I organized a dinner last night for a few friends & avid fans of LdH in San Francisco for an epic night of Rioja at Canela restaurant in San Francisco.
It was so much fun - one of those nights that will be remembered for a long, long time!
Truly an embarrassment of riches, and probably a once in a lifetime set of wines. It's clear that the LdH Gran Reservas need a LOT of time. 30 years is not enough for these wines - they drink well at 60, and heck, even 80. Following each of the wines over the course of an evening was very educational as well, as some of the wines continued to improve and others started to fade -- and it wasn't all correlated to age. Also really great to finally try the Telmo Rodriguez Beatas -- and it lives up to the hype. The pricing has gotten absurd though!
The half-a-century plus Tondonia club
1947 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
A total treat to try this 80 year old wine. It has amazing color - not sure there was any bricking! Nose is autumnal, with a bit of red/purple fruit still peaking through. Palate is most notable for the bright acid in the form of juicy cranberries, along with orange zest, autumnal leaf matter, still a hint of oak, especially in the texture, and a very fine rasp of tannins, like running your fingers across velure. Starts to decline when revisited 90 minutes later - showing brown sugar and tea notes more prominently. 94 at its peak. (94 points)
1964 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Tremendous wine - WOTN among some pretty stiff competition. Profusely aromatic nose that seems impossibly young for a 60 year old wine. The palate starts off amazing, but climbs to an even higher peak after 2 hours of air, with staggering complexity and balance, showing cherries, dried red and purple flowers, Haut Brion like smoke, a faint whisper of dill/green herbs. There is so much depth here, but it just floats across the palate. I fight between wanting to just smell this all night and taste it all night. An insanely good bottle that was still improving after 3 hours; perhaps we got lucky, but it's hard to imagine a red Rioja being much better than this. (98 points)
1973 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
At first pour, this shows the most advanced notes of any of the reds. High acidity with slightly drying fruit, along with tertiary notes of hay, leaf matter. Classic Tondonia orange peel. After 90 minutes, this has actually improved and shows more energy - showing a lovely red licorice note in the best possible way. Savory and delightful. 90 to start, climbing to 93 at peak. (93 points)
Proof that LdH GR wines need a lot of time
1981 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Bosconia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Super delicate, textbook "ethereal" wine. The texture is everything here. Very pure raspberry and red cherry, mixed with hay and orange zest. A touch of oolong tea. Delightful and on any other night this could easily be a WOTN. Starts to fade after 90 minutes though, showing a bit more oxidation and with a bit of the complexity dropping out. 95 at peak. (95 points)
1995 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
This shows the most American oak on the nose, with dill, sour cherry, and a hint of balsamic. Once you get past the oak, it is quite refined, with a velvety texture, sour cherry, and orange peel. Medium bodied with excellent depth - seems to be a universal trait of these Tondonia GRs. May be an exceptional wine with time and perhaps among the best of the vintages, but to my palate this still needs 10-15 years to fully eat up the oak. 94++(-98?) (94 points)
1995 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Bosconia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
A touch more rustic at first than the '95 Tondonia GR, but the oak is much better integrated here. There's lots of depth and extraction, and clearly from a warmer year than the '81 Bosconia GR, but it shares the profile of raspberry-hay-orange zest. I put this a hair above the '95 Tondo today, even if that will be the better wine with time. This might be a wine that eventually hits an O_M 95pts, whereas the Tondo has the potential to be a 96-98 point wine. (94 points)
The great, great whites of LdH
1981 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Neck and neck with the '94, but ultimately pulls ahead at its peak by just a hair. Nose is powerful and intriguing, This is more delicate and subtle than the '94, but what it lacks in amplitude and concentration, it makes up for in sheer class in its swoon-worthy velvety texture - the only imprint from the oak, which has completely integrated. More savory, with notes of green almond, seaspray, and lemon curd. Contemplative wine - and really shines with a bit of iberico or gambas. The finish is quiet, but crescendos. Fades a bit after a couple hours, and while it doesn't quite reach the heights of my first bottle of this back in 2013, but my #2 WOTN. 96-97 (97 points)
1994 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Tremendous wine, neck and neck with the '81, but presents very differently. More rambunctious, deeper than the '81, but doesn't quite have the detailed subtlety. Lemon, lemon wax, chamomile, white flowers, and a slightly salty finish that goes on and on. Some oak and lightly raspy tannins that aren't yet fully integrated. To me, this wine needs another 10 years to hit peak, but may eventually be as good if not better than the '81. 96-97 (96 points)
2010 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
This bottle feels a bit more well integrated than the bottle I had a year ago, with only a tiny whiff of American oak. It starts tight, but really blossoms after a couple hours. Just a touch oxidative, bright and perfumed, with orange peel and strawberry. Really terrific with the various tapas. (93 points)
2018 Bodegas Lanzaga Rioja Las Beatas - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja
wowweee. First taste shows incredible finesse, long and kaleidoscopic in the mouth. It closes up quickly after an initial decant, but fortunately it opens up again a couple hours later. Blackberry leaf, dark fruit, a touch of hazlenut, ultrafine tannins, a touch of sweetness on the finish that doesn't ever seem to stop. No discernable oak. One person said it could be the Rayas of rioja, at least from a textural standpoint. The last sip 5 hours post-decant is the best. Probably just about the same level of blancos tonight, but hard to compare apples and oranges. Mouthwateringly good, verging on but not quite reaching the level of profound. 96-97. Will be very interested to revisit this in 10 years - have no idea if it improves?? (96 points)
2010 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Fragrant nose with strawberry, melon, roses, and orange zest notes. The palate is quite structured and textural with more citrus zest and red berry notes, orange, lemon, and an almond / nutty flavor towards the end. Nice and quite long on the finish. This is showing beautifully right now. A beautiful, complex rose! (94 points)
2018 Bodegas Lanzaga Rioja Las Beatas - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja
Very fragrant nose with notes of red cherries, earth, violets, and darker fruit. Reminds me strongly of a somewhat modern, stem influence Burgundy. Highly structure with medium+ acidity on the palate, with complex flavors of strawberry, red, and dark fruit. The tannins picked up a bit with air and overall it's quite primary but showing so much promise. Long finish. This was really quite good. Super expressive wine that jumps out of the glass. It needs time but it's already a pleasure to drink. 95-96+ (96 points)
1947 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
From a high should fill bottle, the color is remarkably dark and Burgundian. Lovely nose right after pouring with a good amount of fruit still left, notes of mushrooms and old leather, and red cherries. Good acidity on the palate with blood orange notes, iron, mushrooms, underwood, and more red cherries. Nice finish. The initial impression was amazing, such a youthful and pretty 77 year old wine! I did, however, decline relatively quickly and was mostly acidic and tart after a couple of hours. This was unlike a previous bottle that I opened a few years ago, which started out more tertiary and musty but kept improving for hours in the glass... Score reflects the first pour impression. (94 points)
1964 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Wow! Absolutely beautiful nose with floral notes, red fruit, forest and pine needles, a bit of smoke, and cherries. It's deep and complex and incredibly engaging. Lovely mouthfeel with great balance on the palate, flavors of blood orange, underwood, and cherries. Long and lingering finish. What an incredible and profound wine! (97 points)
1973 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Slightly dusty nose with smoke, forest notes, a hint of red fruit, and leather. Nice acidity on the palate with a bit fresher flavors compared to the nose, notably blood orange and citrus zest. Tannins are fully integrated at this point. Good finish. A nice wine that would have probably shown a lot better on its own. Tough competition against the 64 and 47. (93 points)
1981 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Bosconia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Noticeably lighter nose than the other reds with cherries, red fruit, leather, and pine. Good acidity on the palate with integrated tannins, forest notes, a hint of mushrooms, and red berries. Nice finish. This wine stood out for me in the sense that it was more subtle and a bit less powerful but by no means less interesting. (94 points)
1995 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Bosconia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Very interesting nose that's perhaps a bit funkier than some of the other wines with floral notes, red cherries, and leather. Good acidity with tart fruit, underwood, sweet berries, and a hint of cedar on the palate. Long finish. I really liked this wine, initially this was my favorite of the flight, but the 95 Tondonia improved more with air whereas this declined slightly. Quite unique and interesting to me, but it wasn't everyone's favorite. (94 points)
1995 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Quite fragrant nose with notes of iron, violets, cherries, and forest floor. Good acidity with red fruit and tart berries, blood orange, and orange zest flavors on the palate that give it a nice lift. Nice and lingering finish. A beautiful wine that kept improving and opening up with air. This should continue to age gracefully. 95+ (95 points)
2001 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Corked, what a shame. This makes it 2/3 corked bottles for my encounters with the 2001... The one bottle that was correct was incredible, but the rate is very concerning. (NR/flawed)
1994 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Oh wow, this was insanely good! Beautiful and complex nose of yellow fruit, lemon, minerals, and nuts. Great acidity on the palate with such complex flavors and textural mouthfeel. Notes of lemon zest, orange, almonds, minerals, salinity, and crushed rocks. Long finish. Absolutely outstanding wine, what a pleasure to drink! This was my WOTN by a small margin, ahead of the 64 red and the 81 white. (97 points)
1981 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Beautiful nose that is just now starting to show some tertiary notes with a bit of caramel, lemon, white flowers, and a hint of smoke. With air, there was a distinct menthol note that emerged. Nice acidity on the palate with lemon flavors, almonds, and a saline finish that is very long and lingers. Gorgeous and cerebral wine, so complex and deep. It demands attention. (96 points)
Despite the spirited disagreements about which wines were better and best – where Andy is always wrong – I think there was pretty much unanimous agreement that the two correct whites and the '64 were the trio on the podium, and votes for WOTN seemed evenly split between the three.
Definitely a shame. My silly impression from a couple of years ago:
One of the greatest white wine experiences of my life. All the descriptors you may see in previous and future notes - yeah. Interestingly I also get a vanilla note on the nose, which, rather than off-putting, is a wonderful addition to the melange. Outstanding +.
FWIW my top wines were: 1981 Blanco, 1964, 1994 Blanco (in that order)
The 1981 Blanco had a kind of shimmering mosaic acidity on the palate that I was just crazy about. The 1994 Blanco has more of everything and may eventually surpass the 1981, given plenty of patience. I had a different not-corked bottle of 2001 Blanco just a week ago that was splash decanted over several hours, and it feels like it could benefit from some patience. My note for the 2001 Blanco:
Many different things in there: subtle nutty minerality like old sauternes (no overtly oxidative sherry notes); wisps of dried peach (more blood vs. white) and darker flowers that take a little coaxing; white mushroom, emerging sneakily on the very long finish; little dirty notes that pop up here and there with air; round and textural on the palate, well-balanced and integrated but perhaps a little less complex than the nose would suggest; it’s an interesting ride, but at least at this stage remains more of a fragmented series of sense impressions than a cohesive whole; very good minus with a question mark
Thanks guys, great notes and tasting!
Especially pumped, since now I can look forward to opening my '95 Tondonia some time in the not too distant future.
If you have multiple bottles, it might be interesting to open one now with a healthy decant. But, I think the table consensus was that the '95 Tondonia was pretty awkward when we first poured it, but improved immensely much later in the dinner (at least that is what I felt).
The '95 Tondonia probably would benefit from at least 10 years more in the cellar to integrate the oak and further resolve the tannins.
And for shits and giggles: '64 Tondonia = '81 Tondonia Blanco > First Half Hour of the '47 Tondonia (but this fell apart hard later in the evening) > '94 Tondonia Blanco (this has a lot of stuffing and was very impressive, but I think it needs more time to smooth out the oak).
Yeah, I had double decanted the '95 Tondonia 2 hours before dinner. Definitely in a good spot after some air, but the dill note was still a bit heavy (I’m more sensitive to American oak than most, I think), and you could sense it wanted to go into beast mode but really needs another 10 years.
– I think there was pretty much unanimous agreement that the two correct whites and the '64 were the trio on the podium, and votes for WOTN seemed evenly split between the three.
