2007 RIOJA RESERVA, Viña Tondonia, López de Heredia. Rioja, Spain

The 2007 is a blend of 75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, and 10% mix of Graciano and Mazuelo. It was aged for 8 years in 100% American oak with light toasting.

Bodegas López de Heredia consistently make some of the finest and most traditional of all Riojas.

Founded in 1877 by Don Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta, it is still family owned and run to this day. Based in Haro next to the railway station they only make wines directly from their own 170ha vineyard plots.

The 2007 is a blend of 75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, and 10% mix of Graciano and Mazuelo. It was aged for 8 years in 100% American oak with light toasting. Sandwiched between the stellar years of 2001 and 2010, 2007 has rather gone under the radar. It is a wonderfully elegant vintage which is now in its prime for drinking.

From day one they have worked on a sustainable and organic basis, although they are not formally registered as such. Very importantly they have their own cooperage where they season (for at least 3 years) and make their own barrels. They view the role of oak (nearly always American) as a vital component in the house style. So much so that all wines are aged well beyond the minimum legal requirements by each formal category. They then extend this process with prolonged aging in bottle before release onto the market.

Although fully mature now it will comfortably keep in bottle for another 5 or 6 years.

Garnet in colour, with a fine perfume – notes of preserved strawberry, cherries, vanilla, and cigar box. Long and elegant, no more than medium bodied but with a beautiful texture and density. A real food wine. This is a wonderful chance to enjoy high quality, mature, red Rioja.

No need to decant and enjoy in large sized Burgundy (Pinot Noir) glasses with plenty of “swirl room”!

“Following the appreciation of the 2007 vintage from María José López de Heredia, the red 2007 Viña Tondonia Reserva is showing great, revealing unusual finesse and elegance. The nose is a little reticent but nuanced and complex, a little shy rather than explosive. The palate is medium-bodied, and the tannins are very refined. This has to be one of the finest vintages of Viña Tondonia Reserva of recent years. 200,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2015”. 96 points
Luis Gutierrez, Jun 2019 Wine Advocate