Pre-Paulee Warm-up Dinner (House of Nanda - Chicago IL): Alongside the '76 Bosconia Gran Reserva. Complex array of red and black cherry with slowly cooked mushroom, braised meat spice and lots of concentration. Much better vs last time opened at a dinner in 2012, this was sensational today, easily overshadowing the beautiful Bosconia. Wine of the Night.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pre La Paulée Dinner with friends (Home): My WOTN in an extraordinary line-up of wines. This is incredibly youthful but also so complex and nuanced. The fruit is seamless and refined while also weighty. Texturally similar to what I love in mature Grand Cru burgundy with the unique, layered flavors of Rioja.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
El lacrado se encontraba en perfecto estado, pero no así el tapón que se deshizo en migas y ello obligó a decantar el vino lo cual no le fue nada mal. El color totalmente atejado muy claro. El aroma inicial era oscuro y sucio, pero con la decantación de una hora aproximadamente se transformó. Ahora ya tenemos un auténtico LdH Gran Reserva en su mejor expresión, que es tras muchos decenios en botella¡
El aroma que emite es intenso y profundo. Da tonos eminentemente terciarios, cuero, sacristía, cera, flor seca, tierra, madera vieja perfumada con restos o señales de confitura de cerezas o hijos.
La boca es milagrosa, desde luego suave, pulida, fina y elegante. Tiene mucha profundidad y es expansiva lateralmente hacia los bordes, el centro se constituye por una delgada y fina línea vertical que se diría de acero por su extraordinaria dureza, (esta es una característica que sólo encuentro en estos viejos LdH). Además, se expresa sobre tonos terciarios volviendo a aparecer confitura de frutas y guindas al licor, que le da un tono ligeramente licoroso, hay restos de madera vieja y perfumada que se integra muy bien en el conjunto y no obstaculizan para nada el disfrute de este vino, incluso tengo la impresión que estas sensaciones maderosas, siempre ligeras y bien integradas, tienen su origen más en la evolución en botella que la propia crianza del vino, pero es sólo una impresión.
Increíble, magnífico, esplendoroso, poco más puedo decir. 98
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Breathtaking. This has a crazy intense nose of dried flowers, red fruits, and earth. The palate is open-knit with sweet red and brambly fruits and layers of herbs, leather, and emerging sous bois. Still astonishingly fresh. I dare say this has room to improve further. These older LdH wines can have such bottle variation, but this was really profound.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fascinating wine. Upon opening, very strong aromas of tomato, charred red pepper, and slight olive brine. Similar on the palate, with a lot of vegetal and earthy notes, and with an added note that I could only place as something like Worcestershire sauce. After getting some more air (roughly an hour), some cranberry acidity emerged. Other than that, not a ton of fruit.
Enjoyable, and very different than the Bordeaux style blends I’m used to.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Just fantastic. So fresh for a 43 year old wine! Great acid and still a good amount of figs and ripe red fruit, lots of cedar and a nice dustiness. Interestingly very little sediment (which has been my experience with older Rioja).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Unfortunately my bottle of 1976 Tondonia Gran Reserva was not up to par. Something not quite right, madeirised.. Volatile, strawberries, sour cherry, gamey leather with smooth tannins. Good underlying quality but strange bottle, possibly due to bad storage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Freaking incredible bottle of Lopez. In such a great spot. Smoky on the nose, slightly fresher on the palate. Cranberry, dried red plum, wilted red roses, dill, fertilizer. Fascinating and still fresh.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Crushed red berries, dusty soil tones and light funk on the nose. Palate displays a richness of red fruit with background sweetness and light mineral and earth notes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
We had ordered the ’80 (1st bottle corked), but they poured the '76. Lively tree bark and herb amaro aromas. Really meaty. Celery salt. Absolutely enchanting aromatically. The World's Best Dry Red Vermouth. Light tannin, it's there, just a gentle tug. Very rocky to the palate, while thinking about not being able to taste rocks. A very memorable night...Jamie...Pippins...Carlsberg.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A lovely old wine. Lots of leather and tobacco, but still a good fruit - old plum. Not nearly as good the second night. Light / medium mouthfeel due to its age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Evolved in colour, brownish, tawny in colour. Quite aged on the nose, dried fruit, figs, leather, earthy notes, a bit old and tired. On the palate soft, mellow, elegant and round. Nice aromatics, maybe lacking a bit of grip and definition. Balsamic notes, slightly bitter. 90-92
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lighter red colour with elegant red and dark fruits, old leather and rust. Refined and soft on the palate with good acidity and structure. Holding up very well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Els12golafres Wine Tasting Group: http://vinosclasicos.blogspot.com.es/2015/01/vina-tondonia-1976-gran-reserva.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Botella lacrada en origen y no vuelta a reencorchar posteriormente. Corcho oscuro, empapado pero en muy buen estado, elástico. Ha salido sin problemas, de una pieza. Veamos: de color rubí marronoso de capa media, ligeramente turbio con finísimas partículas en suspensión (requiere ir con mucho cuidado al servir) con bastante precipitado en la base de la botella. Reflejos cobrizos, sin mucho brillo, pardizo. Ribete amplio, atejado, sin gran diferencia respecto al menisco.
Una exhibición de perfume de Rioja clásica, de gran intensidad aunque al inicio se muestra "apestosillo" con apuntes de barro, ceniza y un fondo vegetal (¿mate cocido?) difícil de definir. Las 2 horas de espera, sin decantar, lo ponen en su sitio. De una reducción elegantísima al tiempo que potente, envolvente, con notas de cuadra y animal, faisandaje, que dan paso a un barrido otoñal de sotobosque, musgo, múrgulas y un casi apunte mineral a polvorilla y fósforo que permanece presente en todo momento pero igualmente soterrado en último término. Atractivo, complejo, sacando una mezcla de maderas viejas y frutos en licor, ciruelas pasas, higos turcos, naranja escarchada, vainilla, secundada por arreos viejos, cuero, maromas de cáñamo... Muy completo!!
En boca es ligero en la entrada pero dotado de nervio, frescor y una acidez de gran Rioja. De perfil muy clásico, aposentado, sedoso al tacto, redondo, con un ligero toque de dulcedumbre y vainilla seguido de amargosos de aúpa. Brilla a gran nivel, competo, sólido, ganando en profundidad copa a copa. La fruta roja se muestra reducidísima, fundida como pocas veces en las notas de cuero. Una de las cosechas menos conocidas de Viña Tondonia, de las menos habituales, que se nos había escapado hasta el momento. Ya no!! Ésta no tiene nada que envidiar a los gran reserva de 1970 o 1973. A diferencia de estas dos añadas se muestra más delicado, hasta el punto de llegar a confundirnos con el Bosconia de 1978.
- - - Wine Info - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 75% tempranillo, 15% garnacho, 5% graciano, 5% mazuelo - 12% vol. Permanece durante 6 meses en depósitos de madera de gran capacidad en los que acaba de realizar la fermentación maloláctica. Criado durante 9 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. En este momento a todas las botellas se les coloca una cápsula de laca en el cuello que es substituida por una nueva cápsula de plomo cuando se procede al etiquetado. Producción limitada a 25.000 botellas. Descansa un mínimo de 60 meses en botellero en los calados de la bodega antes de ser comercializado. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had at Alta in NYC. Sorry to see the latest notes because our bottle was exceptional. More masculine than the '78 Bosconia we had with it. Plenty of red fruit, barnyard, leather, wood. If you like old rioja, Alta has an incredible list and very reasonably priced.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Good fading ruby color. Perfumed nose of black cherries, wet moss, horse leathers and ether. High-toned and crisp in texture with earthy flavors of taut cherries, wet hay and medicinal notes. The finish is a bit austere and lacks any complexity. I've had many off-bottles of '76 Tondonia but this bottle seems in perfect condition and the wine is less than stellar and past its best. 84-
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
No formal notes. Decanted 4 hours. This was a very good but not great GR. Although it was not offensive and offered typical rioja profile of tobacco, mint and pickled cherries, it didn't really evolve into much after significant air. In fact, it remained fairly simple and began going down hill towards the last glass or two.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Almost brown color with little in the way of bouquet or flavor. This wine was quite lifeless. I am struck by the difference in description provided by other drinkers. Perhaps a bottle with questionable cellaring.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Seemingly a perfectly stored bottle with a high fill and a good, clean nose but this ultimately disappointed. I'm a big fan of these wines but I'm finding that they are best when released by the winery (I've had this in the cellar for about 8 years). It's always a high-acid wine but the level here was simply too high and while it did calm down some over time and with food, it still didn't show enough balancing fruit or complexity. Will try another bottle soon to be sure.
Mature wines at Marco's (Milford, CT): One of the best aged Riojas I've had in some time; so elegant, refined and polished with a lovely mature sappiness and sweetness to the red fruit flavours, and layers of leather, cedar wood and higher toned herbal and floral notes accenting the core of fruit here. This seems to be at peak now and it's absolutely compelling to drink.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
From memory...Red cherry, signature Lopez barnyard, still bright acidity, light yet refined body. Not likely to improve with age, yet should still drink for the next few years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beautiful and soft. The softest Tondonia yet for me. It was so polite though, I was missing a little of the barnyard in it. Maybe that was just from my expectations. The wife adored it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Acker BYO 2011 (Tribeca Grill): Brought by Matt N. Very bright on the nose - orange zest, stones and meat. Very stinky. Very mature on the palate - dusty and minerally. Secondary aromas and earth. Nice sweet strawberry finish with lots of acid. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5.5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 16.5/20.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sampled 12/10/11. The wax capsule was in tact and hard but the cork was very easily depressed. Fortunately the wine was in tact and its interesting red/amber color was exactly as expected. The wine was soft and elegant but a tad simple. The wine is not a dense tempranillo / granache blend, it is almost thin but still lively fruit, leather, minerals and acidity. It gets an extra point for its ageworthiness, but it is a wine I won't seek out at auction.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
An excellent bottle, even if the cork turned to sawdust when I tried to remove it. Color was a light orange red and the wine itself was fairly clear with very little sediment. Nice nose of cherry, plum and tea. Still very flavorful; evocative of tart cherry. The clincher was the airy texture combined with the lively flavors. A palpable hit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cloudy appearance. Very bright nose - red fruit and strong minerals, older brown caramel. Leafy palate - herbal, Iron and blood. Lots of acid - ouch. Very Nuits/Gevery. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 0/2 = 15/20.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Another great bottle of this. Red brick in the glass. Really fresh notes of cherry liquor, dried fruit and roasted chestnut (smells like a NYC street corner around the holidays). The cherry cordial flavors combine with nuts and wild herbs on the palate, with good weight, bright acidity and a long finish that brings hints of stone and carries the fruit to the end. This should drink well for another 20-30 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Orange almost brown color upon opening. After a couple of hours in the glass, the color changed to almost deep red. Quite amazing. A very unique wine for sure. I smell dried roses on the nose. The aroma is intense and captivating. There is some sour cherry fruit as well along with cinnamon and a mark of chocolate. The wine is refined and elegant, yet penetrating on the palate. More rose petal, herbal tea and bitter, red fruit on the palate. Very complex wine. Mature, but still fresh. A serious wine, a wine one talks about and discusses. I liked it more than my parents and Susanne.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ruby to brick red color. Nose of stewed cherries, leather, earth, mint. Similar on the palate with nice tart red cherry, stewed cherry, spice, mint, earth. Good acidity. Tannins completely resolved. Lovely mature wine. No bottle variation.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
CT London Event (Hide Bar, Bermondsey, London): This was quite, quite stunning on the day. Orange brown colour showed its age, but it was alive and kicking in every other respect. Incredible nose that I could just have smelt all day. Rich plums, dark berries, rich earth and mushroom tones and a port-like dried fig note. All very lush, warm and rich. But it was on the palate where this really shown. Pure seduction - figs, prunes, dried cherries, orange peel, sour plums, haw flakes and spice, all dancing around in a complex movement with lots of fresh acidity. Silky smooth, great clarity and elegance, great balance. Was this ever alive! Beautiful length on the finish as well - more figs, lingering dried fruits and little whirls of tempranillo tobacco smoke. Charming and seductive to the end. This was as beautiful, developed and complete as an aged Rioja can get.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened this immediately prior to drinking. Cork was saturated, which caused alot of concern (at least for me). color was almost brown; tinted red/orange, no legs. Nice nose, but a little oxidized. On the palate (particularly with cuban pork) this was very nice flavors blended nicely, brining a nice finish to an excellent meal. Towards the end of the bottle, oxidation became pronounced, and overpowering. Still, for a 33 year-old bottle of wine, I am quite pleased.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lopez de Heredia dinner at Troquet (Boston, MA): Clear dark red colour with a stunning nose showing leather, cinnamon, cherry, earth and floral elements over faintly caramelized notes. Has a silky, light mouthfeel with more cherry, cranberry, leather and mushroom flavours on the palate, good acidity and grainy tannins on the back end. Picks up weight and length with air, giving the impression that there's still plenty of time ahead here.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Unbelievably high ullage. Opened easily enough. Decanted because it looked like some sediment was on the bottom, but nothing in the cheese cloth. A light almost orange-ish color, crystal clear. Very nice nose, with hints of strawberries. First taste a little passive, but well structured. flavor developed well over the next 30 minutes. A very mature wine, but nice nonetheless.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
López de Heredia dinner (Orson, San Francisco): Lifted aromas of strawberry, coconut, saddle leather. Sweet and vinous in the mouth, with sweet red dried strawberry, earth, tobacco and savory dried herbs. Nice broad midpalate and good if not great length. Very good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Chidaine, a Cuvee Buster, '86 Vega Sicilia and '76 Tondonia Chez Brad.: Just gorgeous aromatically. To start there's sweet red cherry aromas with baked clay, a touch of cocoanut and sweet spices before moving more into a leather and earthy character. On the palate it's like slipping into a worn leather easy chair that knows you well. It's soft and warm with an easy going character. Surprisingly supple upfront, though with air the wine picked up an orange citrus acidic character on the finish. Much more of a leather and earth persona than the nose indicated with just hints of cherry fruit. Much more intellectual than the Vega that followed, though not a better wine. Solid A-.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
still very tasty. the nose had a bit of the barnyard funk, but on the palate the wine was still fresh and vibrant with a long finish. very, very enjoyable bottle of wine....
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Faded ruby color. Fabulous nose of earthy ripe cherries, dried herbs, tobacco and red spices. Quite high-toned and intense with lovely mature earthy/cherry Rioja flavors and a wonderful spice-infused finish. Has a wonderful silky mouth-feel with uplifting fresh acidity. This is a well-stored bottle of this wine and it should continue to age effortlessly. These wines are never overly complex but show amazing freshness and purity even with decades of age and the style is growing on me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very light but clear ruby color with a fair amount of fading. Fabulous nose of sweet red earth, cinamin spices, burnt orange peel and horse-hide. Lighter-bodied but builds to a rich, spicy, succulent finish. Quite lean rather than lush and finishes with an extra dimension of complex flavors that echo the nose. Soft and mature but still has some acidity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Mucho Lopez (Il Corso): This wine next to the Bosconia really dramatizes the difference between the two vineyards. This one is broader, harder, and larger in dimension although not as penetrating in flavor. It wafts out of you, whereas the Bosconia seeps into you. It finishes with vivid green tobacco and unfortunately reveals a bit of brett with some air, though fortunately not as much as the '85. Two out of eight called slight corkiness. I didn't see it but am happy to believe it could have shown better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This smelt rather old when opened. It did develop over 2 hours filling out and improving - strawberries, vanilla and mocha aromas and flavours. Subtle but not especially complex and rather too light and diffuse for my taste.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beautiful lighter ruby, some tinge of amber, but great clarity and fresh looking. Fresh forest floor, dried herbs, some sweetness as it opened up over a couple of hours. Lighter bodied, great elegance and grace of age, dried cherries, lovely balance and fully resolved, still amazingly fresh. A simply perfect wine for what it is. A fruitless woner.
At Harvest Vine, Rick.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted @ Hearth Restaurant, NYC. A beautiful, Burgundian-type wine but clearly a Rioja due to the funky, woodsy flavors. A high-acid wine but balanced beautifully by delicious, ripe dark cherry fruit. Lighter-bodied and not at all a modern concentrated blockbuster - in fact, this wine is the antithesis of today's Parkerized monsters and absolutely uplifting to drink. Strikingly fresh, intense and juicy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Hello, earth! Here's a vivid romp in the briar patch, with mushrooms and other aromas of the forest floor augmenting the surprisingly fresh apple and raspberry fruit. The texture has a Burgundian, or I might even say Bosconian, delicacy to it that delivers the earth to the palate in style.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened and "Audouzed" for 6 hours. A little musty smelling right after opening, but that quickly went away. Scents of dark cherries and leather and a bit of oxidation at first. With the small amount poured out into a glass, I was amazed at how deeply colored this wine was, though, naturally, there was bricking out towards the rim. As the wine opened up, more cherries and raspberries showed up. On the palate, flavors came and went throughout the evening and it had wonderful light weight in the mouth with nice acidity. When they were there, tastes of sweet cherries, raspberries and leather were delicious. The finish was a bit short. All in alll, a very nice wine, though not nearly as complex as I would have expected.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was better than the '81. Nice fruit of cherries. Perfectly open after around 3 minutes out of the bottle. Just round and well structured. Not a very complex wine. Just perfect. Wow!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
3/1/2023 - Burgundy Al wrote: 98 Points
Pre-Paulee Warm-up Dinner (House of Nanda - Chicago IL): Alongside the '76 Bosconia Gran Reserva. Complex array of red and black cherry with slowly cooked mushroom, braised meat spice and lots of concentration. Much better vs last time opened at a dinner in 2012, this was sensational today, easily overshadowing the beautiful Bosconia. Wine of the Night.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/1/2023 - Nanda wrote: 98 Points
Pre La Paulée Dinner with friends (Home): My WOTN in an extraordinary line-up of wines. This is incredibly youthful but also so complex and nuanced. The fruit is seamless and refined while also weighty. Texturally similar to what I love in mature Grand Cru burgundy with the unique, layered flavors of Rioja.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/18/2023 - ThijsV wrote: flawed
Cork fallen in the wine long ago and leaked significantly during transport. Only vinegar left
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/17/2022 - FEDEVIDAL Likes this wine: 98 Points
El lacrado se encontraba en perfecto estado, pero no así el tapón que se deshizo en migas y ello obligó a decantar el vino lo cual no le fue nada mal.
El color totalmente atejado muy claro. El aroma inicial era oscuro y sucio, pero con la decantación de una hora aproximadamente se transformó. Ahora ya tenemos un auténtico LdH Gran Reserva en su mejor expresión, que es tras muchos decenios en botella¡
El aroma que emite es intenso y profundo. Da tonos eminentemente terciarios, cuero, sacristía, cera, flor seca, tierra, madera vieja perfumada con restos o señales de confitura de cerezas o hijos.
La boca es milagrosa, desde luego suave, pulida, fina y elegante. Tiene mucha profundidad y es expansiva lateralmente hacia los bordes, el centro se constituye por una delgada y fina línea vertical que se diría de acero por su extraordinaria dureza, (esta es una característica que sólo encuentro en estos viejos LdH). Además, se expresa sobre tonos terciarios volviendo a aparecer confitura de frutas y guindas al licor, que le da un tono ligeramente licoroso, hay restos de madera vieja y perfumada que se integra muy bien en el conjunto y no obstaculizan para nada el disfrute de este vino, incluso tengo la impresión que estas sensaciones maderosas, siempre ligeras y bien integradas, tienen su origen más en la evolución en botella que la propia crianza del vino, pero es sólo una impresión.
Increíble, magnífico, esplendoroso, poco más puedo decir.
98
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/4/2022 - rc@ughey wrote: 96 Points
Breathtaking. This has a crazy intense nose of dried flowers, red fruits, and earth. The palate is open-knit with sweet red and brambly fruits and layers of herbs, leather, and emerging sous bois. Still astonishingly fresh. I dare say this has room to improve further. These older LdH wines can have such bottle variation, but this was really profound.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/25/2021 - HotelHarrington Likes this wine:
Fascinating wine. Upon opening, very strong aromas of tomato, charred red pepper, and slight olive brine. Similar on the palate, with a lot of vegetal and earthy notes, and with an added note that I could only place as something like Worcestershire sauce. After getting some more air (roughly an hour), some cranberry acidity emerged. Other than that, not a ton of fruit.
Enjoyable, and very different than the Bordeaux style blends I’m used to.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/18/2019 - Dmax808 wrote: 97 Points
Just fantastic. So fresh for a 43 year old wine! Great acid and still a good amount of figs and ripe red fruit, lots of cedar and a nice dustiness. Interestingly very little sediment (which has been my experience with older Rioja).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/26/2019 - Jammy Wine wrote: flawed
Unfortunately my bottle of 1976 Tondonia Gran Reserva was not up to par. Something not quite right, madeirised.. Volatile, strawberries, sour cherry, gamey leather with smooth tannins. Good underlying quality but strange bottle, possibly due to bad storage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2019 - THECORKDORK Likes this wine: 93 Points
Freaking incredible bottle of Lopez. In such a great spot. Smoky on the nose, slightly fresher on the palate. Cranberry, dried red plum, wilted red roses, dill, fertilizer. Fascinating and still fresh.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/11/2017 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 93 Points
Crushed red berries, dusty soil tones and light funk on the nose. Palate displays a richness of red fruit with background sweetness and light mineral and earth notes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/3/2017 - nzinkgraf wrote:
We had ordered the ’80 (1st bottle corked), but they poured the '76.
Lively tree bark and herb amaro aromas. Really meaty. Celery salt. Absolutely enchanting aromatically. The World's Best Dry Red Vermouth. Light tannin, it's there, just a gentle tug. Very rocky to the palate, while thinking about not being able to taste rocks. A very memorable night...Jamie...Pippins...Carlsberg.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/13/2017 - Patrik H Does not like this wine:
No formal notes
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2016 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 92 Points
A lovely old wine. Lots of leather and tobacco, but still a good fruit - old plum. Not nearly as good the second night. Light / medium mouthfeel due to its age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/18/2016 - Lype Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lots of cherry flavours in a nice package, preferred the -81 though.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/17/2016 - Rani Likes this wine: 92 Points
Huge stench of sewer at first (in a good way), burnt rubber and blackberry. Very good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/8/2015 - rossi.wine wrote: 91 Points
Evolved in colour, brownish, tawny in colour. Quite aged on the nose, dried fruit, figs, leather, earthy notes, a bit old and tired. On the palate soft, mellow, elegant and round. Nice aromatics, maybe lacking a bit of grip and definition. Balsamic notes, slightly bitter. 90-92
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/2/2015 - AtoZ wrote:
Excellent. Full and plush but not overripe. Great with lamb chops. No decant was needed.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2015 - dmalcolm wrote:
Lighter red colour with elegant red and dark fruits, old leather and rust. Refined and soft on the palate with good acidity and structure. Holding up very well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/26/2015 - Los 12 Glotones Likes this wine: 94 Points
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Els12golafres Wine Tasting Group: http://vinosclasicos.blogspot.com.es/2015/01/vina-tondonia-1976-gran-reserva.html
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Botella lacrada en origen y no vuelta a reencorchar posteriormente. Corcho oscuro, empapado pero en muy buen estado, elástico. Ha salido sin problemas, de una pieza. Veamos: de color rubí marronoso de capa media, ligeramente turbio con finísimas partículas en suspensión (requiere ir con mucho cuidado al servir) con bastante precipitado en la base de la botella. Reflejos cobrizos, sin mucho brillo, pardizo. Ribete amplio, atejado, sin gran diferencia respecto al menisco.
Una exhibición de perfume de Rioja clásica, de gran intensidad aunque al inicio se muestra "apestosillo" con apuntes de barro, ceniza y un fondo vegetal (¿mate cocido?) difícil de definir. Las 2 horas de espera, sin decantar, lo ponen en su sitio. De una reducción elegantísima al tiempo que potente, envolvente, con notas de cuadra y animal, faisandaje, que dan paso a un barrido otoñal de sotobosque, musgo, múrgulas y un casi apunte mineral a polvorilla y fósforo que permanece presente en todo momento pero igualmente soterrado en último término. Atractivo, complejo, sacando una mezcla de maderas viejas y frutos en licor, ciruelas pasas, higos turcos, naranja escarchada, vainilla, secundada por arreos viejos, cuero, maromas de cáñamo... Muy completo!!
En boca es ligero en la entrada pero dotado de nervio, frescor y una acidez de gran Rioja. De perfil muy clásico, aposentado, sedoso al tacto, redondo, con un ligero toque de dulcedumbre y vainilla seguido de amargosos de aúpa. Brilla a gran nivel, competo, sólido, ganando en profundidad copa a copa. La fruta roja se muestra reducidísima, fundida como pocas veces en las notas de cuero. Una de las cosechas menos conocidas de Viña Tondonia, de las menos habituales, que se nos había escapado hasta el momento. Ya no!! Ésta no tiene nada que envidiar a los gran reserva de 1970 o 1973. A diferencia de estas dos añadas se muestra más delicado, hasta el punto de llegar a confundirnos con el Bosconia de 1978.
- - - Wine Info - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
75% tempranillo, 15% garnacho, 5% graciano, 5% mazuelo - 12% vol.
Permanece durante 6 meses en depósitos de madera de gran capacidad en los que acaba de realizar la fermentación maloláctica. Criado durante 9 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. En este momento a todas las botellas se les coloca una cápsula de laca en el cuello que es substituida por una nueva cápsula de plomo cuando se procede al etiquetado. Producción limitada a 25.000 botellas. Descansa un mínimo de 60 meses en botellero en los calados de la bodega antes de ser comercializado.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/21/2014 - rebs1 wrote: 94 Points
Had at Alta in NYC. Sorry to see the latest notes because our bottle was exceptional. More masculine than the '78 Bosconia we had with it. Plenty of red fruit, barnyard, leather, wood. If you like old rioja, Alta has an incredible list and very reasonably priced.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/3/2014 - dream Does not like this wine: 84 Points
Good fading ruby color. Perfumed nose of black cherries, wet moss, horse leathers and ether. High-toned and crisp in texture with earthy flavors of taut cherries, wet hay and medicinal notes. The finish is a bit austere and lacks any complexity. I've had many off-bottles of '76 Tondonia but this bottle seems in perfect condition and the wine is less than stellar and past its best. 84-
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/1/2014 - alr6767 wrote: 89 Points
No formal notes. Decanted 4 hours. This was a very good but not great GR. Although it was not offensive and offered typical rioja profile of tobacco, mint and pickled cherries, it didn't really evolve into much after significant air. In fact, it remained fairly simple and began going down hill towards the last glass or two.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/2/2013 - tcosgriff Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Almost brown color with little in the way of bouquet or flavor. This wine was quite lifeless. I am struck by the difference in description provided by other drinkers. Perhaps a bottle with questionable cellaring.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/10/2013 - dream wrote: 86 Points
Seemingly a perfectly stored bottle with a high fill and a good, clean nose but this ultimately disappointed. I'm a big fan of these wines but I'm finding that they are best when released by the winery (I've had this in the cellar for about 8 years). It's always a high-acid wine but the level here was simply too high and while it did calm down some over time and with food, it still didn't show enough balancing fruit or complexity. Will try another bottle soon to be sure.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
3/23/2013 - salil wrote: 95 Points
Mature wines at Marco's (Milford, CT): One of the best aged Riojas I've had in some time; so elegant, refined and polished with a lovely mature sappiness and sweetness to the red fruit flavours, and layers of leather, cedar wood and higher toned herbal and floral notes accenting the core of fruit here. This seems to be at peak now and it's absolutely compelling to drink.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/22/2012 - murph13 Likes this wine: 95 Points
From memory...Red cherry, signature Lopez barnyard, still bright acidity, light yet refined body. Not likely to improve with age, yet should still drink for the next few years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/10/2012 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
Lieu-dit Cru "Blind White" Dinner Featured the Wine of Henri Boillot (L2O - Chicago IL): Aromas of mushroom, earth, leather, figs. Mature black fruit on paalte with very good textures, balance. Will keep for a long time going forward. Not quite as exciting as the 1976 Bosconia I've had a couple of times in the past year.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/12/2012 - GrandeSerataFuori wrote: 91 Points
Beautiful and soft. The softest Tondonia yet for me. It was so polite though, I was missing a little of the barnyard in it. Maybe that was just from my expectations. The wife adored it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/19/2011 - Seth Rosenberg wrote: 93 Points
Acker BYO 2011 (Tribeca Grill): Brought by Matt N. Very bright on the nose - orange zest, stones and meat. Very stinky. Very mature on the palate - dusty and minerally. Secondary aromas and earth. Nice sweet strawberry finish with lots of acid. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5.5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 16.5/20.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/11/2011 - mxpbuy wrote: 90 Points
Sampled 12/10/11. The wax capsule was in tact and hard but the cork was very easily depressed. Fortunately the wine was in tact and its interesting red/amber color was exactly as expected. The wine was soft and elegant but a tad simple. The wine is not a dense tempranillo / granache blend, it is almost thin but still lively fruit, leather, minerals and acidity. It gets an extra point for its ageworthiness, but it is a wine I won't seek out at auction.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/10/2011 - mmrmag wrote:
clear brick red to pink/orange rim
a little dried out, cherry leather
short finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/25/2011 - floydtp wrote: flawed
CellarTracker Wisconsin June 2011; 6/24/2011-6/25/2011 (Madison, WI- various venues): Tasted non blind at a large wine dinner. Bottle was corked. It also had an interesting nose of crickets.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/25/2011 - wineismylife wrote: flawed
CellarTracker Wisconsin Offline I - Part Three - Grand Finale (Madison, WI): WIMLNR
Garnet color in the glass, slightly dusty looking. Unfortunately it stops right here. The bottle was corked.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/19/2011 - cpsmith33 wrote: 89 Points
great opportunity to try this wine.
getting a bit older and syrupy. still has nice cherry and toffee characteristics.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/19/2011 - Rangstrom wrote: 94 Points
An excellent bottle, even if the cork turned to sawdust when I tried to remove it. Color was a light orange red and the wine itself was fairly clear with very little sediment. Nice nose of cherry, plum and tea. Still very flavorful; evocative of tart cherry. The clincher was the airy texture combined with the lively flavors. A palpable hit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/23/2011 - Seth Rosenberg wrote: 90 Points
Cloudy appearance. Very bright nose - red fruit and strong minerals, older brown caramel. Leafy palate - herbal, Iron and blood. Lots of acid - ouch. Very Nuits/Gevery. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 0/2 = 15/20.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/19/2011 - eric@cwm wrote: 95 Points
Another great bottle of this. Red brick in the glass. Really fresh notes of cherry liquor, dried fruit and roasted chestnut (smells like a NYC street corner around the holidays). The cherry cordial flavors combine with nuts and wild herbs on the palate, with good weight, bright acidity and a long finish that brings hints of stone and carries the fruit to the end. This should drink well for another 20-30 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/20/2010 - AndrewSGHall wrote:
Really good and on point. Bright acids, brick dust, leather and sour cherry. Very precise.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/24/2010 - pbaek wrote:
Orange almost brown color upon opening. After a couple of hours in the glass, the color changed to almost deep red. Quite amazing. A very unique wine for sure. I smell dried roses on the nose. The aroma is intense and captivating. There is some sour cherry fruit as well along with cinnamon and a mark of chocolate. The wine is refined and elegant, yet penetrating on the palate. More rose petal, herbal tea and bitter, red fruit on the palate. Very complex wine. Mature, but still fresh. A serious wine, a wine one talks about and discusses. I liked it more than my parents and Susanne.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/30/2010 - cgrimes wrote: 94 Points
Ruby to brick red color. Nose of stewed cherries, leather, earth, mint. Similar on the palate with nice tart red cherry, stewed cherry, spice, mint, earth. Good acidity. Tannins completely resolved. Lovely mature wine. No bottle variation.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/16/2009 - Anonymous wrote: 95 Points
Wow, this is really good! Read Paul S's note below...he nailed the TN...why say more? :-)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/20/2009 - Paul S wrote: 95 Points
CT London Event (Hide Bar, Bermondsey, London): This was quite, quite stunning on the day. Orange brown colour showed its age, but it was alive and kicking in every other respect. Incredible nose that I could just have smelt all day. Rich plums, dark berries, rich earth and mushroom tones and a port-like dried fig note. All very lush, warm and rich. But it was on the palate where this really shown. Pure seduction - figs, prunes, dried cherries, orange peel, sour plums, haw flakes and spice, all dancing around in a complex movement with lots of fresh acidity. Silky smooth, great clarity and elegance, great balance. Was this ever alive! Beautiful length on the finish as well - more figs, lingering dried fruits and little whirls of tempranillo tobacco smoke. Charming and seductive to the end. This was as beautiful, developed and complete as an aged Rioja can get.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2009 - slogan wrote: 92 Points
Opened this immediately prior to drinking. Cork was saturated, which caused alot of concern (at least for me). color was almost brown; tinted red/orange, no legs. Nice nose, but a little oxidized. On the palate (particularly with cuban pork) this was very nice flavors blended nicely, brining a nice finish to an excellent meal. Towards the end of the bottle, oxidation became pronounced, and overpowering. Still, for a 33 year-old bottle of wine, I am quite pleased.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/5/2009 - salil wrote: 93 Points
Lopez de Heredia dinner at Troquet (Boston, MA): Clear dark red colour with a stunning nose showing leather, cinnamon, cherry, earth and floral elements over faintly caramelized notes. Has a silky, light mouthfeel with more cherry, cranberry, leather and mushroom flavours on the palate, good acidity and grainy tannins on the back end. Picks up weight and length with air, giving the impression that there's still plenty of time ahead here.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/22/2008 - slogan wrote: 90 Points
Unbelievably high ullage. Opened easily enough. Decanted because it looked like some sediment was on the bottom, but nothing in the cheese cloth. A light almost orange-ish color, crystal clear. Very nice nose, with hints of strawberries. First taste a little passive, but well structured. flavor developed well over the next 30 minutes. A very mature wine, but nice nonetheless.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2008 - 5laton wrote:
López de Heredia dinner (Orson, San Francisco): Lifted aromas of strawberry, coconut, saddle leather. Sweet and vinous in the mouth, with sweet red dried strawberry, earth, tobacco and savory dried herbs. Nice broad midpalate and good if not great length. Very good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/7/2008 - BradKNYC wrote:
Chidaine, a Cuvee Buster, '86 Vega Sicilia and '76 Tondonia Chez Brad.: Just gorgeous aromatically. To start there's sweet red cherry aromas with baked clay, a touch of cocoanut and sweet spices before moving more into a leather and earthy character. On the palate it's like slipping into a worn leather easy chair that knows you well. It's soft and warm with an easy going character. Surprisingly supple upfront, though with air the wine picked up an orange citrus acidic character on the finish. Much more of a leather and earth persona than the nose indicated with just hints of cherry fruit. Much more intellectual than the Vega that followed, though not a better wine. Solid A-.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2008 - carlwhat wrote:
still very tasty. the nose had a bit of the barnyard funk, but on the palate the wine was still fresh and vibrant with a long finish. very, very enjoyable bottle of wine....
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/10/2007 - dream wrote: 92 Points
Faded ruby color. Fabulous nose of earthy ripe cherries, dried herbs, tobacco and red spices. Quite high-toned and intense with lovely mature earthy/cherry Rioja flavors and a wonderful spice-infused finish. Has a wonderful silky mouth-feel with uplifting fresh acidity. This is a well-stored bottle of this wine and it should continue to age effortlessly. These wines are never overly complex but show amazing freshness and purity even with decades of age and the style is growing on me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/17/2007 - dream wrote: 89 Points
Very light but clear ruby color with a fair amount of fading. Fabulous nose of sweet red earth, cinamin spices, burnt orange peel and horse-hide. Lighter-bodied but builds to a rich, spicy, succulent finish. Quite lean rather than lush and finishes with an extra dimension of complex flavors that echo the nose. Soft and mature but still has some acidity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/8/2007 - MRichman wrote:
Lopez de Heredia Vertical (NYC): Smooth and soft with a dark tar interior. Fairly complex, more than the Bosconia.
B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/8/2007 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 90 Points
Mucho Lopez (Il Corso): This wine next to the Bosconia really dramatizes the difference between the two vineyards. This one is broader, harder, and larger in dimension although not as penetrating in flavor. It wafts out of you, whereas the Bosconia seeps into you. It finishes with vivid green tobacco and unfortunately reveals a bit of brett with some air, though fortunately not as much as the '85. Two out of eight called slight corkiness. I didn't see it but am happy to believe it could have shown better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/23/2007 - kevin h wrote: 89 Points
This smelt rather old when opened. It did develop over 2 hours filling out and improving - strawberries, vanilla and mocha aromas and flavours. Subtle but not especially complex and rather too light and diffuse for my taste.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/17/2007 - antiwood wrote:
Beautiful lighter ruby, some tinge of amber, but great clarity and fresh looking. Fresh forest floor, dried herbs, some sweetness as it opened up over a couple of hours. Lighter bodied, great elegance and grace of age, dried cherries, lovely balance and fully resolved, still amazingly fresh. A simply perfect wine for what it is. A fruitless woner.
At Harvest Vine, Rick.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2007 - dream wrote: 93 Points
Tasted @ Hearth Restaurant, NYC. A beautiful, Burgundian-type wine but clearly a Rioja due to the funky, woodsy flavors. A high-acid wine but balanced beautifully by delicious, ripe dark cherry fruit. Lighter-bodied and not at all a modern concentrated blockbuster - in fact, this wine is the antithesis of today's Parkerized monsters and absolutely uplifting to drink. Strikingly fresh, intense and juicy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/22/2006 - richarmt wrote: 88 Points
Cherry, leathery, vanilla, and hints of cocnut (probably form the barrels) and good condition; but short. Enjoyable and smooth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/19/2006 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 94 Points
Hello, earth! Here's a vivid romp in the briar patch, with mushrooms and other aromas of the forest floor augmenting the surprisingly fresh apple and raspberry fruit. The texture has a Burgundian, or I might even say Bosconian, delicacy to it that delivers the earth to the palate in style.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2006 - br wrote:
Opened and "Audouzed" for 6 hours. A little musty smelling right after opening, but that quickly went away. Scents of dark cherries and leather and a bit of oxidation at first. With the small amount poured out into a glass, I was amazed at how deeply colored this wine was, though, naturally, there was bricking out towards the rim. As the wine opened up, more cherries and raspberries showed up. On the palate, flavors came and went throughout the evening and it had wonderful light weight in the mouth with nice acidity. When they were there, tastes of sweet cherries, raspberries and leather were delicious. The finish was a bit short. All in alll, a very nice wine, though not nearly as complex as I would have expected.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/2/2005 - mrabinowitz wrote:
This was better than the '81. Nice fruit of cherries. Perfectly open after around 3 minutes out of the bottle. Just round and well structured. Not a very complex wine. Just perfect. Wow!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment