R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia
2012 R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Reserva 750ml
López de Heredia leans into patience. Estate fruit ferments with native yeast in old oak vats, then rests six years in seasoned American oak and even longer in bottle before release. The aim is balance and development rather than sheer weight, and it shows in the glass.
It arrives light and fresh, then builds over an hour into dried berry, vanilla and savory notes. Give it air and let the firm tannins work with the meal.
Expect a light, fresh texture and aromas of vanilla and dried berry. The palate is rich, very dry and smooth, with developed red fruit, a touch of light tobacco and cedar, and firm tannins in good balance. Long and savory on the finish. Serve at 60F and decant about an hour.
- Style
- Red
- Grape
- GarnachoMazuelo
- Origin
- Viña Tondonia, Rioja
- Farming
- Sustainable
- Winemaking
- Fermented in old oak vats with native yeast, macerated 10 to 14 days, then aged six years in 225 liter American oak barrels, mostly seasoned, racked twice per year and fined with fresh egg whites, bottled January 2022, then bottle aged before release.
Haro, Rioja, Spain
Learn More
R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia
They ferment their own estate fruit in very old oak vats with native yeast, then age the wines for long periods in American oak barrels they make in their own cooperage. Extended bottle aging follows before release, which gives the wines their developed, classical Rioja character.
The philosophy is deliberately traditional. Patience in the cellar, in‑house barrel making, and minimal intervention are central to the style, aiming for balance and complexity rather than power.
| Nose | vanilla, dried berry, subtle spice, damp earth |
|---|---|
| Palate | rich and very dry, developed red fruit, vanilla, light tobacco, cedar |
| Finish | long, dry and savory |
| Texture | light, fresh, smooth, firm tannins |
| Body | Light to medium |
| Serving | Serve at 60F. Decant 45 to 60 minutes. |
- ABV
- 13.0%
- Pairs with
- Roast lamb with rosemary and garlic; roast chicken with mushrooms and thyme; pork loin with paprika and roasted peppers; chorizo and white bean stew; Manchego with jamon and olives.
- Cellaring
- Drink 2025 to 2035
- Vineyard
- Right bank of the Ebro in Haro, calcareous clay and alluvial soils with gravel and pebbles
red grape · major international
Tempranillo
tem·prah·nee·yoh
Savory leather and tobacco with dried strawberry; unusually low natural acidity.
red grape · regional specialty
Graciano
grah·see·ah·no
Extreme natural acidity and intense licorice perfume in a deeply pigmented red.
Choose options