5/26/2023 - viadomitia Likes this wine:

Last of 8 bottles. No bricking but my cellar is on the cooler side for red wines so ageing may not be as fast as other’s.

Yet, most of the fruit has mellowed out, to the point where this reminds me of a heftier nebiolo rather than the young wild horse that this wine used to be.

Garnet color, fairly thin tears, no bricking.
Nose: mint, stewed cherry, a bit of heat, herbs (basil, rosemary).
Palate: muted black fruit, raspberry, still some measure of drying tannins, garrigue, coriander.
Medium length, lasting leather and tobacco leaf

Not a star but very pleasant, for very different reasons than 8 years ago. I still wish that i had more. 91pts.

10/20/2021 - viadomitia wrote:

Bought at the estate in Haro many years ago. Drank a coule of weeks ago. No formal notes taken, working from memory. Top of the cork slightly moldy but the bottled part was in surprisingly good shape. Beautiful golden color, viscous in the glass. Fantastic nose, I clearly recall apricot and grapefruit as the main notes. I first took a small sip upon opening and was taken aback by the very high acidity. The wine was then double decanted for over two hours and drank over the next hour or so. By then, it was juicy and mellow, with the apricots coming back in the mouth as well as musky grapes, orange and supported by good acidity. Eaten with seafood raclette, this was a hit all around the table. Sad not to have any more white Tondonia gran reserva in my cellar. This is a treat, no need to wait but should hold well. 92+

2/24/2018 - viadomitia wrote:

Near the bottom of the bottle. Opened three hours ago. Had it with beef tenderloin chimichurri and a chorizo cassoulet. This was an excellent pairing.

In the bottle, fine deposit. In the glass, deep black cherry color, bright reflections, just a hint of bricking. Beautiful glycerin tears slowly kiss the glass. Nose of mentol dominates wet grass, macerated cherry and raspberry. Palate is a combination of muted stewed cherry and cranberry, mixed with leather and remnants of oaky vanilla. Medium length with some tanins and earth tones left in the mouth.

Much much better than the first bottle i had a few years ago. At or near peak. May yet improve a little but this was a good night to drink this with a well matched meal with steong herb flavours.

11/26/2017 - viadomitia wrote:

Quite happy with this cheap Bordeaux. In the drinking window but this bottle could easily have stayed down for a couple more years.

11/18/2017 - viadomitia wrote:

Bought at the caves in Haro, brought back home and properly cellared for 4 years. Slightest amount of deposit in the bottle, cork in perfect condition. Golden in color, medium viscosity. Absolutely gorgeous nose of apricot, mandarin, honey, malted barley, touch of mint. After such a great start, the mouth is a bit of a let down. The wine is rich and buttery with fairly low acidity and very little fruit. That should not be surprising after 26 years! What come over as the main note is oak. Not its tannins, but the wood essence itself. With it, abundant vanilla, a bit of leather and a touch of mushroom. Some acidity comes on the back end. This is a very pleasant experience, and it is always a unique opportunity to drink this wine. I will never turn my back on any vintage of the Tondonia Gran Reserva. Yet, I have been better entertained by previous bottles.

10/4/2017 - viadomitia wrote:

Much improved since last showing a couple of years ago. Backbone of cranberry and raspberry. Nice floral fresh nose, red fruit, core acidity, subtle white pepper, very soft tannins. Fairly short finish with a touch of leather. It makes me happy!

2/14/2017 - viadomitia wrote:

LOL!! Snacking in a hotel room on a tuesday night in Zaragoza, Spain. Jamon Iberico, chips and Baron del Rey, reserva 2011 with a cork pushed in, drinking from a gobblet! A very classy setting!

First glass, ten minutes after opening. Deeper color than expected given previous reviews. Nose is primarily stewed cherries but mutted, perhaps because of the rather incorrect glass. A touch of herb. On the palate, tart blueberry cherry, leather and wood. The tannins are present but already well integrated. Acidity is noticeable but the wine has enough viscosity to coat the mouth. The finish veers towards the leather tones. I will not score given the circumstances of this tasting, but I am perfectly alright with it!! Will revisit in a few hours!

8/13/2016 - viadomitia wrote:

This was my son's real introduction to deconstructing wine. We spent a lot of time with it and it was very rewarding. The wine was taken out of the cellar a bit too close to eating time and had a fair bit of sediment so I passed it through both cheese cloth and vinturi (after a quick POP tast revealed wood and acidity) and into the decanter. Tasting notes are from about one hour later.

Medium viscosity on the glass with many tears breaking off the rim. Dark burgundy with just a possible hint of bricking starting to form.

The nose was changing fairly rapidly depending on time spent in the glass. Out of the decanter, the nose was dominated by earth tones and a touch of brown mushroom accompanied by muted red fruit - cranberry, currants. However swirling it for a few minutes made the touch of bret dissappear to reveal a bouquet of herbs and spices dominated by rosemary, green peppercorn and lavender; with the same red fruit. Beautiful and perfect for my tastes.

In the mouth, nice balance of the red fruit with some cherry, the sweetness and mild spiciness of red peppercorn and a hint of cumin. A touch of earthiness. This is well rounded by core acidity and some remaining toasted oak tannins. Medium finish.

All and all, an affordable Margaux that is definitely in the drinking window. Harmonious and balanced, nothing screams at your senses. Easy to drink but at the same time, this is a wine that you should pause for in order to appreciate it subtlety and layers. Otherwise, the bottle will be gone before you know it and you might have appreciated it all (of course that's true of all good wines!).

I wish I had many more bottles but I only have one more. I am planning on opening that last one in about 12-18 months to see how it evolves.

6/20/2016 - viadomitia wrote:

Very opaque and stuffed with dark fruit. Modern, very smooth, a bit of wood on the finish. Very good but rather unidimensional. Not a great QPR.

6/9/2016 - viadomitia wrote:

Some bricking showing. A little bret on the nose. Red fruit, forest floor. Nice and rich. Core acidity, well balanced. Drink now.

2/13/2016 - viadomitia wrote:

Fabulous!

1/9/2016 - viadomitia wrote:

This wine has a lot going for it, from dark fruit to a spice bouquet, but at the end of the day, it feels too modern and Parkerized for my palate. Upon first tasting, it reminded me of the Australian wines I stopped buying 10 years ago. It is actually much better than those, it at least has character and spices, but this is simply a mismatch to my palate. For this reason I refrain to give a score.

1/3/2016 - viadomitia wrote:

Marvellous earthy wine. Once in a while, a strong well made Languedoc wine beats everything else you might drink that night, the Grenache and/or Carignan providing a different world of aroma and flavour.

This one was chosen to accompany a moose shank and oxtail Osso Bucco and the match was great.

The wine has a medium ruby color with a touch of brown hue.

The robe is thick with sticky tears on the glass.

Nose is a mixture of cherry and raspberry, with cracked pepper, browned beef, sweet vanilla.

The palate is a balanced combination of earth tones, acidity and muted fruit. Perhaps a tad underwhelming after courting with the glass, but the balance here is the key. Sweetness from the fruit, earthiness, memories of herb and spices. A medium finish.

Beautiful thing.

11/29/2015 - viadomitia Likes this wine:

Beautiful stuff! Opened and decanted for about an hour and a half. Deep burgundy color with tears of joy clinging to the glass. The nose is a mixture of garrigues herbs and red fruit, some pin d'alep. There is still a kick of alcool heat in the mix. The palate is great. Light red fruit, a touch drying wood tannins, straw, herbs and balanced acidity. The finish brings back the garrigues with withe pepper, and a lasting confit of mushroom envelops the mouth. This glass transports you right back to the Rhone and that beautiful village of Gigondas. My only regret... not having duck to serve with it!

10/23/2015 - viadomitia Likes this wine:

Not the best tempier I ever tasted but another very nice one. Decanted 1 hour, one the nose, a mixture of raspberry, rubbed oregano and some heat from the alcool, dry old barn wood. Probably a bit too much heat. The color is bright ruby with a touch of purple, fairly opaque, viscous tears hang on the glass. On the palate, the acidity hits first with a green bouquet of tart apple-rubarb mix. Then come true some truffles and wood with hints of herb and pepper. Not particularly fruity but this was extremely well matched with sweet potato quesadilla, where the main aromatic ingredient is cumin. Length could be longer, but this is overall a very pleasant wine. Can only get better over the next 3-5 years. 91.

8/4/2015 - viadomitia wrote:

Nonformal notes taken but this is a case of running out just too early. I wish i had a couple more bottles to hold on to them for another 3-5 years. The wine is well rounded except for a touch of tart tannins. It was a good QPR, even at Canadian prices!

4/12/2015 - viadomitia wrote:

No formal notes. Much better now than a few years ago. A bit too much cherry jam and modern fruit, but very enjoyable in that style.

3/3/2015 - viadomitia wrote:

Faulty cork was like a sponge!

2/1/2015 - viadomitia wrote:

always a reliable bandol. Should still improve for several years.

12/17/2014 - viadomitia wrote:

Undrinkable. I am turning it into wine vinegar (no joke, i age my own vinegar!!)

12/17/2014 - viadomitia wrote:

This is strating to come of age. Much improved over last bottle. One left, plannjng to hold it for about 5 years.

12/17/2014 - viadomitia wrote:

No real notes. Red garnet, red berries, fairly high acidity, some oakyness and tannins, spices. Has a lot of potential but must age for the different components to become better integrated. Should be better than the current 87 after 3-5 more years.

9/25/2014 - viadomitia wrote:

Superb QPR. Spicy and fruity. Cant ask much more of a week night wine!. 90.

6/3/2014 - viadomitia wrote:

No formal notes. A simple, modern, juicy wine with low acidity and some spices. Some tartness knocks it down a little but should still improve for a few years. Still a super drink now! Would be happy to have a case of that!

5/26/2014 - viadomitia wrote:

Drinking well but should continue to improve. Day 1 was a bit tart but Day 2 was great. Lots of fruit, leather and spices. Really enjoyable.

5/10/2014 - viadomitia wrote:

Carefully cellared and kept for son's 18 b-day. Had been set upright a week ago to let the deposits settle to the bottom. Opened and decanted for only 30 minutes but drank over the next 3.

Ruby colored, no apparent bricking. Light on the glass.

Dominant smell is turpentine with mortered green herbs. A touch of straw and cranberry.

The attack is dominated by what i have come to believe is a bit of fungus. It is not bret. It feels more like botrytis but this is not tasting like a sauterne!!! There is otherwise no sign of infection. The cork is perfect, the cap was clean, etc. There is really no fruit left to speak of though and the mouth is dominated by acidity and some tartness.

I would not call it flawed. It was ok with food. But it disappointed.

4/5/2014 - viadomitia wrote:

Day 2 after rebottling about 480ml into a 500ml bottle. Very dark red. Boyish nose of red fruit, mint, and heat from alcool, little hints of forest floor after a cleansing rain. In mouth, somewhat disjointed with wet wood and tannins dominating peppered strawberries and cherries. This has potential but time will tell. 84 now, would think it could achieve 90+ If it matures nicely

2/17/2014 - viadomitia wrote:

Still lots of life in this wine. Last bottle unfortunately.

9/9/2013 - viadomitia Likes this wine:

beautiful wine. drinks well but still young with tannins that are not fully resolved. keep another 2-4 years. glad i have a few more.

8/28/2013 - viadomitia wrote:

Good wine to bring on a camping trip. Fruit forward, sweet, just about right with hot dogs, almost sweet enough for smores! In other words, do not try this at home unless you really like modern wines.

8/20/2013 - viadomitia wrote:

No formal notes. Bought because Perrin from Ch. Beaucastel made the wine, not because of the holywood connection! Quite a decent wine. Everyone liked it, including a couple of French folks from the south.

8/20/2013 - viadomitia wrote:

After an hour of the bottle being opened, not properly decanted and this is the last glass so it has a little bit of silt in it. A dark purple brew. Nose of very ripe black plums and sweet cherries, menthol. A mouth coating wine which when swirled around the mouth and aerated reveals more dark fruit, with a hint of garrigue and wood. Low acidity. Well constructed wine but too bombastic for my taste. Because it is well crafted, I give it a 90, but it is definitely for those who like a fruity modern wine. I would prefer if it was richer in herbs and somewhat more acidic.

8/5/2013 - viadomitia wrote:

No notes kept but always an experience to drink this wine. I recalled a more layered and deeper experience with the 87 but nonetheless excited to have 2 more bottles. Will revisit in 2-5 years. 91+

6/20/2013 - viadomitia wrote:

Bottle opened for two hours, not decanted, this is the last glass which has been filtered and passed through the vinturi. This is not quite representative of the whole bottle which was a bit better than i write here but i did not keep notes before now.

Dark purple color, little if any bricking. Fairly thin tears on the glass as i swirl it and rest it.

The nose is dominated by alcohol and greens: mint, green pepper, cilantro; along with red fruit. Acidity shows up in the nose.

In mouth, the wine is a simple maturing but not fully aged bordeaux. Dominant flavors are red fruit. Currants and strawberry, supported by a dry hay and slight barnyard/mushroom taste. There are still lively dancing tannins in this bottle, though some of the feelings might be coming from the small amount of fine tartar that made it into this last glass despite the filtering.

As i mentionned earlier, the earlier glasses, accompanying a fat steak with a creamed up reduction, topped this last glass. The overall result was quite good. I have another bottle that i plan on keeping in the cellar for at least 3 years.

89+

5/31/2013 - viadomitia wrote:

Solid as ever. 88.

5/1/2013 - viadomitia Likes this wine:

Second day after keeping the remaining half bottle in 375ml bottle.

Dark purple with glycerin tears running down the glass.

Very nice nose dominated by wet earth and ripe green plums but allowing subtle blueberry and vanilla.

Attack is a simple mixture of mainly dark fruit, low acidity. The back end brings some barn/hay/mushroom into the mix. Tannins nearly non-existent.

Good effort, nothing special but definitely fine for a Tuesday night. 86

3/31/2013 - viadomitia wrote:

Passed through the vinturi on the way to the decanter. Sat for about an hour.
Dark and starting to show some bricking. Viscous, it coats the glass.
Nose gives green tones of rosemary and oregano. Touch of mint and red fruits; some barn and wet earth. Rustic but pleasant actually.
Attack is very much in the earth tones, mushroom and overripe plum range. Little of no tannins left. The remnants of red fruit are there but muted. it coats the mouth just as it did the glass.
In my opinion, this wine is just past prime but in many ways, better now than at birth. This is a mature right-bank style.

3/6/2013 - viadomitia wrote:

Great buy. Delicious. Had gone down the second night. Helps that it was drank in Haro!

10/30/2012 - viadomitia wrote:

Bottle no.119563

This was quite an experience! Level was nearly perfect for a 34 year old bottle. However, the top of the cork was seriously moldy and falling apart. Luck had it that the cork was very long and the bottom 3/4 of it was soaked and spongy but still doing its job. It took a while to extract without a mess though.

Color shows surprisingly little bricking. Touch of orange and brown on a medium reddish wine. This was popped and poured, drank over 1.5 hours. Main nose note was vanilla and caramel. Mouth is mostly devoid of fruit, though some raspberry and cranberry, along with their acidity show up. Some wet straw and hay mixed in. No tannins left to speak of.

Thanks Pierre or the experience!

9/30/2012 - viadomitia wrote:

This has the hallmark of a fantastic QPR. Notes written 2 hours after bottle opening and decanted.
- In the glass, dark ruby red, medium viscosity. Some tears of joy holding on to the glass.
- On the nose, obvious alcohol evaporation masks raspberries and mint and a hint of caramel. At this stage, the alcohol vapor takes away some of the pleasure.
- In mouth a fresh attack of red fruit, a slight burn and a lot of imperfectly integrated wood and tannins. Now, when I paired this wine with a gritty 5 year old cheddar, the tannins got absorbed beautifully by the old cheese, revealing more fruit and better balance. Thus, I hope that a few years in the cellar a couple of years will bring a better integration and improve the balance. I would think this has the potential to get a 90 out of me in two or three years. Despite all this, glad I bought a case!

8/11/2012 - viadomitia wrote:

TASTE THE DIFFERENCE!!! This wine gets 91 as much for the originality and difference as anything else. Strong nose of turpentine dominates. Dry mineral, green grape and herbacious... all of that after 20 years. Quite incredible an accomplishment that a white would be so bright and lively after so long. There is not even a hint that it is fading. Drank first with saucisson and fig... not quite ethe right match. But once we got into the fish and potato green been salad, both of which were appointed with a lot og fresh herbs, lemon and lime, this was heavenly. Definitely not a regular sauvignon or chardonnay. Definitely worth the experience. This was my first Tondonia and I will get some more when I come by some.

7/11/2012 - viadomitia wrote:

Bought at the domaine's tasting room
in Gigondas. Consumed the next day. The bottle was shaken in transport so the wine was cloudy dark and purple. Aromas of saddle leather and macerated cherries dominate. On the pallate, more cherries, raspberry hint of spices and leftover of fine wood. Some mineral notes. Still has a few years of life. Most enjoyable mature wine.

6/29/2012 - viadomitia wrote:

No careful note taken but a reliable bottle from a reliable producer!

12/24/2011 - viadomitia wrote:

Excellent wine but, for my taste, over the top on the fruit side. Very modern wine, somewhat unidimensional emphasizing ripe dark fruit. Really good in that style. Just no spice or layers of complexity.

11/25/2011 - viadomitia wrote:

Funk and fizz upon opening. Very unpleasant. I really thought this one was going to feed the drain. Let her sit and breathe for an hour for substantial improvement. The wine is nonetheless sub par compared to other vintages. Still a full wine but the fruit was not there. Notes of wet earth and mushroom mainly.

9/28/2011 - viadomitia wrote:

Good but not excellent like the previous bottles. Some deposit in bottle made the glass slightly cloudy for this ruby red wine with a tinge of orange showing. Bret smell dissipated after abbut an hour to let violet and bruised mint scents emerge. The wine retains a red fruit with solid acid back. I remember more fruit and a richer tasting experience from the previous bottles. Still a good wine but if I had to guess between bottle variation and this wine simply having peaked, i would go for the peak theory. This was my last bottle, so i can't prove myself wrong!! How convenient!!! 88.

9/2/2011 - viadomitia wrote:

Decent wine but a bit unidimensional and a bit over the top fruitwise for my palate. I had great expectations for this wine but i find myself a bit disappointed. It is simply too new world for me.

Notes from second day (half a bottle transfered to a 375 ml yesterday).

Eye: deep dark purple, viscous, opaque.
Nose: probably the best part of this wine. Very fruity and floral. Plum, ripe cherry, kirsh, mint, some heat from alcool.
Attack: a bit flat. Some farmyard funk, the plum comes back but it is one of those over ripe mushy plums that you are not sure you really want to eat. very ripe dark fruit all around.
Palate: feels like some wood, a bit of pepper. Tannins are felt and fairly strong but rounded in the fruit and with some mushroom.
Length: solid but what stays with you is the funk.
87, but i can see how others will like this more than i do.

8/15/2011 - viadomitia wrote:

No formal notes, but appropriate wine to go with Monday night homemade pizza. Medium body, some red fruit, and acidity that held up nicely to the various salamis, fresh herb pizza sauce and olives (kalamata and nicoise) that topped the pies. Last bottle of this chianti! 88.

5/25/2011 - viadomitia wrote:

No notes. Very good. Eclipsed on this night by gros nore bandol 2003.

5/25/2011 - viadomitia wrote:

No notes but excellent despite a quick pop and pour. Sad to see this last one go. Wish i had a dozen more.