R. López de Heredia 1970 Viña Tondonia, Rioja Gran Reserva

Josh Reynolds at Vinous tasted this in 2016 and scored it 94 points saying "(aged in American oak barrels for nine years and then in bottle for a minimum of eight more years) Faded brick-red. Aromas of red berries, dried rose, cedar and tobacco show outstanding delineation and pick up woodsmoke and herb nuances as the wine opens up. Sweet and seamless in texture, offering mineral-accented red currant, cherry and blood orange flavors that spread out steadily on the back half. The extremely long, tannin-free finish shows compelling sweetness, lingering florality and an echo of smoky oak."

and the Wine Advocate from a tasting in 2012 scored this 97 points saying "The 1970 Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva has a wonderful bouquet that transports you directly to the vineyard: scents of gravel, wild mushroom, cherries and dusty attic. The palate is beautifully balanced with fine tannins and thrilling, almost rapier-like acidity. There are notes of decayed red berry fruit, sour lemon, rosemary and sage. The finish is rustic but so full of energy, with hints of orange peel on the finish. Wonderful. Drink now-2020+"

Our contact sources these rare vintage wines from private collections in the north of Spain, primarily from a single, large collection that purchased directly from wineries upon release, and stored them in a pristine underground cellar since then.*


*Most of the labels for this wine show some amount of wear and deterioration that comes with age in a natural cellar. All have been wrapped in saran wrap to protect the label from further damage (see pictures above). Also it's important to use caution removing the corks as old corks may crumble. A two prong, Ah-So type cork remover may be your best bet and we strongly recommend that you decant the wine off of the sediment.