Wine: Viña Tondonia 1957 Blanco Gran Reserva
Winery: R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia (Haro, La Rioja)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 85% Viura, 15% Malvasía
ABV: 12% vol.
Winery: R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia (Haro, La Rioja)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 85% Viura, 15% Malvasía
ABV: 12% vol.
Winemaking:
The wine spent six months in wooden vats before beginning an extensive eight-year aging period in seasoned 225-liter American oak barrels, handcrafted by the winery’s coopers. It underwent 16 manual rackings and was fined with fresh egg whites. Bottled directly from the cask in July 1966, without filtration. It features a special wax seal to ensure optimal evolution. Limited production of 10,500 bottles. It rested in the bottle for a minimum of 60 months before release, although a significant portion of the vintage was held back from sale.
The wine spent six months in wooden vats before beginning an extensive eight-year aging period in seasoned 225-liter American oak barrels, handcrafted by the winery’s coopers. It underwent 16 manual rackings and was fined with fresh egg whites. Bottled directly from the cask in July 1966, without filtration. It features a special wax seal to ensure optimal evolution. Limited production of 10,500 bottles. It rested in the bottle for a minimum of 60 months before release, although a significant portion of the vintage was held back from sale.
Tasting Notes
Appearance:
Old gold and amber hue; slightly turbid with very fine suspended
particles (bitartrates). Vivid orange reflections. High viscosity with
immense, persistent tears.
Nose:
It hammers the senses! The initial impressions are herbaceous—shoots,
asparagus, sea fennel, and anise—all supported by a damp, earthy
foundation of ivy and stone walls. It reveals somber mineral notes of
iron and indeterminate metals. It avoids the typical overripe fruit or
honeyed profile, which remain sidelined by an intricate web of sweet
citrus, smoky notes, exotic woods, cedar, and damp staves. Complex,
deep, and elusive, it gradually unravels endless layers of detail with
increasing intensity. A wine of singular personality, demanding and
intricate.
Palate:
Built upon exceptionally deep pillars. It possesses a solid framework
of vitality and freshness, driven by a tyrannical, razor-sharp acidity
that envelops the whole. Concentrated and piercing, its fatty and syrupy
texture is perfectly compensated. Bitter notes emerge alongside a faint
honeyed sensation on the finish, with a mandarin-like grip that lingers
for hours.
Commentary:
An extraordinary white from López de Heredia capable of challenging any wine in the world. While its price is high, it is a necessary experience to confirm that Rioja has produced some of the globe's finest white wines. This 1957 is, without doubt, one of them.
An extraordinary white from López de Heredia capable of challenging any wine in the world. While its price is high, it is a necessary experience to confirm that Rioja has produced some of the globe's finest white wines. This 1957 is, without doubt, one of them.
Personal Score: 98
Tasting Group Average: 99
Tasting Group Average: 99
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