R. López De Heredia, Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva, Rioja, Spain, 1995

Overview of the Wine
It all started in the middle of the nineteenth century when French negociants visited the Rioja region to find alternative sources of quality grapes to transform into wine, since the phylloxera epidemic had decimated their vineyards. Our founder, Don Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta, a knowledgeable and enthusiastic student in the art of wine making, followed closely in their footsteps.
Don Rafael fell in love with the region and especially the area around Haro, the mythical capital of the Rioja Alta region. He observed that there was a magical combination of soil and climate that would offer the perfect environment for producing wine that would eventually become world famous. Around 1877 he began the design and construction of the complex that is today known as the López de Heredia bodega (winery), the oldest in Haro and one of the first three houses in the Rioja region.

For over a century our emotions have been rooted in our love and passion for this land and its harvest. We cherish our heritage, and this combination of love and the rigorous quality standards we apply, have become our trademark and remains our maxim for today and the future.

Bodegas López de Heredia stands out as one of the few family-run bodegas regulated by the Denominación de Origen Calificada Rioja - DOC (Appellation region).

Grape / Blend
70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho and 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo

Origin
Rioja, Spain

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
Sparkling ruby in color. Delicate fragrance, complex and developed. Full, round bouquet, and developed flavors.

Goes well with all meat dishes.

96 Points - James Suckling
Sweet tobacco, orange zest and hints of balsamic with dried fruits on the nose. Full body, soft and silky with a tangy and fruity combination that gives such pleasure. Very balanced and refined. Aged ten years in cask. Drink now. 

94 Points - Vinous
Deep red. A heady, complex bouquet evokes red berry preserves, cherry pit, Asian spices and cigar box, with smoke and potpourri qualities building with air. Supple and seamless on the palate, offering sweet cherry and smoky herb flavors, along with notes of mocha and candied rose. Fine-grained tannins come up on the finish, which is spicy, penetrating and very long. I'd bet on the wine being even better in five to ten years but there's no shame in drinking it now.

Product size: 750ml