Wine Advisor
R. Lopez de Heredia, Vina Tondonia Reserva 2006
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez
The red flagship 2006 Viña Tondonia Reserva was inspired by the vineyards of the Médoc but produced with local grapes, 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho, 5% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo, which achieved 13% alcohol in 2006. It always matures in used American oak barriques for some six years. The oldest of all the reds I tasted, it was also the one with more freshness, which speaks to the quality of the vineyard. This takes the lion's share of the 400,000 bottles the winery produces, with some 220,000 bottles filled over a period of 12 consecutive days in May 2014.
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
Vivid red. Highly perfumed scents of ripe red currant, cherry liqueur, pipe tobacco, leather and rose oil, along with a hint of coconut in the background. Juicy and precise on the palate, offering deep-pitched red fruit preserve, spicecake and floral pastille flavors and a hint of mocha. The silky, sweet, impressively long finish features excellent clarity and lingering spice and smoke nuances.
About the Producer
The vineyards of the Lopez Redia winery are the basis for the development of the winery. Consistently producing high-quality wines requires having your own vineyard, which overcomes the reliance on sourcing grapes from small vineyards and avoids erratic quality. The Vina Tondonia vineyard is one of the most spectacular in the Hari region. It is located in a sunken basin, surrounded by the Ebro River as a peninsula, and the soil is composed of siltstone, limestone. The area of the vineyard is 100 hectares. The Vina Bosconia vineyard is located next to the Ebro River at an altitude of 465 meters, one kilometer from the winery. The vines are planted on the south-facing slopes of the mountains, where ample sunshine provides them with perfect ripening conditions. The Vina Cubillas vineyard is 465 meters above sea level, and the average age of the vines in the garden is 40 years. The soil structure here is a mixture of clay and limestone. The vineyard is planted with 24 hectares of Tempranillo, Grenache, Mazuelo and Graciano grape varieties. The Vina Gravonia vineyard is located 200 meters from the winery and was purchased by the founder of the winery. It is 340 meters above sea level and the average age of the vines in the park is 45 years. The poor and rocky slope soil allows the roots of the vines to be more easily planted deep in the soil, giving the 24 hectares of grapes a more balanced biological organization and a more mature aroma. The winery picks the grapes every October. Since its establishment, Lopez Redia Winery has been committed to producing high-quality wines that can fully demonstrate the characteristics of the terroir and grape varieties of the producing area. The winery has released wines such as Vina Tondonia Reserva Red, Vina Cubillo Crianza, Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva and Vina Gravonia Crianza Blanco are popular among consumers.
