R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Reserva 2009

For 145 years, four generations of the López de Heredia family have devoted themselves to producing exceptional and unique wines. Masterpieces which have achieved that which the founder of the company, Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta, defined in the late nineteenth century as the “Supreme Rioja”.

Vineyard care, a scrupulous selection of grapes, ageing in oak barrels in the heart of deep underground galleries, and the later ageing in bottles, all contribute to making these illustrious wines with their exceptional bouquet.

For a long time, the López de Heredia wines received different names depending on the style of the winemaking process, but today, just as the founder had envisioned in his earliest quest for perfection, “Tondonia” is famous throughout the world.

Special mention ought to be made of our white wines. If there is one bodega experienced in producing old white wines, it has to be López de Heredia. To talk in our bodega of white wines being exclusively young and uncomplicated, would be asking for trouble. We have never been averse to ageing white wines in oak for as long as reds, and the result is much more surprising than might be expected. When this type of wine has spent a long time in contact with oak, the oaky tastes and aromas are overly noticeable and even unbalanced.  Nevertheless, when left for a few more years in bottles, the rough edges of oak become sufficiently polished and balanced to create a seductive bouquet of spice, bitter almonds, vanilla and walnut, trademarks of the majestic and opulent Viña Tondonia whites.

Not a single grape from other wine regions has ever been used to make any of our wines; not even when the Consejo Regulador  (Regulating Body) of the DOC Rioja once permitted grapes from other regions to be used under certain terms and circumstances, . This bodega has never made use of any other grapes or wines since it was founded in 1877; a fact acknowledged by the Regulating Body in the form of a “Diploma de Garantía” (Diploma of Guarantee) awarded solely to López de Heredia/Viña Tondonia, S. A.  This diploma is proudly displayed on the back label of all our bottles.