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Rioja Gran Reserva Vina Tondonia Lopez de Heredia 1970

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1970 Vintage

199.99 USD

Astor Wines & Spirits

United States

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1970 Vintage

219.99 USD

Wally Wine

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Rioja Gran Reserva Vina Tondonia Lopez de Heredia (1970)

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4 Star Rating

Starting at: $199.99
7 Reviews
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What to Expect

The Rioja region of Spain produces one of the world's finest, and most long lived wines: Rioja. Rioja's renaissance, in the latter half of the 19th century, was a direct result of the phyloxera bug that decimated vineyards around the globe. While English merchants came to Rioja to replace their French imports, the wines here actually have much more in common with Chianti. Both wines are blend relying heavily on one grape, in this case Tempranillo. Like Chianti's Sangiovese, Tempranillo usually produces a relatively high acid wine of medium to medium-full body. Tempranillo tends to produce wines with a dusty, leathery edge to its raspberry and blackberry fruit tones. With additions of Graciano, Mazuela and Grancha, the wines of Rioja can take on additional layers of flavor and aroma, but the tradition of extended oak aging for Rioja's great wines contributes to an even more obvious imprint. While the Spaniards have traditionally been fans of the strong vanilla and coconut components that American oak barrels have contributed to Rioja, more and more producers have turned to French oak favoring its more subtle spice tones. Rioja continues to undergo extended aging in barrel with Reserva and Gran Reserva bottlings, representing a producer's highest achievement, spending a minimum of 3 of 5 years respectively in the producer's cellar.

Editorial Reviews

Snooth User: Gregory Dal Piaz
Gregory-
Dal Piaz
Hand of Snooth Voice of Snooth
7,117

What a wonderful nose with smoky, earthy dried thyme tinged wild raspberry fruit that has a slight sweet/spicy cinnamon tone adding warmth and sweetness to the fruit. in the mouth this is just brilliant with a seamless quality to the transparent slightly jammy wild berry flavors. Fine and precise with perfect integration of the structural components allow this mature yet youthful wine to express it's perfectly ripe fruit without distraction. Totally captivating wine 96pts


March 2009

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Snooth User: Gregory Dal Piaz
Gregory-
Dal Piaz
Hand of Snooth Voice of Snooth
7,117

What a superb nose, the purity of the raspberry fruit here is compelling but the notes of hung game, limestone, smoldering grapevine and the classic background notes of tobacco, vanilla, herbs, and citrussy fruit are really intriguing. Sweet and rich in the mouth this retains almost chunky fruit that is deep, fresh and layered. It is big and even youthfully blocky but still managed to maintain great focus and finesse. The bitter cherry fruit has great notes of mineral laden, damp earth with hints of cola and coriander that yeild to a lovely almond twist on the finish. The nose really gains leather read more...


December 2008

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Reviews

Source: Astor Wines
& Sprits


Many consider this the vintage of the century in Rioja. The Viña Tondonia is a vineyard site on the Ebro River. The grapes receive the warmth of the day and the cooling effects of the river by night, creating grapes with robust flavor and acidity. This is a wine of power, with a satin texture that will caress your palate.


August 2009

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Source: Astor Wines
& Sprits


Many consider this the vintage of the century in Rioja. The Viña Tondonia is a vineyard site on the Douro River. The grapes receive the warmth of the day and the cooling effects of the river by night, creating grapes with robust flavor and acidity. This is a wine of power, with a satin texture that will caress your palate.


March 2009

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Source: Zachy's


Delicious, fine red fruits followed by a long elegant finish...another remarkable Rioja vintage...93 Zachys Points


 

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Source: Astor Wines
& Sprits


Many consider this the vintage of the century in Rioja. The Vi¤a Tondonia is a vineyard site on the Douro River. The grapes receive the warmth of the day and the cooling effects of the river by night, creating grapes with robust flavor and acidity. This is a wine of power, with a satin texture that will caress your palate.


 

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Wine
Spectator

Rating: 75/100 - As reviewed by Wine Spectator on 03/31/92


 

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