Region: Rioja, Rioja Alta, Spain
Varietal: Tempranillo 75%, Garnacho 15%, Graciano and Mazuelo 10%

"Savory berries, plums, iron, minerals, tobacco, ink and blood oranges. Very bright, juicy and structured, with sensational balance, aged savoriness and brightness that are typical of Tondonia reds. Beautiful now.   96 points Zekun Shuai for James Suckling, Review Date: 8/5/24

"The 2012 Viña Tondonia Reserva comes from a very dry year, with 25% less rain than the average (at the time), resulting in lower yields of very healthy grapes that delivered wines with nice balance between alcohol and polyphenols, making it very apt for the aging in barrel. It had a slightly longer élevage in barrel, six years. The wine is aromatic with a developed profile, spicy and tertiary (forest floor, a touch of brick dust and iodine), complex and nuanced. The palate is full and round, with polished tannins and a long, dry finish. It has a textbook Tondonia nose and profile. Drink: 2025-2035."  95 points Luis Gutiérrez  for Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Review Date 2/29/24

"The 2012 Viña Tondonia is a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano, cultivated on the meander of the Ebro River in Rioja Alta. This garnet wine reveals aromas of ash and plum marmalade, with a faintly herbal core and hints of oaky cedar. Dry and lean, the fairly chalky texture lingers long, concluding with a compact, flavorful and lasting finish. The 2012 is a beautiful old-school Rioja. Drink: 2024-2035." 95 points Joaquín Hidalgo for Vinous, Review Date: Apr 2024

"All you can expect from a classical Viña Tondonia with its focused intensity and muscular yet very elegant tannins. At once assertive and silky, with juicy red and blue fruit gliding through the palate while being pleasantly pulled back by an energetic, iodine verve. Subtle, hovering, brooding notes of tobacco, mocha and wet forest floor. 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and 10% Graciano and Mazuelo, bottled in January 2022 having matured in 225-litre American oak barrels for six years. Drinking Window: 2025-2040." 94 points Ines Salpico for Decanter, Review Date 12/30/24

Pairing: Chili con carne, roast lamb and game birds, as well as all the traditional Spanish charcuterie, including Chorizo and Jamon Serrano are well suited to this Rioja due to the wine having had some time to age and become bolder in the bottle. Younger Rioja wines do not stand up to these richer or spicier flavors as well. This Pasta With Chorizo, Chickpeas and Kale by Dawn Perry to be an excellent suitor, simplicity to prepare.

Rioja is one Spain's most famous wine regions and is one of only two regions classified under the Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa) system. Its two most important red grapes are Tempranillo and Garnacha. Rioja Alta is one of three sub-regions of the Rioja wine region. It occupies the westernmost portion of the region, with the majority of its vineyards lying south of the Ebro River. The vineyards here are located at higher altitudes, assisting in the accumulation of acidity, color and moderate alcohol levels. The soil has a healthy mix of clay, iron and alluvial components, giving it a redder color.
Tempranillo thrives in these conditions, producing signature 'Rioja-style' wines. As a result, the local wines form the backbone of most Rioja blends.

"The Tondonia vineyard extends for over 100 hectares (250 acres) in a picturesque site next to the Ebro river. The soil is made up of alluvial clay with a high limestone content, which has proved an excellent terroir for the Tempranillo and Garnacha vines that are planted there. Tondonia provides the grapes for López de Heredia's top wines, both red and white." Wine-Searcher