2008 López de Heredia "Viña Tondonia" Reserva Rioja

“A classic Rioja, yes, but one with its own beautiful, distinctive signature. Here is a wine so elegant and graceful, so silky in texture and so remarkably fresh and balanced between wild strawberry, cherry, a whiff of incense and savoury, truffle notes. Long, fine, tapering finish. (DW)” (10/2021)

“Lots of dried fruit with plum, light raisin, chocolate and toasted oak. Some balsamic undertones. White truffles and dried flowers. Medium body, creamy tannins and savory, balsamic undertones. Extreme and unique, as always.” (11/2020)

“The nose of the 2008 Viña Tondonia Reserva is very elegant, fresh and with an herbal twist, starting to show the complexity of the aged wines that are sometimes still too young when they are released 10+ years from the vintage! The palate is medium-bodied, with lightness and depth, very classical with extra freshness and all that is needed for a long development in bottle. This is the more Tondonia of the two vintages I tasted side by side. There are notes of maple syrup, smoke, licorice and crisp fruit. The palate is more austere, crunchy and reveals the chalkiness of the soils. There's more definition and precision here. (LG)” (10/2020)

“Dark, bright-rimmed garnet. An expressive bouquet displays red and black currant, dried cherry, cigar box, vanilla, rose oil and cured tobacco scents plus a baking spice topnote. Appealingly sweet and energetic red and dark berry, floral pastille and chewing tobacco flavors show tight focus and spicy cut. Candied rose and vanilla notes linger on the long, lively finish, which is framed by smooth, well-judged tannins. (JR)” (04/2021)

“The 2008 Viña Tondonia Reserva is an absolute classic in the making. At age 12 the wine is still a puppy, and though very, very easy to drink now, it has still not developed any of its secondary layers of complexity that will arrive with further bottle age. The supremely refined nose delivers scents of black cherries, black raspberries, cigar smoke, a lovely array of Rioja spice tones, a touch of meatiness, a complex base of soil and a lovely foundation of oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and sappy at the core, with lovely soil signature and grip, suave, fine-grained tannins and a long, complex and tangy finish. To my palate, this beautiful wine deserves at least another six to eight years in the cellar before drinking, as there is still a lot to unfold here with the fullness of time. But, it is so perfectly balanced today that I fully expect to see a significant percentage of the bottles not make it that long! 93+” (11/2020)

“Smells like red-apple skins. The snap of green runner beans. Mushroom compost. Coffee beans in yuzu syrup. How to describe this wine at the end of a long tasting… it's just unspeakably beautiful. A Lindenberg poem? Shadows across the cobbles? Sunset lighting up old stone walls? Roast chestnuts on a wintery night? It defies description. I wanted to spend hours with this wine, slipping under its spell with total abandon. Criminally underpriced. 18/20 points *Very Very Good Value* (TC)” (09/2021)