1989 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia

Community Tasting Notes (8) Avg Score: 90.7 points

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  8/16/2015 - Rangstrom wrote: 90 Points

  Nice wine. At this point it is light and smooth. Nose and taste run parallel--honey, walnut and maybe a touch of banana. A glass left for the next night, not unexpectedly, did not hold up.

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  8/27/2010 - Phredd wrote: 86 Points

  NC Cindy Tasting. We had this immediately after the 2000 Lopez de Heredia Gravonia. Interesting comparison. This wine is even darker in color, showing a rich, dark amber. The nose is much nicer than the Gravonia, with a spiciness infusing the oil smell, and without the funkiness. There are also some significant fruit elements here - apricot is prominent, but also traces of mango and apple. On the palate, the oiliness is obvious, but it is infused with nice elements of apple and almond or walnut. There is a bit of palate-coating soapiness, which I personally find a little off-putting, but I can imagine other folks liking that aspect a lot. There is also a considerable honey element, but the wine is not particularly sweet at all. While I like this significantly better than the Gravonia, this style of wine is clearly not for me. The wine is complex, interesting, and well-made, so I'll score it an 86, but I still would not buy it. "Polarizing" is a good word here. I think most folks will either love this or, like me, be pretty quick to pass.

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  1/1/2010 - bschwindtcoffee wrote: flawed

  Oxidized. Had another bottle from the same case that was great. This one was undrinkable. too bad.

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  8/4/2009 - ekenneth wrote: 93 Points

  This is a great find at a tapas bar. There's dried apricot, fading honey, citrus, and something nutty on the palate. It's got that particularly Spanish edge, with a touch of oxidation,with great depth of flavor.

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  4/25/2009 - henrychinaski wrote: 94 Points

  A great bottle that paired perfectly with the food at Degustation. Spice. Greens. A hint of honey.

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