López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Reserva 2011
R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia S.A. · Bodegas R. López de Heredia, Haro, Rioja Alta
Viña Tondonia Reserva is the ultimate slow-reveal wine — a bottle that spent six years in barrel and still isn't done evolving when you pour it.
Nose
Dried cherry and vanilla emerge first, then tobacco leaf, warm earth, and orange zest build in layers. Give it fifteen minutes of air and a cedar note appears.
Palate
Dried plums and leather on entry, with iron minerality and subtle spice weaving through the mid-palate. The tannins are firm but sinewy rather than aggressive.
Finish
Extraordinarily long. Tobacco and dried fruit linger first, then a mineral earthiness emerges, then a final cedar-vanilla note that can persist for minutes.
- Varietal
- Tempranillo (75%)
- Blend
- 75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacho, 5% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo
- Vineyards
- Estate Viña Tondonia vineyard, Ebro River meander, clay-limestone soils
Cocktail Suggestion
Cocktail — Tinto de Verano Tondonia: Pour 4 oz Viña Tondonia Reserva over ice and top with 2 oz sparkling lemon water and a slice of orange.
Food Pairing
Pair with: Slow-roasted lamb shoulder with rosemary and roasted garlic.
Be the first to comment.
Leave a comment
Vietti Barbera d'Asti Tre Vigne 2022
Vietti
Vietti's Tre Vigne Barbera shows how minimal oak aging can shape a wine without redefining it. The fruit remains front and center, with wood providing structure rather than flavor. For a daily-drinking red from a top Piedmont producer, it delivers remarkable clarity and balance.
Benanti Etna Rosso DOC 2021
Benanti
Benanti pioneered the modern Etna wine movement in the 1980s, and their entry-level Rosso remains a benchmark for the appellation. Nerello Mascalese grown on volcanic slopes delivers transparency, tension, and a sense of place that few wines at this price can match. A vivid expression of heat stored in stone.
Marchesi di Gresy Barbaresco Martinenga DOCG 2020
Marchesi di Gresy
Marchesi di Gresy's Martinenga vineyard is one of the historic crus of Barbaresco, and this 2020 shows the site's characteristic combination of elegance and structure. The tannins are fine-grained and the fruit pristine. A wine that rewards careful attention and moderate cellaring.
Domaine du Cayron Gigondas 2021
Domaine du Cayron
Domaine du Cayron makes Gigondas the way it's been made for generations — old vines, traditional winemaking, no fuss. The 2021 is expressive and balanced, with the kind of depth that comes from age-worthy Grenache on limestone soil. Outstanding value for Southern Rhône lovers.