2014 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (2/6/2026)
This is the best young wine I have had in a long time. It's a late spring, early summer day. The sun is warm and the breeze is cool. Its the golden hour and rays of sunshine are piercing the clouds. It doesn't feel like a real day at all.
Lemon, apple of some sort, pineapple, I swear I got mango at the start but lost it, a touch of oak. At least med+, mouth watering acidity that doesnt overwhelm. Dry, but gently rounded. Weight on the palate, but somehow feels weightless.
The balance is perfect. I see this aging with grace, but I have no idea how I'll keep my hands off of it. (97 points)
Just read your tagline “/soul in Bosconia” - okay, I see. How do the Rs stack up to the GRs over time? Ive never had one and dont plan on buying anytime soon, but always curious.
I opened 3 Gran Reserva Blanco’s last year. The 2004 is probably the best wine I’ve ever consumed and the 2 bottles of 1981 I opened were very different. One alive and enjoyable and one possibly compromised from cork taint.
The Gran Reservas are a step up from the reserva but still deliver a similar experience (my opinion anyway). If you’re into the style it’s definitely a unicorn wine and worth seeking out!
The Gravonia, Tondonia Reserva and Gran Reserva Blanco’s are definitely all cut from the same cloth and show the house style across the board.
I had one of these two nights ago. It was my first experience with an LdH Blanco and it was very unique to say the least. It was just so funky and unlike anything I have had. Looking forward to trying my additional bottles a long time from now.
Whites. I’ve yet to taste a white Reserva past its peak (although I’ve had a few oxidized wines, but we’ve suspected a faulty cork or poor storage).
However, I think the red Reservas from the 1990’s are now at their peak, whereas most Reservas (and their predecessors 6° Años) from the 1980’s, 1970’s and 1960’s have started to feel like they are in decline now.
The Gran Reservas - both red and white (possibly Rosado, too) - seem pretty much indestructible.
Good to hear that you enjoyed the 2004. I have one bottle each of the 2001 and 2004 and I’ve been scared to open them because I keep reading that they aren’t ready yet. These are hard and expensive to come by, so I don’t want to “waste” them by opening them too soon. On the other hand, I’m not thrilled with the prospect of waiting another decade either.
Several responses allude to their being too young here. I ultimately chickened out and opened something else.
They are definitely hard to come by so I understand not wanting to commit a potential infanticide. I guess it should be noted that I enjoy the vibrancy from young wines and although 2004 is not young it is a current release. I managed to track down a few and was very excited to open one! And it did not disappoint in any way. It’s such a great wine and one you can open and savor as it evolves over the course of 5+ nights if thay is your style.
Also I enjoyed the 2004 more than the 1981. Personal preference? Was it just a better bottle? Who knows
Natural cork will deliver far too wode a range of outcomes with many years in bottle. While TCa is the most commonly considered cork issue, as the wines age the quality of the individual cork becomes a very big impact, for good and ill.
I’ve been fortune to drink this wine about 4x as it’s my birth year and I agree - when asked about the “best” wine I have ever consumed, lotta folks surprised when I say 1964 Gran Riserva Blanco.
It set me on a path of collecting this wine. Fortunately I got in before the huge price increase for releases prior to 2001. I have only one bottle of 2001, but my friend & I been hoarding 2004. What’s crazy is that we paid anywhere from $157 - $445.
I haven’t had the 01, but believe that the 2004 has the “bones” to perhaps equal 1964.
I’d be game for joining an offline if anyone wants to do a vertical in SoCal (or Bozeman in the summer).
I’ve been dreaming of an offline to dive deeper into these but I’m in Sacramento. I could easily make it to wine country or the Bay Area under proper circumstances but not SoCal unfortunately
