Vina Tondonia White Rioja Reserva Bodega Lopez Heredia – 2013

Please note that we only receive very limited quantities of this white Rioja so there is a maximum order of one bottle per person 

This wine has been referred to as “the last bastion of classic Spanish whites” and comes from the producer’s top vineyard – Tondonia. It is a blend of 90% Viura and 10% Malvasia from vines which yield less than 25% of the average in Rioja! With its deep golden colour, bone dry fruit and intense acidity, and wonderful richness from its lengthy maturation in old oak casks, this is a unique and very special white wine.

“We talked a lot about the challenging 2013, but they defended the wines. “There was a big crop, and it was not easy, but it was possible to make great wines.” The 2013 Viña Tondonia Blanco Reserva has nutty aromas, perhaps showing a little more development, but according to Mercedes López de Heredia, “[With] the old vines with the right rootstock, in the right soils, you can have more or less quality, but you’re not going to have a disaster.” It’s a wine that has to have aging potential, and they need to start with good grapes, so they harvested earlier, as their grapes were riper because they had lowered their yields. They took risks, and I think they got it right. The palate has intense and pungent flavors, a velvety mouthfeel and a vibrant core of acidity, with a fine thread and a chalky finish. But it’s a slightly weaker year.” 94/100pts Wine Advocate