry preserves. A touch thin and jangly on the palate at first, it fleshed out after thirty minutes to be balanced, old wine. I put the bottle aside for ninety minutes to prep dinner (actually pick up takeout), and then settled in for a full glass with my meal. The depth had increased threefold and the fruit freshened. It also developed a dusty, herbal overtone. Medium-bodied, impeccably balanced, and incalculably long, after another hour I was reconsidering having opened it. There still upside here. Ultimately though, it was nice to enjoy the wine over a few hours, remember my dad, and enjoy a nice Friday evening with my biggest supporter, my wife.
Please open your good bottles. Open them with friends. Open them with family. Open them with a burger at In-n-Out Burger with Paul Giamatti. Just open them.
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11/27/2022 - Topper wrote: 91 Points
Last one of these and age is starting to catch up to it, leaving it still grand but slightly austere. Def finish these up.
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10/2/2022 - viniferatu Likes this wine:
tasted blind, gorgeous spice and dried fruits, very complex on the nose, the palate was a bit lean, but it was still a real pleasure... the table eventually figured it out, though we thought it was younger
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2/13/2021 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Unfortunately this has become plain, old, red wine. It’s tasty enough in a generic sense, but mostly old leather, old wood, dried flowers and herbs with no lift, no life. Sad, but it happens.
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5/20/2020 - Jammy Wine wrote: 88 Points
The 1987 Tondonia Rioja Gran Réserva is soft and silky, fabulous to drink now. Saturated mixed berries, cedar wood, caramelised meaty core and subtle rose petal. Fully mature with fine tannins and vibrant acidity. Hints of ethereal note and citrus peel. Not a blockbuster Rioja but a traditional, and graceful Rioja. (88/100)
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8/25/2019 - Jammy Wine wrote: 89 Points
I served this blind at a party and almost everyone mistook this as an aged Burgundy. Very smooth and leathery, dried meat, tobacco and dried cherry. There is also hints of macerated cherry note that I always relate to traditional Rioja, silky and fragrant. Medium bodied, and gentle style of Tondonia Gran Reserva. This is fully matured and should be consumed in the next 5-10 years. (89/100)
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5/31/2019 - Burgnick wrote: 87 Points
Tastes older than its age. Plum, sandalwood, chinese medicine and iron. Based on this bottle, it was over the peak.
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3/24/2019 - SteveG wrote: 93 Points
From memory, previous bottle was a decade ago, just after release. Totally elegant, full of flavor and zest with the lightest possible texture, mostly red fruits with some pommes and a bit of smoke and old leather, terrific with filet mignon.
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10/9/2018 - egaible wrote: 90 Points
Delightful nose, as mentioned by others -- leather, cherries -- quite, quite excellent. Just decanted, the wine is bricked without throwing any crust whatsoever (cork as extracted was intact too, btw). Initial tasting had a lot of citrus, no real tannin, no real astringency. After 3 hours, the citrus diminished but didn't disappear, remained the dominant note. This rioja resembled a decent and well-aged nebbiolo, IMHO. Not bad, perhaps not worth 30+ years of age. Drink it now, it's not getting better.
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12/3/2017 - cardsandwine Likes this wine:
Another fabulous bottle. Like sipping from a fountain of youth.
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5/6/2017 - DougLee wrote: 92 Points
Opened and followed for 4 hours. Soaked, crumbly cork with medium fill. Translucent rusty strawberry color. Billows of red plum, currant, leather, soy, and subtle oak scents on opening with quiet persistence of same through the evening. After two hours the palate filled out exhibiting layers of red and dark plum, black currant, leather, hints of beef blood, and deft oak. Bright acidity and smoothed tannin with a bit of polish. Moderately long finish of elegant red fruit, tea, and subtle earthy grip. Very much alive and kicking, this wine could have benefited from more time in a decanter.
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12/31/2016 - DK Amateur wrote:
Decanted shortly before serving. First, a fabulous nose of smooth mature red wine. Then more leather and savoury red earth - classic Rioja. In the mouth it is medium-bodied and not really layered but shows very high acidity. It keeps expanding and the finish is exquisite. Overall the nose and the finish are better than the taste.
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12/23/2016 - Tony Molester wrote:
Overall I found this bottle's flavours t to start showing their age. The nose was exquisite, as most LdH are, but the flavours are on the wane, not just a shift towards tertiary flavours, rather a loss of intensity. Showed better for similar age than a Bosconia GR 91 tasted side by side. That was a pretty ordinary wine by comparison.
Drink up.
13% abv
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11/21/2016 - lolo66 wrote:
light, ethereal. Gains complexity with air. last sip the best. ligt cranberry color. citrus peel. earl grey tea. high toned and acidic keeps all of it vibrant.
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9/28/2014 - gblacave Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really nice and young! Still has a vibrance to it despite being 27 years old. Beautiful nose of leather, rose petals, bright red (slightly sour) berry. Smooth, well-integrated palate. This shows great balance now and I'm looking forward to checking in on it in a few years - this hasn't reached a full developed state in my mind.
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9/28/2014 - tooch wrote: 93 Points
Sunday Night Dinner (RPM Steak - Chicago, IL): What's striking about this wine is just how youthful and energetic it was. Seductive nose filled with dried roses, leather, dusty cherries, and some smoke. The palate was so fresh and lively too...great acidity and the brightness of the fruit was surprising for a wine of this age. Even Lopez wines (which can age forever) tend to lose their brightness a bit and take on more earthy, meaty tones...but this hasn't gotten there yet.
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3/14/2014 - Los 12 Glotones Likes this wine: 93 Points
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Els12golafres Wine Tasting Group: http://vinosclasicos.blogspot.com.es/2014/01/vina-tondonia-1987-gran-reserva.html
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De color rubí granatoso de capa media, algo más extraído que el resto de vinos de los 80. Reflejos anaranjados y cobrizos, luminoso, limpio. Borde atejado, amplio, con marcada diferencia respecto al menisco.
Recuerda en casi todo al Tondonia 85, cortados ambos por el mismo patrón. Íntegro y expresivo, sólido. Predominan los registros de hojarasca, tierra húmeda, frutos rojos (guindas en licor, endrinas, escarchados) y una brumosa cantidad de especias de fondo. Amplio, maduro, ganando en detalles reductivos muy finos, de gran calidad y elegancia. Aparecen notas de tabaco inglés, pétalos secos, salvia, cremosos, maderas envinadas.
En boca está totalmente hecho, redondo, para beber ya aunque con un correcto potencial de guarda. Mantiene un equilibrio entre finura y pujanza gracias a una enérgica acidez que aporta frescor y un rastro de maderas finas que es puro lujo!! Todo muy bien medido, excelentemente resuelto, resultón, frutoso, confitado, con unos taninos acariciantes, cremosos. Se disfruta muchísimo aunque es algo inferior al grandísimo 85.
En la línea de los más que regulares Viña Tondonia que ha ido elaborando la bodega en las últimas cosechas. Este gran reserva se nos había escapado, como a casi todo el mundo, y no sabíamos nada de él. Sorprende que se haya hablado tan poco de él y que no lo encontraramos en su momento a la venta, algo que recuerda a añadas "invisibles" como las del 76 y 80. Aprueba y con nota.
Wine Info - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
70% tempranillo, 20% garnacho, 10% graciano y mazuelo - 12% vol.
Permanece durante 6 meses en depósitos de madera donde acabar de realizar la fermentación maloláctica. Criado durante 8 años en viejas barricas de roble americano de 225 litros elaboradas por los toneleros de la misma 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. Descansa un mínimo de 44 meses en botellero antes de ser comercializado.
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9/15/2013 - ChazGeorgetown14 wrote:
Knock out nose of ice tea, herbs, pot purri and strawberries. The pot purri, in particular, was a bit reminiscent of the '76. Delicate and nuanced flavors of tart cranberies and forest floor on the palate. Held strong for a good 5+ hours. My two two prior bottles of this vintage have been quite lackluster but this particular one was an absolutely beautiful example of Tondonia.
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11/19/2012 - Rupert wrote: 91 Points
Rioja dinner (28-50, Marylebone, London): Plush, red fruited, but tight, not fully expressive, but obviously very fine and I presumed it was the GR
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11/19/2012 - rayq wrote: 90 Points
This had a super colour and a bit of lift. I wrote 'Burgundian' which isn't my most positive descriptor.
This was good but there was something not quite right about it.
I would have expected better from such a good Rioja vintage.
Perhaps this needs more time but it wasn't coming out to play on the night.
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11/19/2012 - SimonG wrote: 91 Points
Majestic Rioja (28-50, Marylebone, London): Red fruited and a little firmer on the nose than the second wine (that turns out to be the Reserva). Good red fruit on the attack with bright acidity. Quite dense. A little overshadowed by the lithe openness of the Reserva, but very decent and one for the future. ***(*)
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10/26/2012 - Atreyu wrote: 92 Points
much better than last bottle. Weightless, great grip, very refreshing.
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10/25/2012 - redders wrote: 90 Points
Britannia group (Hix Mayfair): very mature colour. Nose very fragrant and mineral. Slightly astringent. Very much in the hosuse style. Palate a bit dissappointing. Same slight astringent note with little fruit and the finish a bit short. Interesting but you need to love the style.
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9/22/2012 - WineLackey wrote: flawed
Oxidized :(
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8/11/2012 - Paul S wrote: 93 Points
Decanted just before serving and drank over a lovely rabbit ragout pasta at Amanusa in Bali, this was quite a beautiful wine. Tondonias really do last for ages, so it was no surprise that even at 25 years of age and showing clear secondary characteristics, this bottle nevertheless still felt really youthful - it would probably need quite a few years before really hitting its stride. Still though, it was immensely pleasurable on the night. There were such lovely aromas on the nose, from nice savoury suggestions of undergrowth and funk, to sweeter tones of ripe cherries and dried strawberries and then preserved dates and sour plums on a slighty smoky backdrop, all glowing with a matured sweetness. There was still a tiny touch of coconutty oak influence in there somewhere as well adding to the melange. Really lovely, complex stuff going on in that bouquet. The palate was delicious as well. Tight initially, it took a little while in the decanter to open up. But when it did, it showed bright flavours of red cherries and strawberries, along with a nice touch of earthiness and little drifts of smoke and black tea. Very yummy and still really lively, couched as it all was in fine but still firm tannins and a stream of bright acidity. It was almost deceptively light at first, but drinking this with the gamy meat showed just how much depth it had, with the acidity and tannins clearing the palate beautifully after each morsel of rabbit, and the gentle sweetness of the fruit rising from the depth of the the wine to layer over the flavourful ragout - just beautiful. Lovely finish too, silky, but with an impressive amount of grip underneath its slightly savoury notes of preserved sour plums. The wine did shut down after a couple of hours, with the fruit receding and the acidity sticking out a bit awkwardly, but boy, this was such a charming, elegant bottle of Rioja while it was showing. I could drink this all night, every night. Quite lovely even now, but I would really give it another few years, say 4 or 5, to fill out and take on a bit more complexity.
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8/9/2012 - LFCHALA Likes this wine: 94 Points
What can I say? Extremely elegant. Classic Rioja.
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8/5/2012 - wineismylife wrote: 93 Points
Saturdays at One - Volume 66 - Farewell to Brandi (Tom's Place in Las Colinas, TX): WIML93
Tasted non blind. Opened and decanted for sediment before serving.
Garnet color in the glass, dusty looking. Nose of leather, tar and black berries. Flavors of black berries, black raspberries and black cherries. Tart acidity, integrated tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink or hold.
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8/5/2012 - hackey37 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep autumn red with a hint of orange down the middle and a orange to faint amber hue at the rim. The smells of leather, tar, coffee and meat came from the glass. The tastes were like tea, tobacco, coffee, minerals, sour cherry, sour raspberry, and savory and rare red meat. The tannins were faded and subdued and the body was light to medium and the finish was long! This, to me, was the most interesting wine of the lineup today.
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5/7/2012 - manonthemoon wrote: 92 Points
Heredia Tasting; 5/7/2012-5/8/2012 (Palena, Washington, DC): This was served with the fifth group of wines.
N black cherry, earth, funk, spice
P black cherry, barnyard earth, pepper
Good finish, nice structure as welll.
Really a nice bottle of vino.
91-92
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12/28/2011 - Tony Molester wrote:
Another great bottle over xmas. Fantastic texture and aromas/taste of cherry, american oak, tobacco, autumn leaves, sous bois.The Tondonia's acidity makes it a wonderful complement to the roasted bird we had with it. It takes about an hour to reach its peak point. Do not decant is my advice. Great wine, no rush to drink it.
12.5% abv.
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12/21/2011 - yofog wrote: 93 Points
Red fruit, piquillo, minerality, slight earthiness. Much like a (younger) Graves. No rush to drinkt this.
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10/23/2011 - Tony Molester wrote:
Another exciting bottle of 87. Initially reserved and muted, the aromas soar out of the glass after about 45min, consistent with past bottle. Some brett, but rather faint and added to the wine.
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9/23/2011 - Tony Molester wrote:
Popped and poured, cork was soaked almost completely.
V: garnet with brown meniscus, transparent.
N: Initially reserved, the aromas opened significantly over the first 30 minutes and stayed strong for the remaining 1.5h. Tobacco, dried figs, orange rind, spices, some oak.
P: Refreshing acidity, succulent, vinous texture; more reserved flavors on the palate.
Great wine, after a disapointing 81 a few months ago.
enjoyed over 2h. 12%abv. Still 3 to go, and in no rush to drink.
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8/18/2011 - Counselor Chris wrote: 92 Points
Fills out over a couple of hours open, yet always remains graceful and elegant.
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5/1/2011 - Mirhashemi wrote: 90 Points
Great wine!
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10/24/2010 - keelegl wrote: 94 Points
Another great experience with Heredia. This started off very light and soft, but quickly gained weight and fruit with each hour of air. Really complex and elegant. Just fabulous.
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7/5/2010 - cardsandwine Likes this wine:
Fabulous. The wine continues to show amazing youth for its age. Gorgeous clarity in the glass with a full nose of earth and hints of raspberries. Extremely well balanced and pure on the palate with a monster finish.
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1/4/2010 - g-man wrote: 87 Points
Outstanding nose but falls flat on the palate. Raspberry and floral notes make it a pleasant wine but lacked any "wow" factor. Maybe a slightly off bottle.
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11/18/2009 - slopeguy wrote:
Some barnyard funk, but blew off after about 30 minutes in the decanter. Ashy and great long length, Excellent wine
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9/3/2009 - gordoyflaca wrote: 93 Points
Classic aged rioja. Mellow, cherries, leather, old wood, cedar, spice. Good stuff, acidity there for food, and tannins seem to have resolved in this bottle.
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8/1/2009 - Rollerball wrote: 87 Points
Covers the full spectrum of cherry flavors in parallel; nice depth including both young and mature flavors; ripe to raw pits, skin, tar; ultimately held back by its spikiness--it's got rough, uneven peaks. Best with natural rind cheeses.
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8/1/2009 - Rollerball wrote: flawed
Oxidzed.
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6/21/2009 - Greg Pierce wrote:
No detailed note, but this was a fantastic bottle, drinking absolutely great. Cherry and earth and leather and wonderful aged goodness. Yum, Yum and Yum!
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5/23/2009 - pulver wrote: 93 Points
Orange-tinged red. Almost no sediment. Very open and expressive on the nose. Vanilla, smoke, spices. A little mint. Beautiful sweet n'sour mouth, good backbone. Plums, oak, leather. Mature tannins. Excellent now.
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4/15/2009 - bon vivant wrote:
Not much love here -a lot of tannins and acid but the fruit is faded and this is charmless. there seems to be a lot of bottle variations with this wine though this one was in pristine condition -a recent release. Tried it again over several days and things did not improve much
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1/29/2009 - spacewrangler wrote: 93 Points
Tasted alongside the 87 Bosconia Gran Reserva, the Tondonia had more tannic whoop-ass and was very masculine. Sooo young it's ridiculous. Not impenetrable, but the Bosconia is so much more approachable now. The nose is much less ethereal, with more autumnal, dried leaf and sous bois - but still capitivating in a different way. Clearly a unique wine that acts like a toddler, tuck these in the back of the cellar, has ample stuffing, though the Bosconia is more my speed.
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11/11/2008 - mdavis wrote:
This wine was very primary upon opening, and didn't really impress initially...The next day it was incredible...HOLD or DECANT.
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8/31/2008 - rc@ughey wrote: 92 Points
Terrific, expressive, savory aged Rioja. These are some of the last remaining bargains in the wine world. Earthy, leathery, and characteristic, this iced-tea colored wine was a joy to drink.
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7/23/2008 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 96 Points
Finally another awesome bottle after a few that failed to live up to my staggering first taste of this. Fragrant, sappy, and even lightly tannic, this still has some of the grip of youth to complement its savory, aged wininess.
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5/5/2008 - beezer6 wrote: 91 Points
Heritage Grand Wine Tasting (Ritz-Carlton - Chicago, IL): Tasted at the 2008 Heritage Grand Wine Tasting @ The Ritz-Carlton in Chicago.
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12/26/2007 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 83 Points
Sadly and seriously inconsistent with my last bottle. Thinner. Less material. Less expressive. But not evidently damaged.
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8/8/2007 - MRichman wrote:
Lopez de Heredia Vertical (NYC): Bright acidity with soft floral aromatics. Cherry. Not as dark as the 1985. Light, soft with dark tannins.
B+
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8/8/2007 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 99 Points
Mucho Lopez (Il Corso): Fabulously expressive wide-open nose of brothy mushrooms with perfect integration and finesse on the palate, yet with a level of fruit concentration that exudes umami-laden sap. The fruit is so vivid it shows its youth next to its older brethren but the finesse and polish make it irresistible to drink now. This is THE bargain Lopez for drinking now or cellaring for the future.
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1/24/2007 - dream wrote: 90 Points
Light cherry color. Classic old style Rioja with bright and delicious earthy cherry fruit surrounded by sweet vanilla oak. Not overly complex at this point but still a joy to drink. Has a great middle-palate with lovely fragrance and a hint of woodsy spice. Still quite young.
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8/22/2006 - Mlermontov wrote: 92 Points
polaner fall 06: there we go. i can drink this all day - refreshing, earthy, spicy, leather...light body . perfect old Rioja
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8/22/2006 - dougsmith wrote: 91 Points
Polaner Selections Fall Preview Tasting (New York City): Light tawny color with an orange rim. Ultra-traditional Rioja nose of spice, leather, tobacco with a touch of apricot. On the palate it has a long complex finish with good acidity.
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