2010 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia

Community Tasting Note

SirFred Likes this wine:

94 Points

Tuesday, April 2, 2024 - Drinking so beautifully at this young stage with classic Lopez character. Very smooth and elegant with an almost Burgundian texture. An expansive nose with flowers, pepper, and spice box wafting out of the glass. Cherry and cigar ash with a long finish. Very complex and savory with ripe tannins. It seems to get better with each bottle. Never had a bad bottle of tondonia, and this may be the best vintage yet. The Bosconia is also excellent in this vintage. Hard to decide which one I like better, but I’m looking forward to following their development over the next three decades.

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7 comments have been posted

Comment posted by Yassine23:

4/3/2024 1:17:00 AM - Excellent! Did you pop, slow ox or decant?
Comment posted by SirFred:

4/3/2024 6:03:00 PM - Hello Yassine23:

I drank this bottle off the blocks on PNP. Many old-school Rioja wines are aged in oak for long periods of time before bottling (especially Lopez). This process promotes a certain level of oxidation that makes the wines relatively open without a decant. I rarely decant Rioja wines, and I prefer drinking them with a burgundy style glass, which allows the wine to breathe better, and helps bring out more aromatically.

Going to enjoy the second half of this bottle now.

Cheers!
Comment posted by Yassine23:

4/4/2024 1:48:00 AM - Very informative, thanks. I like their GR redd but have more of a soft spot for their whites and rosé. Cheers to you
Comment posted by SirFred:

4/4/2024 11:22:00 AM - I concur; the white and rosado are in a whole different level. Unfortunately, they have become harder to find and have more than doubled in price as their popularity has grown, but worth every sip.
Comment posted by WineGuyDelMar:

4/4/2024 12:47:00 PM - Great note SIRFRED !! Interesting you don’t decant. I’ll have to try this sometime but mostly I decant young Rioja. I used to decant Burgundy early on but now I never do. I like to see how the wine changes throughout the evening.

I usually buy Bosconia and Tondonia. I still have 09 Bosconia so haven’t tried the 10 yet. Bosconia is more rustic while Tondonia more refined. Both are great. Cheers !!
Comment posted by SirFred:

4/4/2024 2:46:00 PM - Thank you Wine Guy DelMar.

I also don't decant Burgundy, or any Pinot Noir, but I don't drink them young either. I feel these wines don't usually take long to open up, so long as they have a good ten years or more, and you are using a good burgundy glass. The Zalto Burgundy, or the Conterno Sensory are in my opinion excellent, but you can find similar glasses without having to spend so much.

I really only decant Barolo, Bordeaux, and really big reds like Amaroneor Sagrentino. Don't drink those wines young either. With old Barolo it is a must, whereas drinking young Barolo is infanticide. Same for Bordeaux.

I guess it really comes down to personal preferences, but it is good to experiment with different techniques until you find what works best for you.

Cheers!
Comment posted by WineGuyDelMar:

4/4/2024 3:07:00 PM - We use Grassl Cru & 1855 glasses for special. Everyday stuff we use Crate & Barrel Vineyard Cabernet glasses. For $20 they are great.

Always decant Bordeaux, Barolo & Amarone. Others if young get a 30 minute decant then I try it. Depending on how it is it stays in decanter or put back in the bottle.