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

Description

The 2004 vintage of Viña Tondonia Blanco Gran Reserva is classified as EXCELLENT by The Regulating Council. Made with 90% Viura and 10% Malvasia, this vintage benefits from the absence of spring frost and favourable conditions during fertilisation, leading to a high-yield harvest. Although summer weather was unstable, autumn's fresh and bright conditions allowed for the production of high-quality grapes, with a carefully timed harvest for optimal maturation.

The wine has received outstanding accolades: 100 points from The Wine Advocate, which praised its complex aromas of mushrooms, beeswax, and white pepper, and a velvety palate with a salty finish. James Suckling awarded it 99 points, highlighting its power and depth with aromas of butterscotch and honey. VINOUS gave it 97 points, noting its unique, old-school Rioja character with a silky texture and complex flavours. Ideal for drinking from 2024 to 2032, this wine promises superb ageing potential.

THE WINE ADVOCATE 100 points
2024 - 2044
I was very much looking forward to the 2004 Viña Tondonia Blanco Gran Reserva, the next vintage of this wine after the spectacular 2001. 2004 was a perfect climate year. This is a developed white that was matured in well-seasoned, neutral American oak barrels for 10 years in their old caves, where the wine gets pungent aromas of mushrooms, pollen, beeswax, white pepper, kerosene, cereals and something herbal (celery and even asparagus) that reminded me of the 1964. The palate is velvety and dry and super tasty, with a salty twist in the finish. It's still a baby even after years in bottle. This should age superbly in bottle. I think this is slightly better than the 2001, one of the freshest and most elegant vintages for this bottling. Bravo! 10,000 bottles were filled in November 2018. Before and after aging in barrel, the Gran Reserva wines also spend some time in oak vats. - Luis Gutiérrez

JAMES SUCKLING ***** 99 Points
5 Aug, 2024 – What a vinous white that’s reticent and full of power and depth. Aromas of butterscotch, waxed lemons, macadamia nuts, saffron and honey, and there is also something intricately smoky with roasted sweet potato. Full-bodied but there is no heft, with lots of brightness. I like the phenolic twist at the end, before a persistent finish that goes on for almost a minute. Incredible. A true beauty. This was aged for 10 years in old barrels before bottling. Drinkable now, but will age really beautifully over the next 10 to 20 years.

VINOUS 97 points
Drinking window: 2024 - 2032 - The 2004 Blanco Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia is a delicate, unique white wine crafted in the old-school Rioja style. It showcases the enduring legacy of the Tondonia Vineyard, situated along the meander of the Ebro River. Aged for a remarkable ten years in oak barrels before being bottled in 2014 and held in the catacomb-like cellar of López de Heredia, this amber-hued wine reveals a complex array of aromas. Notes of hops, honey and hazelnut intertwine with hints of resin, dried apricot and tangerine. On the palate, it offers a dry, silky texture with a chalky undertone, delivering a slightly concentrated character reminiscent of sherry. This wine is a delicious oddity, seamlessly blending the past and present of white winemaking in Rioja. - Joaquín Hidalgo. Tasting date: December 2023