BODEGAS R. LOPEZ DE HEREDIA Rioja Tinto 'Vina Tondonia' Gran Reserva 2004 Bottle

Description

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VINTAGE
:Classified by The Regulating Council as EXCELLENT. The absence of spring frost joined to the good environmental conditions that helped the fertilization fought against the difficult moments that we passed during the budding, delayed by the low temperatures during that period. All this weather conditions end up into a good and high yield harvest. The summer time was unstable with high risk of storms but autumn was fresh and full of light and this weather allowed us to obtain very high quality grapes. The harvest took place very slowly and so that we could choose to pick the grapes in the perfect maturation moment.

THE WINE ADVOCATE 100 points
The 2004 Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva didn't stop growing and changing in the glass for the good three hours that lasted the tasting of the portfolio. I had tasted this wine on my previous visit (they don't usually open future Gran Reserva vintages), and I was very impressed. This was aromatic (but took some time in the glass to open up), floral, perfumed, elegant and nuanced. The year was excellent, textbook, and the grapes from Viña Tondonia were picked from the 11th of October, the dates from yesteryear. I had the exceptional 2001 Parreno two weeks before I tasted this wine, and I found many similarities between both wines. It has complex notes of forest floor, truffle, wild herbs, spices and mushrooms and a touch of iodine. This is velvety, with super elegant tannins and a supple finish. It has clout and persistence, but there's also something ethereal about it. It's full of energy, light and power. This should be almost eternal. Bravo! 24,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2018. - Luis Gutiérrez

JAMES SUCKLING ***** 98 Points
5 Aug, 2024 – Such a beautifully aged gran reserva that shows the more traditional side of Rioja. Dried blood orange peel, white pepper, dried thyme, iron, berries, minerals, black sesame seeds and old books. So bright and firm, with a full body and an extremely bright, lengthy finish. If I bought a bottle I’d still want to keep it for another few years. Drink or hold.

VINOUS 97 points
Drinking window: 2024 - 2030 - A Rioja time capsule: that is the feeling you'll have when tasting the wines of López de Heredia, particularly the 2004 Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia. The 2004 is a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano, cultivated on the meander of the Ebro River in Rioja Alta. Aged for ten years in barrel and an additional ten years in bottle, this bricked wine showcases dried black fruit, licorice, hazelnut and cedar nuances, along with resin, cola and garrigue. Dry and chalky, the silky and faintly juicy flow culminates with a long-lasting finish infused with thyme notes. This beautifully aged wine reflects old-school craftsmanship—it's the essence of time and terroir. - Joaquín Hidalgo. Tasting date: December 2023