Vina Tondonia Rioja Reserva Tinto Lopez de Heredia 2012
HED96738
75 cl
13%
£45.00
Taxes included.
Pay ex-VAT when shipping outside the UK
You must be of legal age to buy alcohol in your country of residence
Out of Stock
Order by 2PM for same-day dispatch.
R Lopéz de Heredia Viña Tondonia Rioja Reserva Tinto 2012 is a medium-bodied , blended red wine from the Rioja region of Spain. Lopez de Heredia is one of the most celebrated names in Rioja winemaking, producing steadfastly traditional Rioja wines from its iconic bodega in Haro since the late 19th century. American oak is preferred to French, while the estate`s wines undergo extended maturation in barrel – from six years up to 10 years for the Gran Reservas – before release. "The 2012 Viña Tondonia Reserva comes from a very dry year, with 25% less rain than the average (at the time), resulting in lower yields of very healthy grapes that delivered wines with nice balance between alcohol and polyphenols, making it very apt for the aging in barrel. It had a slightly longer élévage in barrel, six years. The wine is aromatic with a developed profile, spicy and tertiary (forest floor, a touch of brick dust and iodine), complex and nuanced. The palate is full and round, with polished tannins and a long, dry finish. It has a textbook Tondonia nose and profile." Luis Gutiérrez, 2024
A fixture in El Barrio del Estacion de Haro since 1877, R López de Heredia (also known as Viña Tondonia) is the prototypical traditionalist Rioja. Managed by Maria José López de Heredia and her winemaker sister, Mercedes, López de Heredia has mastered the ability to craft profound, long-lived wines in large volumes. Key to its success is its terroir – the grapes, soil and microclimate of its patch of Rioja Alta (all López de Heredia wines are produced with estate-grown fruit). Another factor is its insistence on extended ageing, in barrel and bottle, before releasing its wines. The flagship Viña Tondonia reserva, for example, is aged for five to six years in barrel (used American oak, Bordeaux-sized barrels), then up to a further six years in bottle before release; their longevity is legendary.
The reds start with Viña Cubillo: a crianza that is more akin to a Gran Reserva. Then there are the more concentrated Viña Bosconia and Viña Tondonia reservas. Bosconia is soft, full-bodied and earthy; Tondonia more finely structured and elegant. Both are Tempranillo-based, with smaller proportions of Mazuelo and Graciano. Look out for the oxidative white, Viña Gravonia, made from Viura grown in the estate’s Zaconia vineyard.
