R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Blanco Malvasia Viura 2005

Will Stanley

Aargh! One of the wines of 2022, and I forgot to add it on here. This, the 2005 Blanco Reserva, was enjoyed in October as part of a Spanish themed evening at home. Decanted for around three hours and enjoyed with cured meats and Manchego, which for me are the perfect accompaniments for Lopez de Heredia’s whites. An absolutely memorable wine, glowing from the very beginning and lasting for minutes on the palate. I adore these wines which for me can be counted among the world’s finest white wines.

Jay Kline

Served slightly chilled. Popped and poured; no formal notes. The wine pours a deep golden color with an almost oily looking viscosity. Attractive sherry-like characteristics with fascinating notes of nuts, toasted coconut and marshmallow, lemon bar and black lemon (it’s a wild combination of the two). The texture is sort of oily/waxy…hard to describe with accuracy and the finish is long and saline with bright acidity that gives this a surprising freshness. Honestly, I feel my words cannot possibly describe these wines with the tasting notes they deserve. Drink now or through the return of Halley’s Comet.

Ryan Mullins

The ultimate food white wine

Sipping Fine Wine

Still have a few bottles left in my cellar. Nice Ruby red with an elegant bouquet of ripe berry fruits, spice with earthy tones, a traditional Rioja. On the palate, the wine was silky smooth with layers of flavors, berry/cherry, tobacco, smoky cedar, dark fruit, vanilla spice, very well balanced with fine tannins and a clean structure ending with a nice lingering finish. Aging well! Delicious! Good value!

Shengli Hu

Deep gold. Salted bruised apple, baked pear, ginger, honey, almond paste, hazelnut skin, sweet baking spices - clove and nutmeg, beeswax, and crushed stone. Savory and weighty on the palate, like a Manzanilla. Medium acidity, pronounced intensity, long finish.

Dr. Owen Bargreen

The 2005 Viña Tondonia Rioja Reserva Blanco is a sensational blend of 90% Viura with 10% Malvasia all sourced from the Viña Tondonia Vineyard. The wine was aged for six years in American oak barrels and then for an additional six years in bottle prior to release. The wine itself begins with intense aromas of salted pear, marzipan, smoked pineapple and hints of apricot all taking shape beautifully in the glass. Bright and intense, with a gorgeous mouthfeel, this wine delivers both a silky texture and lithe minerality. Hugely complex flavors of wet stone, green apple, smoke and starfruit all combine on the palate. Gorgeous and generous now, with an exceedingly long finish, this beautiful wine has decades ahead of it. Drink 2019-2038- 95

Dr. Owen Bargreen

The 2005 Viña Tondonia Rioja Reserva Blanco is a sensational blend of 90% Viura with 10% Malvasia all sourced from the Viña Tondonia Vineyard. The wine was aged for six years in American oak barrels and then for an additional six years in bottle prior to release. The wine itself begins with intense aromas of salted pear, marzipan, smoked pineapple and hints of apricot all taking shape beautifully in the glass. Bright and intense, with a gorgeous mouthfeel, this wine delivers both a silky texture and lithe minerality. Hugely complex flavors of wet stone, green apple, smoke and starfruit all combine on the palate. Gorgeous and generous now, with an exceedingly long finish, this beautiful wine has decades ahead of it. Drink 2018-2040- 95

Alberto Cdm

Incredibile. In principio strano e scettico. Poi mangi un piatto e en bevi un po. C sta da dio!

Peter van den Besselaar

Vintage 2005

Mary H

A wine of astounding complexity, a shape-shifter. Immediately in the glass, nutty roasted almond, funk (a little reductive), musty books and turpentine. Iron/sanguinous aftertaste. Little acidity up front, a bit flat in texture. Peach pit, yellow peach, honeycomb.