The 2005 Viña Tondonia Blanco Reserva is a fine and elegant wine inspired by the vineyards of Graves in Bordeaux. 2005 was an excellent vintage, when 154 hectares of vineyards from the 170 they own were in production. The grapes were picked before the rains of October 12th. This is mostly Viura (Macabeo), but it always contains some 10% Malvasía Riojana, and the white varieties are always planted on whiter, limestone-rich soils. It matured in used oak barriques for six years before bottling. María José and Mercedes López de Heredia told me their Viura, with the low yields they get (often 2,000 kilograms per hectare), shows less of the vintage differences, and even in torrid years like 2003, the wines do not show heat. It's very interesting comparing this with the Gravonia from 2008, as this showed higher ripeness and a lot more developed aromas, nuttier with hints of hay and straw, honey and also chamomile and dried flowers. But the oak is never obvious in the wine, it only adds spiciness but no wood aromas. 2005 was also a warmer, riper and more powerful vintage, which shows more in the palate, which is round and powerful with pungent flavors. (LG)

The 2005 Viña Tondonia Rioja Blanco “Reserva” from López de Heredia is really drinking well at age fourteen, with a wide open and beautifully complex personality and a lovely spine of acidity to also carry it far into the future. The complex and classic bouquet wafts from the glass in a mix of lemon, a touch of fig, salty soil tones, paraffin, white flowers, hints of the browned butter tones to come, orange peel and coconutty American oak. On the palate the wine is bright, focused and full-bodied, with excellent depth at the core, zesty acids and a long, well-balanced and very complex finish. This is gorgeous.

Shimmering yellow-gold. Expansive aromas of lemon marmalade, peach nectar, chamomile, toasted nuts and honey, plus a hint of spicy ginger in the background. Broad and fleshy in the mouth, offering intense citrus and pit fruit, buttered toast and honey flavors and a subtle mineral undertone. Finishes very long and smooth, with building florality and repeating toast and pit fruit notes. (JR)