In the glass
Aroma: dried strawberry, forest floor, cedar, balsamic, truffle
Palate: macerated cherry, leather, game, sweet spice
Released only in great years and only after a decade-plus in the cellar; ethereal, savoury and impossibly fresh, the Gran Reserva is one of the wine world's great old-style reds.
What it pairs with
-
Roast wood pigeon
Mature game meets the Gran Reserva's truffle and forest-floor depth. -
Cordero asado
Slow-roast lamb's sweet fat is the historic foil for aged Tondonia. -
Aged Manchego
Crystalline hard sheep cheese matches the wine's saline, nutty finish. -
Pintxos de autor
Find pintxos de autor on TableJourney →
A glass of old Tondonia turns a Donostia pintxo crawl into an occasion.
How to serve Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva
Allow 65 minutes from open to pour.
- Open and decant. Open 60 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
- Serve at 14-16°C. Cellar temperature (14-16°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
- Glassware. Use a Burgundy bowl with a wide opening: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
- Pair with. Roast wood pigeon, Cordero asado, Aged Manchego. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.
History
The Gran Reserva is made only in vintages the family considers worthy and is held in barrel for about nine years and then for many more in bottle. Recent commercial releases have been from the 2000s while the cellar still holds decades of library stock.
- 1934 — Early Tondonia Gran Reserva vintages laid down
- 1981 — 1981 becomes a celebrated Gran Reserva vintage
- 2021 — 2010 released as a modern reference Gran Reserva
Facts
- Producer
- R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia
- Grapes
- Tempranillo (75%), Garnacha (15%), Graciano (5%), Mazuelo (5%)
- Classification
- DOCa Rioja
- Oak
- Around 9 years in American oak barrels with biannual racking, then extended bottle ageing before release
- ABV
- 12.5%
- Price
- EUR 90 to 200 at retail
- Drinking window
- 10 to 40 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1934
Scores
- Tim Atkin 97 (2010 vintage, reviewed 2023)
- Wine Advocate 96 (2001 vintage, reviewed 2018)
Frequently asked about Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva
What does Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva taste like?
On the nose, dried strawberry, forest floor, cedar, balsamic, truffle. On the palate, macerated cherry, leather, game, sweet spice. Structurally medium-bodied, medium tannins, high acidity with a very long finish. Released only in great years and only after a decade-plus in the cellar; ethereal, savoury and impossibly fresh, the Gran Reserva is one of the wine world's great old-style reds.
When should I drink Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva?
Drink 10 to 40 from vintage. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.
What food pairs with Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva?
Roast wood pigeon is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Cordero asado and Aged Manchego. Mature game meets the Gran Reserva's truffle and forest-floor depth.
Is Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva vegan?
No: the producer uses traditional animal-derived fining agents (typically egg whites or isinglass) during clarification, so the wine is not vegan.
What grapes are in Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva?
The blend is Tempranillo (75%), Garnacha (15%), Graciano (5%), Mazuelo (5%). The wine is classified as DOCa Rioja.