2010 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (2/14/2025)
Decanted 6 hrs. Looking through most notes on CT, the there is more or less universal positivity for the 10 Tondonia, but quite a range of opinions within this approval spectrum. From the cheap seats, I absolutely loved this. My first RLH vintage was the 04, and having all subsequent vintages, I don't think I'm going out on a limb states these one of the more dense and compact vintages of this 6 year period. And yet, none of the elegance is missing thanks to that additional element of orange peel, tobacco, and spices that hover over a buoyant and tactile palate. In fact, the palate weight is much lighter than one would expect given the initial blast of dark damson plums and the like. Acidity for days. Barolo-esque nose. Decades of quality drinking ahead. (94 points)
Thanks for mentioning this Max as you jogged my memory that there was a strong oak signature that was unusual compared to past vintages. By half way through the first glass - the other materials had pulled this trait back into balance. FWIW - All of my favorite Rioja’s have the signature when drinking young, which is no problemo in my book.
Back in the day, I used to be able to get plenty of Gravonia at retail around Seattle. But, the last few years, it’s seemed to become a unicorn for my sources.
Are you able to still find it in the Seattle area?
Haven’t opened any of my '11s yet (Tondonia or Bosconia). I’m pretty sure they are all still up in Seattle, but I’ll double check. If I have one here in AZ, I’ll take one for the team and pop one open.
Each vintage, i generally open one early, confirm the rest should go away for another decade, and then sneak open another Guion next!
This squares with my experience with the '10 Bosconia, which has been drinking beautifully since '22. For the Bosconias, I found the '11 a little low in acid and not that thrilling, and the '12 wasn’t quite up there with the '10. I just saw the '13 Bosconia somewhere and have been meaning to try that.
The 2011 is excellent. Its drinking really well right now. It certainly doesn’t have the stuffing that is common for the epic 2010 Riojas but its a great example of an LdH Tondonia Reserva.
I am partial to 04 / 06 / 08 / 12 among recent vintages for Bosconia and Tondonia Reserva Tintos. (Haven’t tried 13s yet.) I also do the buy and try one thing, and then wait a long time. For 08 I couldn’t keep my hands off Tondonia so it was more like 3x before my resolve kicked in.
For the Blanco I just buy a few here and there that I can still find for a decent price and bury them. They really need at least 10 years at least post-release, so more like 22+ years post-vintage, to start strutting. Sometimes more. It’s a world of difference.
Sadly not in Seattle for quite some time, but it was a doozy. Around 2019 Esquin had the 10 Rosado on a bottom shelf in the back for $45. Cleaned them out. Almost all of my blanco’s were sourced from Vinopolis in PDX in which they would be kind enough to tip me off if any were coming in. The last vintage I was able to snag was the 11 Tondonia’s.
On Wine Searcher (I’m staying off Pro as a self defense mechanism against buying more wine - it’s failing miserably!) there is not one bottle of blanco nor the Rosato showing for a single bottle purchase that I can see.
I’m sure I’m not alone in being somewhat surprised that these have achieved, dare I say ‘cult’ status. They are such singular expressions of wine that in no way could appeal to the broad wine drinking public. I mean Sherry is dead at retail right?!?!? They do impart part some familiar touches, but always include an almost surreal aspects - traits that you would not normally see in a wine and or not usually paired together. For example, in younger Tondonia Blanco I often detect a white chocolate - set that with Tropical fruits and the trademark oxidative aspect, sounds like train wreck, but it works, often sublimely. In other words they are ‘Lynchian’’ in character and scope. I’m rewatching Twin Peaks Season 2 episode 9 as I type - so I just had to work that in there - RIP DL….
