Viña Tondonia 1961 Blanco Gran Reserva

Wine: Viña Tondonia 1961 Blanco Gran Reserva
Winery: R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia (Haro, Rioja Alta)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 85% Viura, 15% Malvasía
ABV: 12%

Winemaking:
All grapes are sourced from estate vineyards located on the right bank of the Ebro River (438–489m altitude) on alluvial and clay-limestone soils with gravel and pebbles. Following manual harvest, the wine fermented for 6 months in large, seasoned oak vats without temperature control. It was then aged for 8 years in neutral 225-liter American oak barrels crafted in the winery’s own cooperage. The wine underwent 16 manual rackings and was clarified with fresh egg whites. Bottled unfiltered directly from the cask with a special wax seal to ensure optimal bottle aging and protection. It rested for a minimum of 60 months in the winery’s underground cellars before its release in the mid-1970s. A significant portion of this vintage was held back from initial sale.

 

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Perfectly waxed and wired bottle with a very high fill level; the cork was in pristine condition, saturated only halfway and removed in one piece. Old gold in color, very intense and clean, featuring a significant amount of fine, crystallized sediment adhered to the base. Highly viscous and oily, showing dense, persistent legs. Muted brilliance with a matte finish and faint amber and copper reflections.

 

Nose: Powerful, direct, and profound. Complex, extremely serious, and sharply defined. It opens with earthy and spicy notes, gunpowder, and initial mineral—almost ferruginous—sensations, interwoven with more mature hints of roasted egg yolk, marzipan, and a very fine vanilla backdrop. It reveals pastry aromas bolstered by aniseed, laurel, lemon brine, and an elegant reductive touch of seasoned vats, luxurious wood, cedar, and lacquer. Excellent and immensely classy; its intensity is tempered by an endless stream of evolving details.

 

Palate: It possesses that characteristic syrupy yet tart texture of historic Tondonia whites. Grave and measured inch by inch; a perfectly tailored wine that grazes perfection. It shows absolute integrity—nothing is redundant or excessive. Circumscribed by a nut-like acidity that compresses the structure to its essential core, it simulates a deceptive simplicity. An extraordinary and nearly unprecedented vintage white, showing absolute plenitude.

 

Commentary:
A legendary bottle that sits halfway between the sheer power of the 1964 and the demanding mystery of the 1957. Finding one of the few remaining bottles of this vintage is a rare privilege that leaves the taster speechless.

 

Personal Score: 97
Tasting Group Average: 98