Wine: Viña Tondonia 1981 Blanco Gran ReservaWinery: R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia
Appellation: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 85% Viura, 15% Malvasía
ABV: 12%
Appellation: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 85% Viura, 15% Malvasía
ABV: 12%
Winemaking
The wine spent 6 months in wooden vats before undergoing 6 years of aging in seasoned 225-liter American oak barrels, crafted by the winery’s own cooperage. Two manual rackings were performed annually. Clarified with fresh egg whites and bottled directly from the cask in 1988 without filtration. Sealed with a special wax capsule to ensure optimal bottle evolution and protection against contamination. Limited production of 20,000 bottles. It rested for a minimum of 44 months in the bottle prior to its commercial release.
The wine spent 6 months in wooden vats before undergoing 6 years of aging in seasoned 225-liter American oak barrels, crafted by the winery’s own cooperage. Two manual rackings were performed annually. Clarified with fresh egg whites and bottled directly from the cask in 1988 without filtration. Sealed with a special wax capsule to ensure optimal bottle evolution and protection against contamination. Limited production of 20,000 bottles. It rested for a minimum of 44 months in the bottle prior to its commercial release.
Tasting Notes
Appearance:
Old golden-yellow hue, showing a greater sense of maturity than other
vintages in the same range (such as '64, '68, '70, or '73). Brilliant,
amber highlights. Limpid, forming thick tears.
Nose:
Aromas of great integrity; concentrated, fruity, and ripe. Abundant
notes of candied quince, lemon peel, dried apricots, Galia melon, and
orange blossom honey. It features a backdrop of sea salt (reminiscent of
iodine without being fully so) and a refined, nearly vegetal perfume of
bay leaf and olive leaf that gains intensity as the wine breathes.
Flickers of medicinal notes emerge—aromatic herbs, green tea, chamomile
stems, bitter almonds—alongside an elegant accent of star anise,
infusions, and clove. An orderly and elegant white, endowed with an
unusual profusion of high-quality nuances and a sense of full maturity.
Palate:
On the palate, it becomes clear that this is a wine in need of many
more years of cellaring; it is still "raw" and developing. It is the
white with the most complex present but perhaps the brightest future of
the estate. Every element is there in abundance, yet they have not fully
integrated or found their order. Powerful acidity, tons of ripe fruit,
dazzling citrus, honeyed tones, toasted notes, and fine bitters are
wrapped in a balsamic edge. A relentless dryness reveals its character
as a truly "tough" wine. In 20 or 30 years, it will be legendary. There
is nothing to do but wait.
Personal Score: 92
Tasting Group Score: 93
Tasting Group Score: 93
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