1991 Lopez de Heredia "Viña Tondonia" Gran Reserva Rioja
SKU #1081459
94 points
Int'l Wine Cellar
Light, vivid red. Deep cherry and blackcurrant on the nose, with suave vanilla and potpourri qualities adding complexity. Round, fleshy red and dark berry flavors are impressively concentrated but not heavy. Gains strength with air and finishes on a sappy blackcurrant note, with excellent spicy persistence. I marginally prefer the finesse of the Bosconia today but would bet on this one aging longer. (ST)
(8/2009)
94 points
Vinous
Limpid, brass-tinged yellow-gold. Highly pungent, heady aromas of orange pith, dried peach, iodine, jasmine, honey and toasted brioche pick up a smoky mineral nuance as the wine opens up. Deeply concentrated and expansive in the mouth, offering palate-coating marmalade, pit fruit and sweet butter flavors that show a refreshingly bitter edge and an echo of minerality. Sappy and surprisingly vibrant for its heft, delivering powerful mineral thrust and persistent floral and smoky mineral notes that cling to the strikingly long finish. (JR)
(1/2017)
94 points
Wine & Spirits
The gentle touch of this wine is pure Rioja: the feel of silk stockings, or of a rose petal. It smells like an earthen cellar—moist, cool, a delicate essence of cherries preserved, the fruit still intact in a gentle knockout punch. The browning color and mature cigar box notes suggest this is fully mature. A lovely evocation of this great Rioja Alta site in Haro, and a treat with jamon de Jabugo.
(12/2011)
90 points
Wine Spectator
This mature red shows a light brick color, with delicate aromas of spice, dried fruit and rose. Supple and still lively, offering flavors of dried berry, tea, vanilla and spice. This whispers rather than shouts, but has distinctive character. For fans of the traditional style. (TM)
(6/2009)
