1993 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Viña Tondonia

Community Tasting Notes (7) Avg Score: 91 points

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  11/24/2022 - forceberry wrote: 97 Points

  A blend of Garnacha (60%), Tempranillo (30%) and Viura (10%). Aged for 4 years in oak barriques and for further 6 years in bottles before release. The back label has a small text saying "Crianza" in place where the recent vintages have the "Gran Reserva" designation. 12% alcohol.
  
  Pale seared salmon color with a limpid bronze-reddish core. The nose feels evolved, somewhat toasty and remarkably complex with layered aromas of wild strawberries and lager-like notes of herbal hops and chamomile, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of gunpowder smoke, light sweet notes of cloudberry jam and stewed rose hips, an aged hint of caramel or toffee and a touch of kerosene. The wine is very complex and focused on the palate, feeling like it has been concentrated by the age, resulting in a silky and slightly tactile texture. It is medium in body and has juicy, layered flavors of wizened red fruits, some developed creamy tones, a little bit of caramel, light oxidative nuances of bruised apples and chopped hazelnuts, a hint of tangy salinity and a mineral touch of wet rocks. The rather high acidity doesn't feel as high as in the more recent vintages of Tondonia Rosado, but still more than enough to keep the wine wonderfully firm, fresh and structured. The finish is firm, very long and slightly grippy with a complex, somewhat acid-driven aftertaste of ripe cranberries, some wizened red fruits, a little bit of developed caramel character, light creamy oak nuances, a hint of bruised apple and a touch of sharp saline minerality.
  
  A beautiful, aged and so complex vintage of Tondonia Reserva. It feels like the wine has been on its plateau of maturity for a handful of years, but it is yet to fall apart - unlike the oxidized vintage 1997 that was tasted next to this. The style here is very similar to the younger vintages of Tondonia Rosado - you can just taste how the wine develops those additional toasty and smoky nuances along with tertiary notes of caramel and creaminess as it ages and develops a sort of more concentrated and slightly more oily texture in the process. This is a fantastic rosé wine, easily among the best in the genre I know. I'm quite certain this wine won't evolve any further from here and most likely it will start sliding downhill sooner or later, which is why I heartily recommend drinking up any remaining bottles. This is darn phenomenal stuff.

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  7/30/2016 - Papies wrote:

  Not sure if this was flawed or just gone, maybe asking too much from a 23yr old rose albeit from the place that 20yrs are really young :). Very oxidative and difficult. For the record we like the style and especially Rioja Whites.

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  6/1/2016 - PacoHigon Likes this wine: 92 Points

  Mi ultima cata fue en 2009 (http://tinyurl.com/zgu9ypw) y en aquel momento lo califiqué de intemporal... En esta botella el vino aparece color salmón con destellos anaranjados. Tiene una nariz seductora, de buena intensidad y notable complejidad, hay mucha fruta con hueso, que en ciertos momentos muestras carácter licoroso, en tros resulta fresca e incluso pasa fases en las que muy aparece madura, hay monte bajo, flores amarillas, miel ligera sobre un suave fondo de champiñón fresco. En boca tiene muy buen ataque, cierta untuosidad, notable peso de fruta, muy buena acidez, buena estructura, delicados amargos, largo y profundo.

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  4/8/2015 - rossi.wine wrote: 92 Points

  Intriguing colour - brownish, copper. On the nose red flowers, ripe apples, red berries and a spirity note as well. Mineral, saline, lemon fruit, fresh. Very nice length with great lift towards the fine finish. 91-93.

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  7/27/2014 - Papies wrote: flawed

  Fully oxidised and gone.Impossible to even take a sip..

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