Category:
 
Red Wines
Sub-Category:  
 
Red Wines
Producer:
 
Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia
Label Name:
 
Rioja Tondonia Reserva Red
Vintage:
 
2005
Country:
 
Spain
Region:
 
Rioja (Haro, Rioja Alta)
Volume:
 
1500ml
ABV:
 
13%
Grape(s):
 
Tempranillo 70%, Garnacha (Grenacha) 20%, Graciano 5%, Mazuelo (Carignan) 5%
Acidity:
 
4
Tannins:
 
3
Sweetness:
 
1
Body:
 
3
Length:
 
4
Aroma Intensity:
 
4
Best Temperature:
 
16-18°C

Awards/Ratings
Decanter 96; James Suckling 94; Robert Parker (Wine Advocate) 93; Tastingbook aggregated ~95

Tasting Note
Mature, savory Rioja: dried cherry, leather, tobacco, cedar and vanilla with underbrush, anise and earthy umami. Bright acidity, refined yet present tannins and a long, saline-spiced finish.

Food Pairing
Western: roast lamb, suckling pig, grilled ribeye, braised beef, aged Manchego, mushroom dishes. Asian: Peking duck, char siu, Korean BBQ (bulgogi), spicy Sichuan beef, braised pork belly with soy/hoisin.

Production Method
Fermented in old oak vats with indigenous yeasts; aged approximately six years in used American oak barrels; racked periodically, fined with egg whites and typically bottled with minimal filtration.

Vineyard Info
Bodegas R. López de Heredia (est. 1877) is a family-owned, traditional Rioja house in Haro noted for long oak aging, historic cellars and classic, old-school winemaking practices.