R. Lopez de Heredia - Vina Tondonia Reserva 2005 (1.5L)
Price: $159.96
Producer | R. Lopez de Heredia |
Country | Spain |
Region | Rioja |
Varietal | Tempranillo |
Vintage | 2005 |
Sku | 602217 |
Size | 1.5L |
While much of Rioja experiences a revolution, modernizing every aspect of winemaking, a few stalwart bodegas remain true to their roots, none more inspiring than the unique López de Heredia. Legendary since 1877, LdH runs on the mindset that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," opting for long aging regimes, multiple rackings over the years, and unfiltered wines. These stand in sharp contrast to the fruit forward examples imprinted with new French oak. Maria José López de Heredia speaks proudly of the fact that nothing in the family's winemaking has really changed since the 19th century, and clients can't get enough of their wines! Read through the following descriptions and choose your own adventure here; each of these wines tells an incredibly story.
Wine Advocate: 93 Points
The 2005 Viña Tondonia Reserva is a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho, 5% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo from their vineyards in the meander of the Ebro River, where they have some 100 hectares of vineyards. The wine fermented in the original oak vats that are now some 140 years of age. There is no temperature control and malolactic was also in the vat. The wine was transferred to oak barrels where it slowly matured in their deep, humid caves for no less than six years. After this, it was bottled unfiltered after being fined with egg whites. I think the quality gap between the Reserva and Gran Reserva has been getting smaller since the 2001 vintage and this 2005 is nothing short of exceptional. It's clean and complex, with more freshness. The wine is very spicy and with a palate that feels very balanced, livelier than in the past. It has a long finish where the flavors are clean. Easy to drink and very pleasurable.
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