Winery: Bodegas R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia
Region: D.O.C. Rioja
Vintage: 2004
Bottle: 75 cl.
Grape Varieties: 75% Tempranillo, 15% Grenache, 10% Graciano and Mazuelo
Type: Red Wine Gran Reserva
Alcohol Content: 13% vol.
Serving Temperature: 18º - 20º
Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva is a classic Rioja, made in a very traditional style. This complex, elegant, long-aged wine is a benchmark in the Rioja DO and has excellent ageing potential.
It is part of the "Grandes Reservas" range of wines that the winery has been reserving since 1877. Wines made from grapes of exceptional quality, which give them a greater capacity for ageing over time. These "Grandes Reservas" or "Grandes Vinos" always come from a special selection, made only in extraordinary years that meet the special conditions.
The 2004 vintage was considered excellent in La Rioja, and the wine was awarded 100 Parker points by the prestigious American publication "The Wine Advocate".
The bottles come sealed. The sealing wax is the ideal product to protect the cork in those bottles that have spent many years in the darkness of a cave, cellar, or warehouse. This prevents the cork from being attacked by mould or insects in dry environments. The use of sealing wax on the heads of bottles not only preserves the integrity of the bottles but also avoids having to replace the cork. This "seal" adds the guarantee of authenticity and origin of the wine contained in the bottle.
How to open the bottle with sealing wax?
There are two ways of removing the sealing wax from a cork. The first method involves hitting the sealing wax with the back of the corkscrew and then wiping off the remains with a clean cloth. The second method, the most advisable, is to insert the corkscrew directly without removing the sealing wax and to gently hold the remains of the sealing wax that come out naturally when the cork is pulled with your hand as the cork comes out. It is important to open the bottle slowly and carefully to prevent the sealing wax from falling inside. Afterwards, the neck of the bottle should be wiped with a clean cloth, carefully and from the inside out.
Production:
The grapes are hand-harvested, cluster by cluster, and selected from very old vines, over a hundred years old, sourced from their own very low-yielding vineyards. Planted between 1913 and 1914 and located on the banks of the Ebro River at an altitude of 450 meters above sea level.
The grapes are destemmed and fermented with skins in oak vats. Aged in American oak barrels for 10 years, racked twice a year. Clarified with fresh egg whites. The rest is ageing in the bottle. Bottled unfiltered.
Tasting Notes:
Fine and fresh aromatic nose, floral and slightly perfumed. Displays an attractive combination of forest red fruit, truffle, wild herbs, and spices with toasted and mineral notes.
Full-bodied with great complexity, round and savoury, with intense red berry fruit in liqueur and aromatic herbs, along with spices and vanilla notes from the ageing. Velvety, elegant tannins with a lengthy finish.
How to enjoy it:
It is recommended to decant the wine and left to settle for at least one hour prior to drinking and serve it very carefully. If you decide not to decant, it is recommended to let the bottle stand vertically for an hour so that the sediment remains at the bottom.
Open the bottle carefully, as the cork may lose its adhesion over the years. Serve the wine with care, ensuring as little movement as possible. Consume between 18 and 20º.
Due to their age, it is possible that some bottles may contain sediments. This will not affect the complexity of aromas or its taste and enjoyment.
Due to the fact that these bottles have been filled by hand and have been ageing for many years, the height of the wine in the neck is always uneven. The wines have been bottled, sealed, and labelled exclusively by hand.
After receiving the wine, it should be left to rest for at least one week, ideally in a quiet, dark, and cool place.
THE WINERY
The family-owned bodega López Heredia, one of Rioja’s oldest and most traditional establishments, was founded in 1913 by Rafael López de Heredia. Three generations later, the family Lopez de Heredia continues to devote themselves to producing exceptional and unique wines. Located in the heart of the Rioja Alta region, Viña Tondonia is a beautiful vineyard and one of the most spectacular in Haro, with over 100 hectares situated in a shell-like depression on the right bank of the river Ebro where the soil is alluvial clay with a high proportion of limestone. The grapes from Viña Tondonia are always used in making their highest-quality wine.
