A good bottle. Not the best example I have had. Some initially guessed old white burg. Definitely had the telltale oxidation and oak (not obtrusive here) along with a minty and heavily mineral character. Always a fascinating wine.
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Sin lugar a dudas la mejor nariz de un Rioja blanco. Tiene todo lo que se puede esperar de un Rioja excepcional en una cosecha excepcional. Una mitad de la botella se decantó una hora antes para compararla con la otra mitad. Ni se abrió, ni se cerró, ni nada de nada... Los aromas del vino lo inundan todo. Qué potencia!!! Por la mesa de cata sobrevuelan aromas de ceras, panal, fruta de hueso en compota, ahumados, cereal tostado, pastelería, caramelos werther's, miel, soleras viejas. Aumenta de intensidad paulatinamente, sin prisas, dando un elegante recuerdo a cuero, nueces, naranja escarchada, especias orientales, cúrcuma. Fino, elegante, de enorme profundidad.
En boca mantiene el listón de calidad. Sabroso, amplio, lleno, con una textura cremosa y grasa que nos trae la fruta madura, los almíbares, la fruta carnosa, el hueso, y esa acidez refrescante con un toque cítrico y un apunte de dulcedumbre. Decir que es elegante es quedarse corto. Un blanco descomunal, vivo y con ganas de seguir castigándonos en la cartera...
Wine Info - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 85% viura, 15% malvasía - 12% vol. Permanece durante 6 meses en depósitos de madera. Criado durante 9 años en viejas barricas de roble americano de 225 litros elaboradas por los toneleros de la misma bodega. El vino es sometido a 18 trasiegas manuales. Clarificado con claras de huevo frescas. Embotellado directamente de la barrica en julio de 1973. Sin filtrar. Lacrado especial para favorecer su mejor evolución en botella y preservarlo de contaminaciones. Producción limitada a 16.000 botellas. Descansa un mínimo de 44 meses en botellero antes de ser comercializado. Una buena parte de esta cosecha fue apartada de la venta. Presentado por primera vez en la fiesta del centenario de la bodega en 1977. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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It is really needless to describe and assess this wine in conventional wine-tasting language. It is simply moving to realize that a wine 1 year older than myself is still in such a good shape. Yes, it is obviously oxidized, but this should be seen as part of its character rather than as a defect. Absolutely drinkable and food friendly. Respect.
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Unique and expressive and full of idiosyncratic terrior. Tangy and glycerinous with notes of petrol, mixed nuts, sherry, kumquats and crostini. What a rare treat it is to taste this blanco! 92-93 points.
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A '60's theme for a birthday boy. (Apiary.): Let me just state for the record that bitching and bellyaching works. Joe sent out an e-mail asking whether he should bring the red or white '64 Tondonia. I immediately reply red! For those that don't know, I'm not a fan of oxidative whites. However, our birthday boy, Sasha, replied that if Joe brings the red, he'll be a friend for life, but if he brings the white he'll receive the Order of Lenin, something about acceptance to all the inner circles of all the major administrations in the Politburo and be elevated to "Uncle Joe." Well, I knew I was doomed with that response, so off went a bellyaching e-mail and lo and behold, swell guy that he is, he brought both! Anyhoo, as I said, normally I'm not a fan of these Blancos. However, for the second time in a row, the last time being a '70 Tondonia Blanco, I liked one. Yeah, it's oxidative to be sure, but the wood is pretty well-integrated and there's a racy freshness to go along with the aged elegance. Lemon custard, nuts, vanilla and baked apple, but my problem with these wines are that there's usually too much nuts and wood, but that's not the case here. While I liked it, I have to add that everyone else around me was enthralled by it, so if you're a fan of these types of wines, this just may be a benchmark Blanco. A-/B+.
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I was very curious to taste this wine. Having spent nine years in oak barrels and a significant number of years in the bottle it must be something, to say the least, different. At first it seemed racy. Oxidative notes together with some nuttiness and citric fruits. After some airing the nose mellowed and while retaining the oxidative nuttiness some floral aromas emerged along with the citrus fruit. Reminded me a lot of an old palo cortado. The feel in the mouth was very interesting but here the likeness with a palo cortado ends, this is a medium bodied wine, a bone dry wine with an initial acidic feel that revealed layers and layers of different tastes. Citrus fruit on the lemony side were followed by nuttiness and a sense of wood and then the citrus fruit reemerged but this time on the orange zest side and lingered. One of the most interesting wines I have ever had and though its age is not so old I had the feeling that I was experiencing wine from a bygone age.
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1/19/2019 - JLeader wrote: 92 Points
A good bottle. Not the best example I have had. Some initially guessed old white burg. Definitely had the telltale oxidation and oak (not obtrusive here) along with a minty and heavily mineral character. Always a fascinating wine.
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11/15/2014 - KenPlace wrote: 94 Points
Very much alive. PnP and was beautiful right off the bat. Nutty, dark yellow. Gorgeous nose. Kept improving in the glass.
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5/31/2013 - Los 12 Glotones Likes this wine: 96 Points
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Els12golafres Wine Tasting Group: http://vinosclasicos.blogspot.com.es/2013/05/vina-tondonia-1964-blanco-gran-reserva.html
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De color dorado viejo, casi ambarino, limpio, con sensación de mucho grosor, formando densas lágrimas en copa. Reflejos dorados, anaranjados, luminoso.
Sin lugar a dudas la mejor nariz de un Rioja blanco. Tiene todo lo que se puede esperar de un Rioja excepcional en una cosecha excepcional. Una mitad de la botella se decantó una hora antes para compararla con la otra mitad. Ni se abrió, ni se cerró, ni nada de nada... Los aromas del vino lo inundan todo. Qué potencia!!! Por la mesa de cata sobrevuelan aromas de ceras, panal, fruta de hueso en compota, ahumados, cereal tostado, pastelería, caramelos werther's, miel, soleras viejas. Aumenta de intensidad paulatinamente, sin prisas, dando un elegante recuerdo a cuero, nueces, naranja escarchada, especias orientales, cúrcuma. Fino, elegante, de enorme profundidad.
En boca mantiene el listón de calidad. Sabroso, amplio, lleno, con una textura cremosa y grasa que nos trae la fruta madura, los almíbares, la fruta carnosa, el hueso, y esa acidez refrescante con un toque cítrico y un apunte de dulcedumbre. Decir que es elegante es quedarse corto. Un blanco descomunal, vivo y con ganas de seguir castigándonos en la cartera...
Wine Info - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
85% viura, 15% malvasía - 12% vol.
Permanece durante 6 meses en depósitos de madera. Criado durante 9 años en viejas barricas de roble americano de 225 litros elaboradas por los toneleros de la misma bodega. El vino es sometido a 18 trasiegas manuales. Clarificado con claras de huevo frescas. Embotellado directamente de la barrica en julio de 1973. Sin filtrar. Lacrado especial para favorecer su mejor evolución en botella y preservarlo de contaminaciones. Producción limitada a 16.000 botellas. Descansa un mínimo de 44 meses en botellero antes de ser comercializado. Una buena parte de esta cosecha fue apartada de la venta. Presentado por primera vez en la fiesta del centenario de la bodega en 1977.
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5/23/2011 - Rupert wrote:
Dinner with López de Heredia wines 1934-1976 (Cambio de Tercio, London SW5): This was brilliant too, but almost painfully youthful - salty, fresh, and with a super grippy toast finish
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3/19/2011 - Yiannis wrote: 93 Points
It is really needless to describe and assess this wine in conventional wine-tasting language. It is simply moving to realize that a wine 1 year older than myself is still in such a good shape. Yes, it is obviously oxidized, but this should be seen as part of its character rather than as a defect. Absolutely drinkable and food friendly. Respect.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/12/2010 - Paul Lin wrote: 92 Points
Unique and expressive and full of idiosyncratic terrior. Tangy and glycerinous with notes of petrol, mixed nuts, sherry, kumquats and crostini. What a rare treat it is to taste this blanco! 92-93 points.
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8/6/2009 - BradKNYC wrote:
A '60's theme for a birthday boy. (Apiary.): Let me just state for the record that bitching and bellyaching works. Joe sent out an e-mail asking whether he should bring the red or white '64 Tondonia. I immediately reply red! For those that don't know, I'm not a fan of oxidative whites. However, our birthday boy, Sasha, replied that if Joe brings the red, he'll be a friend for life, but if he brings the white he'll receive the Order of Lenin, something about acceptance to all the inner circles of all the major administrations in the Politburo and be elevated to "Uncle Joe." Well, I knew I was doomed with that response, so off went a bellyaching e-mail and lo and behold, swell guy that he is, he brought both! Anyhoo, as I said, normally I'm not a fan of these Blancos. However, for the second time in a row, the last time being a '70 Tondonia Blanco, I liked one. Yeah, it's oxidative to be sure, but the wood is pretty well-integrated and there's a racy freshness to go along with the aged elegance. Lemon custard, nuts, vanilla and baked apple, but my problem with these wines are that there's usually too much nuts and wood, but that's not the case here. While I liked it, I have to add that everyone else around me was enthralled by it, so if you're a fan of these types of wines, this just may be a benchmark Blanco. A-/B+.
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1/11/2009 - Stefanos T. wrote: 93 Points
I was very curious to taste this wine. Having spent nine years in oak barrels and a significant number of years in the bottle it must be something, to say the least, different. At first it seemed racy. Oxidative notes together with some nuttiness and citric fruits. After some airing the nose mellowed and while retaining the oxidative nuttiness some floral aromas emerged along with the citrus fruit. Reminded me a lot of an old palo cortado. The feel in the mouth was very interesting but here the likeness with a palo cortado ends, this is a medium bodied wine, a bone dry wine with an initial acidic feel that revealed layers and layers of different tastes. Citrus fruit on the lemony side were followed by nuttiness and a sense of wood and then the citrus fruit reemerged but this time on the orange zest side and lingered. One of the most interesting wines I have ever had and though its age is not so old I had the feeling that I was experiencing wine from a bygone age.
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4/24/2008 - Keith Levenberg wrote:
Pure vanilla scent of the American oak barrels dominates. Definitely tastes oxidative with a butterscotchy flavor. Maybe I prefer these younger.
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10/5/2007 - wineswiller wrote:
Amazing wine at an amazing value.
Appearance: med. lemon
Nose: Oak, barnyard
Palate: Oak, lemons, nuttiness (oxidation?) and moderate acidity
(See the 1989 vintage notes)
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