1995 Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva

The Gran Reserva Tinto is only made in the absolute top years and gets an extremely long, very quiet upbringing in the caves of Lopez de Heredia where the wines are sometimes given decades to mature in unique conditions. 1995 was a year of very early maturation. Since March, the vineyards have shown progress every month compared to any other normal year in Rioja. There were enough buds and very good pollination. We also had an early harvest that started in the vineyard around the Bodega with the red grapes on October 9. This wine has developed fantastically due to this very long bottle aging. The Gran Reserva is a blend of Tempranillo (75%), Garnacho (15%), Mazuelo and Graciano (10%), all from our own vineyards.

Like all their wines, it was fermented with native yeasts in old oak barrels and as a Gran Reserva it was aged for ten years in old American oak barrels! Yes, it was bottled in November 2006 and launched in 2015, 20 years after the harvest and then they choose to release a handful of bottles per customer every year. For the Netherlands that is around 18 bottles, so this is one of the most extreme collector's items out there. This light-colored, ethereal 1995 is the essence of Viña Tondonia. It has developed aromas and complexity that have increased over time in the bottle, from frankincense, leather, cured meats, cherries in liqueur and spices. The taste is super tasty, with fully dissolved tannins and very good acidity. The texture is super fine, refined and ethereal with a tasty balance. Intense, powerful and also elegant. Hard to believe, but this red still feels too young and although it's approachable, it's fine to wait a few more years or more as it will be even better. The profile follows the style of the great classics of the 50s and 60s. Bottles like these are the ones that created the myth of López de Heredia.