Lopez de Heredia - Rioja Viña Tondonia Reserva 2013

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About wine:

The 2013 Viña Tondonia Reserva has a developed nose of dried roses and tar that transported me to Piedmont but quickly brought me back to the López de Heredia cellars in Haro with its mixture of mushrooms, truffles, damp earth, and rotten leaves, notes of brick dust and spices. 2013 was a rainy year, with 753 liters, well above the average of 530 liters in Haro. The year was also cooler and ripening was slow, so the harvest did not begin until October 7, but it was necessary to hurry due to the risk of botrytis. The harvest was not very abundant, as it suffered from hail in July that affected Viña Tondonia, as well as strong winds that broke many branches. The breakdown in 2013 is 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho, and 5% Graciano and Mazuelo, which fermented in old oak vats with indigenous yeasts. All the wines are aged in old American oak barrels in their cellars, in this case for no less than six years. It has an alcohol content of 13%, a pH of 3.4, and 6.6 grams of acidity. This may be a lighter vintage with higher acidity, resulting in lots of energy, a refined palate, and very fine tannins with a vibrant finish. 190,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2021. It should be released in spring 2025, almost 12 years after harvest. And look at the price... 2025-2040

Vinous

About 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 subtle aromas of black fruit, wild herbs, balsamic notes, and sweet spices, with hints of cedar and vanilla. Medium-bodied, with a chalky grip and a layered tertiary finish, it is a classic benchmark—refined, enduring, and unmistakably Tondonia. 2025-2055

James Suckling