Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Rioja Tondonia Reserva Red 2012

Category:
 
Red Wines
Sub-Category:  
 
Red Wines
Producer:
 
Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia
Label Name:
 
Rioja Tondonia Reserva Red
Vintage:
 
2012
Country:
 
Spain
Region:
 
Rioja Alta, La Rioja
Volume:
 
750ml
ABV:
 
13%
Grape(s):
 
Tempranillo, Garnacha (Grenache), Graciano, Mazuelo (Carignan)
Acidity:
 
4
Tannins:
 
4
Sweetness:
 
1
Body:
 
3
Length:
 
4
Aroma Intensity:
 
4
Best Temperature:
 
16-18°C

Awards/Ratings
Wine Advocate (Luis Gutiérrez) 95; Decanter 94; James Suckling 95–96; Tim Atkin 95; Jancis Robinson 16. 5/20. Bottled Jan 2022 after ~6 years in barrel (extended élevage)

Tasting Note
Old‑school Rioja: savory red and blue fruits, plum marmalade, tobacco, forest floor, cedar and iodine; dry, chalky texture with polished, muscular tannins and a long, savory finish.

Food Pairing
Western: roast or herb‑crusted lamb, grilled beef, aged Manchego, slow‑roasted pork, charcuterie. Asian: Peking duck, char siu, Korean BBQ (beef bulgogi), mushroom hot pot, soy‑glazed short ribs.

Production Method
Hand‑harvested; 10–14 day maceration/fermentation; matured ~6 years in 225L American‑oak barrels, racked twice yearly, fined with egg white and bottled after extended bottle ageing. Unfiltered.

Vineyard Info
Family‑run R. López de Heredia (founded c.1877); Viña Tondonia vineyard purchased 1913 in Haro (Rioja Alta). Renowned for traditional methods, its own cooperage and long barrel/bottle ageing.