Lopez is the finest producer of traditional, age-worthy Rioja. Their wines are legendary and still made the way they were when the winery was founded over 130 years ago. As is their tradition, the '04 Tondonia Reserva was released 10 years after the harvest.andnbsp;A rarity in Rioja, Lopez only bottles fruit from vineyards that they own and farm.andnbsp;The farming is organic and the winemaking is super old-school. Native yeast, spontaneous ferments and then elevage in old barrels for extended periods of time. This Reserva is made up of 75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, and 10% Graciano and Mazuelo. It was aged 6 years in barrel and then 4 years in bottle before it was released. To be able to buy a wine of this quality and pedigreeandnbsp;for under $50 is just remarkable.
Peter van den Besselaar
Vintage 2004 | beautiful balanced Rioja | tasted blind, clearly not everyone’s taste
Vintage 2004 | beautiful balanced Rioja | tasted blind, clearly not everyone’s taste
9.3Mike Saviage
Ordered off a wine list. Nice bright dark reddish brick color. Almost opaque. Fun nose. Notes of bing cherry, cedar, earth and a little menthol. Rich and sharp in the mouth. This needed air to come around. Still a baby.
Ordered off a wine list. Nice bright dark reddish brick color. Almost opaque. Fun nose. Notes of bing cherry, cedar, earth and a little menthol. Rich and sharp in the mouth. This needed air to come around. Still a baby.
9.3Conrad Green
A warm berried nose with soft oak and a gameyness. On the palate, a bit of sour cherry, blackberry and a whiff of licorice. Lovely balance with a long life ahead
A warm berried nose with soft oak and a gameyness. On the palate, a bit of sour cherry, blackberry and a whiff of licorice. Lovely balance with a long life ahead
9.2Jason Li
Bright and concentrated. Powerful alcohol and full bodied. Got some acidity on palate
Bright and concentrated. Powerful alcohol and full bodied. Got some acidity on palate
8.6Geoff Troup
Sales Eder Brothers, Cellar Fine Wines
From a mag. Magnificent structure. Smells like barolo on the nose... petroleum, acidic fruit, roses. Big tannin and acid, both tasting quite old, but this has so much life in it. After a five hour decant, this is bursting with earth, dynamic acidity, tar, and herbs. A consistently amazing wine.
From a mag. Magnificent structure. Smells like barolo on the nose... petroleum, acidic fruit, roses. Big tannin and acid, both tasting quite old, but this has so much life in it. After a five hour decant, this is bursting with earth, dynamic acidity, tar, and herbs. A consistently amazing wine.
9.5Weijie Shi (Jay)
Slightly more oak than I remembered last time. Acidity is pretty high. Need some time to open but really classic and drinking well.
Slightly more oak than I remembered last time. Acidity is pretty high. Need some time to open but really classic and drinking well.
9.1Peter Sultan
Never tire of this, really: layers of delicate & fine red fruits, integrated tannins, that bay leaf, ground tobacco leaf urgh at its base & still oodles of time to go. So fresh.
Never tire of this, really: layers of delicate & fine red fruits, integrated tannins, that bay leaf, ground tobacco leaf urgh at its base & still oodles of time to go. So fresh.
9.4Weijie Shi (Jay)
Classic Rioja. Dill and coconut. Very young. Bone dry. Long finish
Classic Rioja. Dill and coconut. Very young. Bone dry. Long finish
9.3Simon Gilligan
The age has left the fruit leaner than a young Rioja (have to admit am used to younger more fruit forward wines), lovely dry long savoury finish with soft tannins and good complexity. Medium bodied. 38£
The age has left the fruit leaner than a young Rioja (have to admit am used to younger more fruit forward wines), lovely dry long savoury finish with soft tannins and good complexity. Medium bodied. 38£
9.3Ellen Clifford
Celebrating wine numero dos. Raisins, dill and crushed velvet. Rich but cutting.
Celebrating wine numero dos. Raisins, dill and crushed velvet. Rich but cutting.
9.2Location
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WARNING: DRINKING DISTILLED SPIRITS, BEER, COOLERS, WINE AND OTHER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES MAY INCREASE CANCER RISK, AND, DURING PREGNANCY, CAN CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS.