Lopez de Heredia - Rioja Viņa Tondonia Reserva 2005

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Lopez de Heredia, one of the most venerable producers in Spain, produces traditional, age-worthy Rioja. Their wines are legendary and still made the way they were when the winery was founded over 130 years ago. Following a tradition that has been passed down through generations, their wines are released at least 5-10 years after harvest, which provides added complexity and elegance to their Crianzas and Gran Reservas. 

A rarity in Rioja, Lopez de Heredia uses only estate bottled fruit from their prized vineyards: Tondonia, Cubillo, Bosconia, and Zaconia; with the idea that the only way to get the best fruit is to care for the vines themselves.

 A staggering range of aromas, from dried mango and papaya through toasted nuts to dried flowers. Powerful and concentrated, but not at all fat, this has a stunning texture, due to the interplay of tannins and richness. Very long, intense finish.

Classically ‘old-fashioned’ Rioja that has stuck to its 1877 roots. Fine natural warmth and smooth, slightly nutty flavours, lots of controlled energy and a firm finish. A really lovely wine. (SS)

Vibrant, spice-tinged red currant and cherry aromas are complemented by suggestions of pipe tobacco, vanilla and incense, and a spicy nuance gains volume with air. Sweet and seamless on the palate, offering energetic red fruit and spicecake flavors that pick up a hint of smokiness on the back half. Concentrated yet lively, showing impressive delineation and a sexy floral quality on the extremely long, seamless finish. While this wine is quite seductive right now, I've little doubt that it will cruise along nicely for at least another decade or more, and probably quite a bit longer. (JR)

The 2005 Viña Tondonia Reserva from López de Heredia is a beautiful example of classical Rioja, with the developing aromatic and flavor complexity of a thirteen year-old wine that is, in reality, just beginning its vinous journey. The bouquet is pure, old school and stellar, jumping from the glass in a mix of black cherries, raspberries, Rioja spices, a refined base of soil elements, incipient notes of cigar smoke, fresh nutmeg and a lovely bass-line of coconutty, old American oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and already nicely velvety on the attack, with a fine core, lovely soil signature, modest tannins and a long, tangy and still fairly primary finish. This is very easy to drink already, but will be so much better with another five to ten years’ worth of bottle age. A very fine example of why one does not have to focus exclusively on Gran Reservas to get the best of Rioja!

 

DEC

94

JG

93

JS

96

V

94

Price: $105.00

In Mixed Case: $89.25

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Quantity Available: 1

Producer	Lopez de Heredia
Country	Spain
Region	Rioja
Varietal	Tempranillo
Vintage	2005
Sku	16745
Size	750ml