2004 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia
Community Tasting Note
DavilaDC Likes this wine:
92 Points
Tuesday, February 19, 2019 - Ordered at a Michelin Star restaurant in Bilbao and the sommelier "warned us" against it saying it's not your typical white wine. Having ordered it anyway, the chef came out to see the bottle and tweak a few things we ordered. For example, he replaced the lemon that accompanied the oysters with lime and did that set off this wine!
Almost amber in color and a body to match the hue. The nose was full of almonds, herbs and honey but with a fresh acidity.
If it wasn't for the food, I could understand the reviews here that are not so positive when this bottle is asked to stand alone. But, when paired correctly this wine is like nothing else.
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6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue (4,130 views)
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue (4,130 views)
Comment posted by txangu:
2/19/2019 5:38:00 AM - Which restaurant in Bilbao?
Comment posted by DavilaDC:
2/19/2019 5:44:00 AM - La Despensa del Etxanobe.
What a meal we had. This wine was also paired with their dish of foie gras, poached egg and black truffle. Ethereal.
Comment posted by txangu:
2/19/2019 6:46:00 AM - Thank you!
I should visit them at their new location soon!
I put 2 of my bottles of the the white reserva 1996 on a tasting last Saint Valentine's and it was WOTN
Comment posted by Deux Chevaux:
2/19/2019 7:36:00 PM - Thanks very much for mentioning the lime versus lemon match. We love this and similar stuff — and we will keep that match in mind.
Comment posted by DavilaDC:
2/19/2019 7:49:00 PM - Deux, thanks for the message!
This was one of the first whites I've had with both a flavor profile and acidity to stand up to the combination of foie gras with black truffle. All the while, it also had the ability to not overpower a raw oyster yet still let the flavor of a lime be expressed.
Comment posted by DavilaDC:
2/19/2019 7:50:00 PM - Txangu, I'm searching for the 1996 right now. Thanks!
Comment posted by Deux Chevaux:
2/19/2019 8:24:00 PM - Good luck finding the 1996 gran reserva — I do see two on wine searcher in the US right now. But whether it’s actually in stock, who knows. We are lucky enough to have had it twice, and it is worth the search.