Lopez de Heredia - Rioja Viña Tondonia Reserva 2013

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

The canonical 2013 Viña Tondonia Reserva red has a developed nose of dried roses and tar that transported me to Piamonte but quickly took me back to López de Heredia's cellars in Haro with the mix of mushrooms, truffles, damp earth and rotting leaves, notes of brick dust and spices. 2013 was a rainy year, with 753 liters, well above the Haro average of 530 liters. The year was also cooler and ripening was slow, so the harvest didn't start until October 7, but we had to hurry because of the risk of botrytis. The harvest was not very abundant, as it suffered from the hail in July that hit Viña Tondonia, as well as violent winds that broke many branches. The breakdown in 2013 is 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho and 5% Graciano and Mazuelo, fermented in old oak vats with indigenous yeasts. All wines are aged in old American oak barrels in their cellars, in this case for no less than six years. It's 13% alcohol with a pH of 3.4 and 6.6 grams of acidity. This is perhaps a lighter vintage with higher acidity, which translates into lots of energy, a fine mouthfeel and very fine tannins with a vibrant finish. 190,000 bottles produced. Bottled in November 2021. It should be on the market in spring 2025, almost 12 years after the harvest. And look at the price... 2025-2040

Vinous

About the wine:

The 2013 Reserva Viña Tondonia is a blend of 70% tempranillo, 20% garnacha and 10% graciano and mazuelo, grown in the limestone soils of the Tondonia meander in Rioja Alta. Aged largely in American oak barrels, it offers discreet aromas of black fruits, wild herbs, balsamic notes and sweet spices, with light hints of cedar and vanilla. Medium-bodied, with a chalky grip and layered tertiary finish, this is a benchmark classic - refined, enduring and unmistakably Tondonia. 2025-2055

James Suckling