1998 Lopez de Heredia "Viña Tondonia" Blanco Reserva Rioja

SKU #1124537 93 points Int'l Wine Cellar

(90% viura and 10% malvasia): Bright yellow. Pungent minerally, floral aromas of pear skin, peach pit and bee pollen, with a waxy overtone. The palate offers intense dried orchard and citrus fruit flavors and suggestions of anise, jasmine and honey, with a firm spine of acidity adding lift and focus. Finishes fleshy and spicy, with repeating floral and waxy qualities. 93 points (9/2013)

Wine Spectator

This aromatic wine offers old lace and dried fruit, with apple, beeswax and rosewater flavors. A bit lean and quite tart, but remains racy and bright. A traditional style. Drink now through 2015. 1,833 cases made. –TM (1/2012)

K&L Notes

Yet another fantastic wine from Lopez de Heredia, the Rioja producer behind some of the K&L staff's all-time favorite wines. Made from 90% Viura and 10% Malvasia from the beautiful, rotunda-shaped Viña Tondonia vineyard, this is aged for six years in barrel, racked twice a year, fined with egg whites, bottled and then released when the winery thinks the wine is drinking how it should. This '98 shows a lovely, creamy, Chablis-like chalky minerality underneath the typical complement of golden fruits and discreet notes from extended barrel aging. Though the acidity is a bit dialed down compared to the 1996, the wine is still wonderfully balanced and, as usual, drinking great. Of course it will continue to age nicely should you choose to cellar it some. An original wine and one of the absolute treasures of the wine world! (Joe Manekin, K&L Spanish wine buyer)