Viña Tondonia Reserva Blanco 2010: A Rioja Classic with Rich Complexity and Oxidative Elegance
The 2010 Viña Tondonia Reserva Blanco is one of the most iconic white wines from the R. López de Heredia winery, one of the oldest and most renowned in Rioja, founded in 1877. Known for its traditional and severe style, the winery is famous for its long aging and the use of oak barrels, which give complexity and aromatic depth to their wines. This white, composed mainly of Viura with a small percentage of Malvasia, was aged for 6 years in oak barrels, followed by further aging in the bottle. It is a wine with an elegant and melancholic profile, decadent, syrupy in development, but so broad that at times it leaves you astonished. The quintessential Rioja style.
The Basics
Producer: R. López de Heredia
Appellation: Rioja DOCa
Vine: 90% Viura, 10% Malvasia
Vintage: 2010
Region: Rioja, Spain
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Aging: 6 years in oak barrels, followed by bottle aging
Tasting Notes
The 2010 Viña Tondonia Reserva Blanco has a natural golden color, typical of long aging. On the nose, it offers a bouquet where the tertiary dominates forcefully. Mature, it envelops you with notes of candied orange peel, walnuts, honey, and salted caramel, combined with an elegant oxidative character. On the palate, the wine is silky, with a fine structure and a lively acidity that perfectly balances the more buttery and meaty tones.
Terroir and Winemaking
The vineyards are located in the Rioja Alta, one of the best wine-producing areas in Spain, characterized by clay-limestone soils that give the wines a natural freshness. After manual harvesting, the grapes are spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts. After that, the wine ages in oak barrels for six years, which adds to its complexity and oxidative quality.
Food Pairings
Paella, chicken tikka masala, Chicken Cacciatore, Vitello Tonnato, truffle risotto, pasta alla carbonara.
