1987 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia

Community Tasting Notes (44) Avg Score: 92.0 points

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  1/14/2023 - MartyL wrote: 87 Points

  This bottle was a little tired, sad to say. Still showed some interesting tertiary character, so I don’t think it was corked, but there was a musty thing going on in the aromas that raised some suspicion, so take my appraisal with a grain of salt.

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  10/23/2022 - dbkitc wrote: 92 Points

  It really is amazing what air does for old bottles. This seemed dead, acidic and totally forgettable when opened. Two hours later it is a totally different animal. The color is brick with a significant amber edge. Mature red fruit nose (berries and cherry) that shows ample sweetness, purple flowers and a hint of tobacco. The tobacco is less pronounced than i found in previous bottles. Stately and elegant - clear / transparent profile. More linear than broad yet the acidity that was dominant upon opening has receded to the back. Not quite as deep as past bottles but terrific nonetheless. (92)

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  4/18/2022 - Tannatastic Likes this wine: 94 Points

  There's no substitute for class, and this wine has it in spades.
  
  Cork extraction was of course a little trying, but getting past that (and the sticky black residue in the coffee filter to catch the cork crumble), the nose on this now 35-year-old Tondonia was was fabulous in itself. Like a fine old Cologne, it had cedar and cigar box, sweet spices, gentleman’s club, old library and leather-bound books married together in perfect harmony.
  
  On the palate it was the same, overlaying a red sour fruit profile and a still lively and vibrant acidity with a touch of aniseed. Seems almost indestructible, would love to see this in another 15 years.
  
  A rare treat.

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  3/3/2021 - MartyL Likes this wine: 92 Points

  One sniff and you know it's old Tondonia---that or cherry-scented pipe tobacco from Leavitt & Pierce. Very much at peak maturity. Tannins are gone, and the wine reads as high-toned on the palate. Great stuff. This has in the past been an underrated and this underpriced vintage for Tondonia, but alas the wine has gotten harder to find and the cool kids have caught on too.

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  1/31/2021 - Tony Simo Likes this wine: 91 Points

  The wine seemed fragile so I didn’t decant. That may have been a Mississippi the wine continually got better thru the evening. Dried, herbs and flowers with an old leather background. Quite impressive.

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View all 44 Community Tasting Notes

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