Lopez de Heredia - Rioja Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva 2004

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

I was eagerly awaiting the Viña Tondonia Blanco Gran Reserva 2004, the next vintage of this wine after the spectacular 2001. 2004 was a perfect climatic year. This is an evolved white that has been aged in neutral, well-seasoned American oak barrels for 10 years in their old cellars, where the wine shows pungent aromas of mushrooms, pollen, beeswax, white pepper, kerosene, cereals and something herbaceous (celery and even asparagus) that reminded me of the 1964. The palate is velvety, dry and very tasty, with a salty touch on the finish. It's still a baby, even after years in bottle. It should age superbly in bottle. I think it's slightly better than the 2001, one of the freshest and most elegant vintages for this bottling. Well done! 10,000 bottles were filled in November 2018. Before and after barrel aging, Gran Reserva wines also spend some time in oak vats. 2024-2044

James Suckling

About the wine:

A reticent white wine, full of power and depth. Aromas of butterscotch, waxed lemon, macadamia nuts, saffron and honey, but also roasted sweet potato. The wine is full-bodied, but not heavy, with lots of sparkle. I like the phenolic touch at the end, before a persistent finish that lasts for almost a minute. Incredible. A real beauty. This wine was aged for 10 years in old barrels before bottling. It can be drunk now, but will age very well over the next 10 to 20 years.