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Rioja Gran Reserva Rosado, Vina Tondonia, R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia 2012

Tasting Notes

I love the rosé 2012 Viña Tondonia Rosado Gran Reserva, perhaps the finest vintage (together with the 2010) of the modern releases produced again since 2008. It's a textbook example of this unusual rosé a blend of 60% Garnacho (they use the masculine form of the name of the grape), 30% Tempranillo and 10% Viura that matured in American oak barrels for four years, during which time the wine acquired an orange color and a nutty nose with notes of candied orange peel, mushroom and forest floor. It's only 12.5% alcohol and has a pH of 3.3. 15,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in April 2018.

96+
Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate, July 2022

A beautiful and extremely complex rosé with a sanguine hue. Deep and complex with subtle aromas of savory plums, caramel, resin, dried strawberries, blood oranges and exotic herbs. Full-bodied and comfortably chewy, with amazing, zesty acidity cutting it through. Long and savory, but bright, with some walnut in the finish. This almost has an Oloroso feel. Goes on and on. Drink or hold.

97
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, June 2022

This is the last vintage of Tondonia Rosado for five years. A burnished pink-orange colour in the glass, it is deeply savoury on the nose. Dried herbs, dried red fruits, leather and old books come through. The palate is just as complex and wonderfully balanced, dried strawberries, toasted hazelnut, garrigue and spice box all come through. Silky on entry, the tang of acidity provides both energy and structure. Despite the complexity and maturity from barrel and bottle age, there remains a wonderful freshness. Long and very fine, this idiosyncratic wine is another resounding success in 2012.

94
Thomas Parker MW, Farr Vintners, March 2022
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.