It’s pretty baffling how ten years ago you could find these Rosados at 15-20€ per bottle and still almost no-one seemed to be interested in them, whereas today a vertical like this seems something like a unicorn wine feast. When these bottles sell for $100 and more and even then there aren’t enough bottles to go around for everyone, it is getting harder and harder to get ahold of just one bottle.
And here we are, drinking most of the Rosado vintages made since 1993. And just because such a vertical would’ve been too small, we had a mini-horizontal of red 2001 Riojas.
Plus a bottle of Alexandre d’Almeida Buçaco Rosado Reservado that was served blind as a ringer amidst the Heredia rosés.
Unsurprisingly, Heredia’s 2001 Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva didn’t perform that well here; while Tondonia GR is undoubtedly one of the greatest wines made in Rioja, it normally needs a lot of time to get its game together. This seemed more obvious than ever when tasting it next to 2001 Viña Tondonia Reserva: no matter how much I love Tondonia GR, there was no denying that it was still way too young and that Reserva version simply performed much better in comparison. However, GR is a wine that can age for ages (I can attest to this, having drunk one that was a hundred years old), whereas Tondonia Reserva seems to age normally for 25-30 years. And it really felt that while that Reserva was the more impressive wine at the moment, its aging potential seemed quite limited compared to that of Gran Reserva, which was only beginning to unfurl.
Then the Gran Reservas. It is entirely possible that we had a bottle of 2012 that wasn’t in pristine condition, seeing how it showed some atypical aldehydic notes. However, even then the vintage didn’t seem to be up to par with the preceding vintages. And these other four (2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011) were ridiculously similar to each other - the differences were infinitesimal and I guess if I had these same wines on a different day, the final order would be different. They all are simply stunning wines that are really cut from the same cloth.
With the 1993 you could taste how very little these wines change with age. They just slowly develop some more tertiary patina, nuance and weight, but stylistically the 1993 and the 2008 that was 15 years younger were almost identical. They do become better and more interesting, but as the wines are so exceptional to begin with, I must say that the don’t really change that noticeably with age.
Finally, we had an extra Alsatian Pinot Gris in the beginning, but the bottle didn’t make it to the final lineup photo!
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2018 Schoffit Pinot Gris Rangen de Thann Clos St.-Théobald - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (24.11.2022)
Fermented spontaneously, aged for a year on the lees in old oak casks. 14% alcohol, 58 g/l residual sugar. Tasted blind.
Youthful, medium-deep and slightly concentrated lemon-yellow color. The nose feels somewhat sweet and quite concentrated with aromas of white peach and ripe Golden Delicious apple, some notes of pink grapefruit, a little bit of beeswax, light floral nuances and a hint of beeswax. The wine is concentrated, rich and moderately oily on the palate with a full body and medium-sweet-to-sweetish flavors of white peaches and apple jam, some overripe apricot tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light youthful grapey tones, a hint of beeswax and a touch of herby spices. There seems to be the tiniest bit of CO2 zip at first, but even after all the CO2 has disappeared, the wine still retains remarkably impressive sense of structure with its surprisingly high acidity. The finish is ripe, broad and very intense with a long, off-dry aftertaste of ripe white peach, some spicy tones, a little bit of beeswax, light stony mineral notes, a hint of apple jam and a touch of grapey primary fruit.
A big, bold and quite opulent Alsatian Pinot Gris made in a noticeably medium-sweet (or even fully sweet) style, but at the same time packing enough brisk acidity to make the wine feel fresh and structured despite the ripeness of the fruit and sweetness from the residual sugar. At first the wine seemed almost atypically zippy, but that seemed to be just CO2, as the brightest edge disappeared fast. However, the wine still retained superb freshness, focus and brightness of fruit even after all the CO2 had dissipated. With its still somewhat primary fruit qualities, the wine feels a tad too young for its own good, but it is still a remarkably impressive and thoroughly delicious wine by all standards. Great stuff now, but packs tons of potential for future development - I have a hunch this will be a real banger after another decade in a cellar. A great purchase at 32€.
(93 points) -
2001 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (24.11.2022)
A blend of Tempranillo (75%), Garnacha (15%), Graciano and Mazuelo (10%). Fermented spontaneously in old oak fermenters, aged in old American oak barriques for 6 years, bottled unfiltered and then aged for further 50 months in bottle. 13% alcohol.
Luminous and quite translucent cherry-red color with a slightly evolved hue; the wine's appearance seems very slightly more advanced than that of Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva 2001 that was tasted alongside. The brooding nose feels quite big and dark-toned with slightly sweetish aromas of dark fruits, some old savory wood, a little bit of strawberry and dusty cherry, light earthy notes, a hint of old leather, a touch of dried figs and a whiff of dill. The wine feels quite ripe yet still dry on the palate with a medium body and quite intense flavors of tart cranberries and sour cherry bitterness, some crunchy notes of fresh red plums, a little bit of old leather and pouch tobacco, light evolved notes of meat stew with dill, a hint of wizened figs and a spicy, phenolic touch of cloves. The wine shows great depth of flavor and the high acidity contributes both to the intensity of the taste and to the sense of structure, which gets nicely backed up by the firm, moderately resolved medium tannins. The finish is ripe yet dry with a little bit of tannic grip and lengthy flavors of crunchy cranberries and some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of crunchy red plum, light earthy and leathery notes, a hint of wizened figs and a faint touch of dill.
A fine and harmonious Rioja Reserva (that could easily pass off as a Gran Reserva) that has evolved wonderfully over the past four years - that was when I tasted the wine and estimated that the wine will keep on evolving for another 5-10 years. It seems my estimate was pretty correct - the wine shows a bit more depth and the tannins seem to have resolved to some degree, contributing more to the general sense of firmness and texture rather than to the grip and structure. However, the wine seems to show developed qualities so much that I doubt this will going to be a super-long lived vintage. Most likely the wine will continue to develop and improve a little bit more over the next handful of years and then keep just fine for another decade, maybe even two, but that's about it. Tasting this wine side-by-side with Tondonia Gran Reserva 2001, I felt this was slightly better now, coming across as more harmonious and complete at the moment, but most likely that Gran Reserva will both outlive this wine and turn into a better wine in the process. However, the QPRs of these wines are from two different planets: at just 21€ this wine has been a screaming bargain.
(93 points) -
2001 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (24.11.2022)
A blend of Tempranillo (70%), Garnacha (20%), Mazuelo (5%) and Graciano (5%), the grapes sourced from the Tondonia vineyard. Fermented spontaneously in old and very large oak fermenters, aged for 8 years in barrels, bottled unfiltered and then aged for a further 12 years in bottles before release in 2021. 13% alcohol, 1,5 g/l residual sugar and 6,1 g/l acidity.
Luminous, quite translucent and medium-deep cherry-red color; surprisingly youthful for its age and doesn't seem to be as evolved as the 2001 Tondonia Reserva that was tasted alongside. The nose feels fine-tuned and somewhat restrained - moderately less expressive than the 2001 Reserva - with attractive aromas of fresh dark berries and crunchy cranberries, some savory old leather notes, a little bit of tar and tobacco, light sweeter notes of wizened black cherries, a hint of meat consommé and a faint touch of smoke. The wine feels dry, fine-tuned and slightly restrained on the palate yet otherwise quite similar to the 2001 Reserva with a medium body and bright, dry flavors of dark-toned berries, some meaty notes of game and savory umami, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light leathery notes, a hint of tobacco and a faint reductive hint of something rubbery. The wine is wonderfully high in acidity, whereas the rather resolved tannic structure is on the rather gentle side. The finish is dry, somewhat grippy and a bit austere with a long, fine-tuned aftertaste of tart lingonberry and cranberry, some sweeter, dark-toned plummy flavors, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light sanguine notes of iron, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of meaty umami.
A lovely, fine-tuned Rioja Gran Reserva that is still way too young for its own good. Unlike the 1995 vintage, this wasn't as surprisingly light and pale in appearance, but still quite a bit on the light side - and remarkably youthful for its age. The wine was not only seemingly younger than the 2001 Tondonia Reserva, but also somewhat less expressive and more understated in character. However, it really didn't feel like this was showing any less intensity - it felt more like that 2001 Reserva had opened up and was already on a moderately developed phase, whereas this 2001 Gran Reserva was still in an awkward, slightly shut phase, requiring a lot more bottle age (based on my experience with these Gran Reservas from 1970's, 1960's and 1920's - they age at a glacial pace). In this tasting 2001 Reserva seemed a more impressive wine out of these two wines, but it also felt like the aging potential with the Reserva bottling was a bit limited, whereas this Gran Reserva will keep on evolving and improving for decades more. It will take some time before this Gran Reserva becomes more impressive and expressive than the Reserva bottling, but I have no doubts this Gran Reserva will become the greater wine of these two in the longer run. Still - I must say I really don't understand the price level of this wine (150-190€) anymore. This is a great wine, but not THAT great.
(92 points) -
2001 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (24.11.2022)
A blend of Tempranillo (90%) and Graciano (10%). Fermented and macerated for 14 days in large oak vats, then moved into stainless steel tanks for MLF. Aged for 4 years (from February 2002 to May 2006) in American oak barrels that are on average 4 years old. Bottled in June 2004. 12,7% alcohol, 3,5 g/l residual sugar, 6,2 g/l acidity and pH 3,62.
Clear, moderately translucent cherry red color with a slightly evolved pomegranate hue. Savory and somewhat funky nose with phenolic aromas of smoke and vaguely lambic-like nuances of brett, some leathery notes, a little bit of ripe red plum, light woody notes of old oak spice, a hint of wizened strawberries, a hint of lingonberries, a touch of pipe tobacco and a whiff of meat stew. Curiously the wine was lacking those classic LRA aromas of vanilla and dill I associate with the house style. The wine feels firm, dry and slightly evolved on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors crunchy cranberries and tart lingonberries, some leathery funk, light bretty notes of phenolic spice and barnyard, a little bit of vanilla, a hint of dill and a touch of wild strawberry. The wine is wonderfully high in acidity, whereas the medium tannins are on a rather ripe and gentle side. The finish is long, somewhat grippy and enjoyably complex with a persistent, slightly funky aftertaste of wild strawberries, some leathery funk, a little bit of vanilla, light crunchy notes of red plums and cranberries, a hint of dill and a touch of tobacco.
A lovely bottle of 904 Gran Reserva - although this bottle was surprisingly different from the one we had 1½ years ago: that one was pretty classically styled with all the hallmark LRA aromas of dill, vanilla and coconut, whereas those same elements were surprisingly down-toned in this bottle. Instead, this wine showed some funky elements of brettanomyces which I haven't seen before in bottles of any 2001 LRA. So, in essence, this was quite noticeably different to the bottle we had tasted earlier, but not any better or lesser that one - just different. The wine seemed to be in a good point of evolution in the sense that it was still relatively youthful, but showing subtly evolved undertones and the tannins didn't really call for any additional aging. However, it feels like this wine could easily age for many years more and there is a good deal of potential for further development here. Tasting this next to 2001 Viña Tondonia Reserva and 2001 Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva, I felt this was more or less at the same level with the 2001 Reserva and slightly better than the 2001 Gran Reserva. I also felt this wine will get better than 2001 Tondonia Reserva with age, but ultimately that 2001 Tondonia Gran Reserva will eclipse both. It is just going to need a lot more time.
(93 points) -
2001 Bodegas y Viñedos del Contino Rioja Viña del Olivo - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja (24.11.2022)
A blend of Tempranillo (90%) from Viña del Olivo, a historic vineyard where the soil is very different from the other vineyards with its very high concentration of calcareous clay, and Graciano (10%) from Pago de San Gregorio Grande. The grapes are crushed, fermented and macerated for ten days in old, 10,000-liter oak vats followed by another 10 days of post-fermentation maceration with the skins. After a total of three weeks of maceration on the skins, the wines are moved into barriques (70% new French oak, 20% new and old American oak and 10% Hungarian oak) in which the wines finish their MLF. After 20 months of aging in barriques the wines are blended into oak vats, where they are kept for another 3 months before bottling. Bottle #14798 of total 27833 bottles. 14% alcohol.
Deep, somewhat translucent and still relatively youthful black cherry color. The brooding nose feels big, dark-toned and somewhat sweetly-fruited with aromas of juicy black cherries, some vanilla oak, a little bit of clove-driven sweet spice, light toasty Starbucks mocha notes of oak, a hint of dark chocolate and a touch of brambly black raspberry. With some air the sweeter notes recede to the background, but so does the fruit, letting the savory and spicy notes take the main role. The wine feels ripe, broad and quite rich on the palate with a full body and quite impactful flavors of wizened black cherries, some vanilla oak, a little bit of ripe strawberry, light jammy red fruits, a hint of old leather and a toasty touch of mocha oak. The wine is quite supple but still balanced with its moderately high acidity and somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is rich, juicy and somewhat grippy with flavors of sweet black cherries, some jammy notes of strawberries, a little bit of toasty mocha oak, light raspberry nuances, a mulled wine hint of cloves and vanilla and a woody touch of savory oak spice. The high alcohol lends some obvious warmth to the aftertaste.
A broad, ripe and quite voluptuous Rioja from the rather obviously modernist end of the spectrum. After three other 2001 Riojas (Tondonia Reserva, Tondonia Gran Reserva and LRA 904) this wine was like from another planet; those other three wines were all dry, savory and high in acidity, which only further accentuated the more obvious oak impact, lower acidity, higher alcohol and sweeter-toned fruit here! But even without those more old-school bottles to compare, this still would've been a wine made in a style I'd associate closer with Ribera del Duero than with Rioja. I guess there's still quite a bit of room for further evolution here, so it is entirely possible that the wine will drop its baby fat and the oaky tones will integrate better with the fruit as it ages. However, instead of holding my breath, I'd rather go with the more traditional Rioja producers making wines that are firmly in my wheelhouse.
(88 points) -
2018 Alexandre d'Almeida Bucaco Rosado Reservado - Portugal (24.11.2022)
A unique rosé wine, vinified at the Palace Hotel of Buçaco and mainly reserved for the hotel guests - only a small number of bottles get distributed by Niepoort Projectos. This is a 100% Baga that is fermented and aged for 6 months in used 300-liter oak barrels. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Luminous and quite youthful salmon-pink color. The nose feels youthful and sweetly-fruited with aromas of gooseberries and cherries, some juicy Golden Delicious apple tones, a little bit of crunchy redcurrant, light creamy notes of oak and a hint of strawberry whipped cream. The wine feels bright, sappy and quite intense on the palate with a moderately full body and bright flavors of redcurrants and ripe red apples, peachy tones, some wild strawberry nuances, a little bit of creamy oak, light saline mineral notes, hints of savory wood spice and herbal bitterness and a faint touch of brioche. The high acidity keeps the wine nicely in balance. The finish is youthful and juicy with a long, dry aftertaste of crunchy redcurrants and zesty citrus fruits, some tangy saline notes, a little bit of creamy oak, light tart notes of Granny Smith apple, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of herby spice.
A nice, fresh and fruity rosé that shows good depth and sense of complexity, but ultimately feels a bit too youthful for its own good at the moment. The 2017 we had earlier this year was very harmonious and starting to show some developed nuances as well, whereas this wine still had quite a bit of sweet primary fruit character I was not that fond of. However, seeing how youthful the wine was at the age of four years, I can see this developing wonderfully over the next 5-10 years, if not even longer. Good stuff with lots of upside.
(92 points) -
2012 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (24.11.2022)
A blend of Garnacha (60%), Tempranillo (30%) and Viura (10%). Aged for 5 years in oak barriques, bottled in April 2018 and aged for another 4 years in bottles before release. 12,5% alcohol, 6,5 g/l acidity and pH 3,3. Total production 15,000 bottles.
Pale reddish coppery color. Somewhat evolved and also subtly aldehydic nose with aromas of slightly pungent rancio, some Fino Sherry-like green apple notes of acetaldehyde, a little bit of savory old wood spice, light bruised apple tones, a hint of stewed rose hips and an evolved touch of nuttiness. The wine feels silky yet firm and crunchy on the palate with a light-to-medium body and dry, tangy flavors of redcurrants and fresh red apples, some savory notes of wood, a little bit of salty rancio, light bruised green apple notes, an oxidative hint of nuttiness and a lactic touch of creaminess. The racy acidity lends great sense of freshness and intensity to the wine, but flavor-wise the wine seems to be a bit awkward and slightly all over the place. The finish is firm, long and evolved with an aftertaste of saline rancio, some aldehydic notes of green apple slices, a little bit of lemony citrus fruits, light crunchy notes of redcurrants, a hint of quince and an oxidative touch of nuttiness.
The wine is very recognizable for a Tondonia Rosado, but as a whole the wine feels somewhat awkward and nervous. It is sort of youthful and not particularly complete in that sense, but at the same time there are some Manzanilla-like aldehydic qualities that were completely absent in all the other Tondonia Rosados (2011-1993) we tasted at the same time. I really hope this wine gets its game together with age as it came across as pretty underwhelming compared to the preceding streak of outstanding vintages of Tondonia Rosado that eclipsed this vintage quite effortlessly. At 70€ this wine doesn't really make sense.
(88 points) -
2011 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (24.11.2022)
A blend of Garnacha (60%), Tempranillo (30%) and Viura (10%). Aged for 4 years in oak barriques and for further 6 years in bottles before release. 12.5% alcohol and 6,7 g/l acidity. Total production 12,000 bottles. Decanted for a few hours before tasting the wine. Tasted blind.
Clear, medium-deep coppery-red color. The nose feels attractive, wonderfully complex and subtly sweet-toned with aromas of wild strawberries, some cherry tones, a little bit of caramel, light evolved notes of cooked cream, a hint of woody spice, a touch of bruised red apple and a whiff of butterscotch. The wine feels firm yet silky on the palate with great sense of freshness, a medium body and layered flavors of tart cranberries and crunchy redcurrants, some creamy nuances, a little bit of savory wood spice, light oxidative notes of caramel and chopped nuts, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of stony minerality. The high acidity lends wonderful sense of freshness and structure to the wine while the subtle tannic grip adds a little bit to the firmness and to the texture. The finish is long, complex and harmonious with a dry, layered aftertaste of bruised apple, some crunchy redcurrants, a little bit of savory wood, light nutty tones, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of caramel.
A beautiful, harmonious and so thoroughly classic example of Heredia Rosado. A very idiosyncratic example of aged Rioja Clarete and easily among the best rosé wines in the world - even if this wine wasn't even among the best vintages of Tondonia Rosado we tasted in this vertical of vintages 2012-1993. The overall feel was slightly more ripe than the vintages 2010 and 2008, but not as high as in the 2009. In terms of intensity and complexity, this was very slightly below the vintages 2008 to 2010, but showed more depth and vibrancy than the 2012, which was a notch below the other wines we tasted. All in all, this is a terrific rosé that drinks wonderfully now - especially after some aeration - but can easily evolve and improve for another decade. Solid value at 41,02€.
(93 points) -
2010 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (24.11.2022)
A blend of Garnacha (60%), Tempranillo (30%) and Viura (10%). Aged for 4 years in oak barriques and for further 6 years in bottles before release. 13% alcohol, 6,5 g/l acidity. Total production 20,000 bottles.
Luminous onion-skin color with a deeper coppery core and almost colorless rim. The open nose feels rather big and ripe with complex, sweetly-fruited aromas of strawberries and dried redcurrants, some oxidative notes of caramel and roasted nuts, light coconut nuances, a little bit of savory wood spice, a hint of wizened cherries, a touch of marmaladey red fruit and a whiff of perfumed floral character. The wine is ripe, dry and quite substantial on the palate with a firm medium body and concentrated flavors of ripe cranberries and strawberries, some oxidative nutty tones, a little bit of creamy oak, light saline mineral notes, tart hints of lingonberries and sour cherries and a mineral touch of chalky bitterness that nicely offsets the sweetness from the fruit. The vibrant, racy acidity lends tremendous intensity and great sense of structure to the wine. The finish is long, dry and juicy with a complex, crunchy and pretty acid-driven aftertaste of redcurrants and sweet red apples, some sharp Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of oxidative nuttiness, light strawberry notes, a hint of tangy salinity and a creamy touch of custard character.
This is consistently one of the most fantastic recent vintages of Tondonia Rosado, although the differences between the 2008 and 2009 vintages and this are pretty infinitesimal. Stylistically this was very similar to the 2009 vintage, but comparing them side-by-side, I'd say this vintage packs slightly more depth and concentration while the 2009 shows a bit more ripeness and sense of weight. Both of them are fantastic wines and more or less at the same level of quality, but if staying on the fence is not an option, I'd go for 2010 over 2009. 50€ for a bottle of rosé wine might sound a bit pricey, but this wine delivers with remarkable ease. Great now (at least with some aeration), but shows potential for further improvement. Very highly recommended.
(95 points) -
2009 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (24.11.2022)
A blend of Garnacha (60%), Tempranillo (30%) and Viura (10%). Aged for 4 years in oak barriques and for further 6 years in bottles before release. 13% alcohol, 6,5 g/l acidity. Total production 14,000 bottles.
Luminous, seared salmon-to-peachy pink color. The nose feels juicy, quite ripe and moderately sweet-toned with complex, somewhat evolved aromas of apricots, some waxy tones, a little bit of creamy panna cotta character, light oxidative notes of caramel and bruised apple, a hint of stewed rose hips, a touch of fudge and a whiff of wild strawberries. The wine is dry, firm and complex on the palate with a medium body and intense, ripe flavors of strawberries, some wizened red plums, a little bit of stony minerality, light crunchy notes of cranberries and lemony citrus fruits, a hint of saline minerality and a touch of creamy oak. The wine is impressively high in acidity with a subtle, barely noticeable touch of tannic grip. The finish is very long, juicy and lively with complex, somewhat evolved flavors of sweet-toned citrus fruits, some fresh red apple tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light waxy tones, oaky hints of savory wood spice and creamy panna cotta and a touch of tangy salinity.
A beautifully vibrant, complex and harmonious vintage of Tondonia Rosado. Along with the 2010 vintage, this shows a bit more fruit, ripeness and weight than the 2008 vintage, but also maybe a tiny bit more than the 2010. Tasting this side-by-side with the 2010 vintage, the wines were almost identical in style; I'd say 2010 shows a bit more freshness, structure and precision, while this 2009 shows slightly more fruit, weight and ripeness. I guess it comes down to preference which one you'll find better, but for me, 2010 wins by a hair's breadth. Nevertheless, both of these wines are fantastic and easily among some of the best rosé wines in the world. With some aeration, this wine drinks beautifully now, but there's still a good deal of aging potential left here - most likely this wine will continue to improve for another 10-15 years or so. At just 27,50€, this has been a screaming bargain.
(95 points) -
2008 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (24.11.2022)
A blend of Garnacha (60%), Tempranillo (30%) and Viura (10%). Aged for 4 years in oak barriques and for further 6 years in bottles before release. 12,5% alcohol, 6 g/l acidity.
Somewhat developed, medium-deep bronze-orange color with a seared salmon hue. The nose feels evolved, savory and somewhat spicy with aromas of ripe red apples, some nutty tones, a little bit of savory old wood, light developed creamy tones, a hint of leather, a sweet touch of strawberry and a whiff of coconut. The wine feels broad, textural and very complex on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and dry flavors of juicy red apple, some white peach, a little bit of creamy oak with faint crème brûlée nuances, light licorice tones, evolved hints of bruised apple and roasted nuts and a touch of saline minerality. The quite high acidity lends great sense of freshness and structure yet without making the wine feel too lean or austere. The finish is ripe yet dry with a long, complex and lively aftertaste of fresh cherries and redcurrants, some wizened red plums, a little bit of creamy oak, light mineral notes of wet rocks and sharp salinity, a hint of cranberry jam and an oxidative touch of caramel.
It feels like this vintage of Tondonia Rosado is more uneven compared to the 2009 and 2010 vintages that followed; while the 2009 and 2010 have both been consistently excellent, I feel there has been more bottle variation with this 2008 - when it is in prime shape, it is even better than two following vintages, but it always isn't. Fortunately this time the wine was firing on all cylinders! It feels as though this 2008 isn't as ripe as 2010 and definitely not as ripe as 2009, yet conversely those two other vintages might've still been higher in acidity. And even then, this wine seems to offer more sense of harmony, depth, texture and complexity. Not by much - the differences between these three vintages were quite nanoscopic, but ultimately I preferred this 2008 over the other two vintages (and the vintages 2011 and 2012 didn't really offer any competition here). When this wine is showing its best, it is (IMO) the best vintage of Tondonia Rosado released within the last 10 years. This has been simply ridiculous value at 27,26€.
(96 points) -
1997 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (24.11.2022)
A blend of Garnacha (60%), Tempranillo (30%) and Viura (10%). Aged for 4 years in oak barriques and for further 6 years in bottles before release. The back label has a small text saying "Crianza" in place where the recent vintages have the "Gran Reserva" designation. 12,5% alcohol.
Luminous, pale and fully translucent onion-skin color with a brick-orange color. The nose feels old and quite oxidative with somewhat tired aromas of bruised apples and chopped walnuts, some syrupy tones, a little bit of earth, light notes of damp straw and a hint of wood bark. The wine is dry, old and dull on the palate with a medium body and tired, oxidative flavors of rancid nuts, some sharp saline notes, a little bit of wood bark, light earthy notes, a hint of peanut skin and a touch of tangy rancio. The wine is high in acidity with a tiny bit of tannic grip on the gums. The finish is long, dull and oxidative with a tired, unpleasant aftertaste of peanut skin and saline minerality, some damp earthy notes, a little bit of bruised apple, light wood bark tones and a hint of hay.
Ugh. This was completely dead on arrival. Oxidized, flat and unpleasant. A big disappointment.
(NR/flawed) -
1993 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (24.11.2022)
A blend of Garnacha (60%), Tempranillo (30%) and Viura (10%). Aged for 4 years in oak barriques and for further 6 years in bottles before release. The back label has a small text saying "Crianza" in place where the recent vintages have the "Gran Reserva" designation. 12% alcohol.
Pale seared salmon color with a limpid bronze-reddish core. The nose feels evolved, somewhat toasty and remarkably complex with layered aromas of wild strawberries and lager-like notes of herbal hops and chamomile, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of gunpowder smoke, light sweet notes of cloudberry jam and stewed rose hips, an aged hint of caramel or toffee and a touch of kerosene. The wine is very complex and focused on the palate, feeling like it has been concentrated by the age, resulting in a silky and slightly tactile texture. It is medium in body and has juicy, layered flavors of wizened red fruits, some developed creamy tones, a little bit of caramel, light oxidative nuances of bruised apples and chopped hazelnuts, a hint of tangy salinity and a mineral touch of wet rocks. The rather high acidity doesn't feel as high as in the more recent vintages of Tondonia Rosado, but still more than enough to keep the wine wonderfully firm, fresh and structured. The finish is firm, very long and slightly grippy with a complex, somewhat acid-driven aftertaste of ripe cranberries, some wizened red fruits, a little bit of developed caramel character, light creamy oak nuances, a hint of bruised apple and a touch of sharp saline minerality.
A beautiful, aged and so complex vintage of Tondonia Reserva. It feels like the wine has been on its plateau of maturity for a handful of years, but it is yet to fall apart - unlike the oxidized vintage 1997 that was tasted next to this. The style here is very similar to the younger vintages of Tondonia Rosado - you can just taste how the wine develops those additional toasty and smoky nuances along with tertiary notes of caramel and creaminess as it ages and develops a sort of more concentrated and slightly more oily texture in the process. This is a fantastic rosé wine, easily among the best in the genre I know. I'm quite certain this wine won't evolve any further from here and most likely it will start sliding downhill sooner or later, which is why I heartily recommend drinking up any remaining bottles. This is darn phenomenal stuff.
(97 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
