Wine: Viña Tondonia 1994 Blanco Gran Reserva
Winery: R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia (Haro, La Rioja)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 90% Viura, 10% Malvasía
ABV: 12.5% vol.
Winery: R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia (Haro, La Rioja)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 90% Viura, 10% Malvasía
ABV: 12.5% vol.
Winemaking:
Manual harvest took place between October 12th and 25th. The wine spent 6 months in vats for fermentation before being transferred to wood. It aged for 10 years in old 225-liter American oak barrels handcrafted by the winery's own coopers. Subjected to two manual rackings per year. Fined with fresh egg whites. Bottled directly from the barrel in 2004, unfiltered. Secured with a special wax seal (lacrado) to ensure optimal evolution and prevent contamination. Limited production of 8,800 bottles. Minimum of 9 years of bottle aging in the winery’s underground cellars before release.
Manual harvest took place between October 12th and 25th. The wine spent 6 months in vats for fermentation before being transferred to wood. It aged for 10 years in old 225-liter American oak barrels handcrafted by the winery's own coopers. Subjected to two manual rackings per year. Fined with fresh egg whites. Bottled directly from the barrel in 2004, unfiltered. Secured with a special wax seal (lacrado) to ensure optimal evolution and prevent contamination. Limited production of 8,800 bottles. Minimum of 9 years of bottle aging in the winery’s underground cellars before release.
Tasting Notes
Appearance:
Slightly golden yellow color, clean. Brilliant with amber reflections.
Shows greater viscosity than the 1991 vintage, yet its youthful
appearance is surprising—almost comparable to a Reserve released 6-7
years earlier. It seems not to have gained any color with age. Dense,
with permanent and heavy tearing.
Nose:
The initial sensation suggests the wine is going through a "dull"
phase—light, uncommunicative, and lacking aromatic concentration.
However, it soon opens up impressively. It maintains the classic
Tondonia Blanco profile but with significant forward steps in quality.
It shows great integrity without being pompous, nuanced by the austere
and closed character typical of this wine in its early years: damp
staves, vanilla, bitter almonds, anise, laurel, iodine, and dried
flowers.
Palate:
This is where the wine truly excels. Greasy, broad, balanced, tense,
and complex. It possesses an unbelievable acidity that leads to a fruity
core that lingers almost invisibly. Vibrant, portentous, and still
developing.
Commentary:
This white Tondonia is destined for greatness, clearly surpassing its 1991 "younger brother." It is likely the López de Heredia wine with the greatest future potential in the bottle. The work of María José at the winery, especially with the whites, is a luxury we can afford. The winery is reaching its pinnacle with this label.
This white Tondonia is destined for greatness, clearly surpassing its 1991 "younger brother." It is likely the López de Heredia wine with the greatest future potential in the bottle. The work of María José at the winery, especially with the whites, is a luxury we can afford. The winery is reaching its pinnacle with this label.
Personal Score: 93
Tasting Group Average: 94
Tasting Group Average: 94
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