R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Blanco Reserva 2011
- Region
- Spain » Rioja DOC
- Type
- white still, dry
- Producer
- Vintage
- 2011
- Grapes
- Viura, Malvasia Bianca
- Alcohol
- 12.5
- Volume
- 750 mL
- Cellar
- 1 bottles
- Find at
Viña Tondonia Blanco Reserva is a Viura-based blend with only 10% of Malvasia - a rather rare grape in Rioja as it represents only 0.23% of Denomination's total cultivated area. The Viña Tondonia Blanco Reserva spends six years in oak. Only 19,000 bottles produced. After bottling, the wine spends up to four years in a bottle to acquire a certain smoothness and a range of aromatic nuances.
Ratings
This bottle stood out as the best compared to the same label from 2012, 2006, and 2005. It is remarkably young and energetic, yet it possesses a deep, nuanced, and sophisticated character with a mineral quality. The bouquet offers aromas of dill, seashells, fried nuts, smoke, quince, beeswax, and vanilla. Its superb structure is both engaging and persistent, delivering pleasant flavors of honey, dill, smoke, and green apples. In outstanding condition, this wine is truly impressive. There is something reminding of aged Jacky Blot's style.
This wine boasts a complex and multilayered bouquet, where honey, cake, a medley of spices, fried nuts, and caramel intertwine. On the palate, it offers slightly less acidity than the '12, yet retains a vibrant and fresh character. Frankly, it reminds me of a still Blanc de Blancs Champagne. There's intriguing blend of wet cellar and caramel notes in the aftertaste. The texture is smooth and oily, yet it remains lively. Overall, it's a great wine, showcasing a harmonious balance of richness and energy.
It was the first time I tasted this wine in parallel with Viña Gravonia. I always wondered how they perform together. Both of them shined. So nothing interesting. Of course, Tondonia is more developed and has less fruit. But boy, how marvellous the latter is. A charming bouquet of mushrooms, wet cellar, Jerez, honey, citrus, butter and caramel. The mouthfeel? Quaffable to a criminal extent. You make a sip, and you can't stop. Smooth, oily, juicy and vibrant. The aftertaste is very long and flavourful. Beauty.
There is a problem with this wine. Expectations are rightfully high and the wine conscientiously delivers. Typical sophisticated white Tondonia with a good balance between fruits and mouldy stuff. So together with fruits and citrus, this wine brings more friends like Jerez, mushrooms, honey and butter. Almost perfectly balanced, voluminous, fresh and simply delicious.
Meh, up to expectations. I mean, up to high expectations. It's funny to see the reaction of people tasting it blindly. Almost everyone was stunned. Sophisticated bouquet: mushrooms, subtle Jerez notes, citrus, fruits, butter, and honey. Almost perfectly balanced, voluminous, but delicate at the same time. If tomorrow you need to move to a monastery and abandon everything, this wine is a good farewell drink and a bridge to eternity.
As much as I enjoyed it, it lacked the usual volume. More delicate with less oxidation. Citrus, marmalade, white flowers, smoke, and caramel. Almost full-bodied, sophisticated, mineral, fresh with a long and fascinating aftertaste. Truly generous wine.
About Producer
We are in Haro, the mythical capital of the Rioja Alta region. Its ascension to a prestigious winemaking region was ignited by phylloxera. A curious insect, brought by accident from North America to Europe, devasted vineyards across the continent. The Great French Wine Blight drove many winemakers to alternative regions. The French settled in Rioja because they found potential there.
Rioja, like many other regions, has seen its ups and downs, reflecting Spain's history. Though, having potential is not enough. The wine doesn't make itself. Don Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta was an enthusiastic student when French negociants visited Rioja in search of alternative grape sources. He followed their footsteps and fell in love with Haro as he saw potential in the combination of soil and climate. Around 1877 he began the design and construction of the complex, known today as the López de Heredia bodega, the oldest in Haro and one of the first three houses in the Rioja region.
López de Heredia is famous for being true to their heritage and house style. Unprecedented old-school wine, a time machine trapped in a bottle. Today, María José López de Heredia runs the bodega. She says "tradition" doesn't mean immobility or opposition to change. The world and nature follow their own rhythm. So they need to be flexible while maintaining eternal principles and criteria.
López de Heredia produces wines in four ranges - Viña Tondonia, Viña Bosconia, Viña Cubillo and Viña Gravonia. All are named after vineyards.
Viña Cubillo has only one wine - a red Crianza. The three years that Cubillo spends in cask, plus four to five years in bottle before release, exceeds the legal levels for even Gran Reserva.
Viña Gravonia also consists of only one wine - a white Crianza. It is 100% Viura from 24 ha in the Gravonia (Zaconia) vineyard near the banks of the river Ebro. This vineyard ticks every conceivable box to produce white grapes which achieve ripeness and intricate character. It is further enhanced by four years in a cask and at least the same again resting in a bottle before release.
Viña Bosconia has two variants - Reserva and Gran Reserva. The former appears in a Burgundy bottle. It could be a hint of the elegant yet full-bodied wine within. The Gran Reserva is made only in exceptional years and is released only 20 years after the vintage.
Viña Tondonia is the most famous and largest set of vineyards of López de Heredia. It's made up of 100 ha of red and white grapes. Five wines are produced: Tinto Reserva, Tinto Gran Reserva, Blanco Reserva, Blanco Gran Reserva and Rosado Gran Reserva.