Le Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva Blanco 2004 est un Rioja blanc Gran Reserva de López de Heredia, issu d’un millésime que le Conseil régulateur de la Rioja a classé « Excellent ». Le Gran Reserva Blanco n’est pas commercialisé chaque année. Lopez de Heredia ne le met en bouteille que lors des millésimes qu’il juge les meilleurs, et uniquement à partir des meilleurs cépages de Viña Tondonia, un vignoble planté en 1913 et 1914. Le millésime 2004 est donc un vin qui a fait l’objet de deux processus de sélection rigoureux.
Ce qui rend ce vin particulier, c'est le temps exceptionnellement long qu'il met à parvenir aux consommateurs. Les vins sont conservés dans les caves de la maison jusqu'à ce que la famille les juge prêts à être dégustés ; dans le cas des vins blancs, cela peut prendre plus de 10 ans avant leur mise en vente. Au moment où le millésime 2004 est débouché, la majeure partie de son processus de vieillissement s’est déjà déroulée à Haro, plutôt que dans des caves privées. C’est là l’élément clé. Cela explique également pourquoi ce vin blanc de Rioja 2004 dégage des arômes évoquant un vin nettement plus vieux, tout en conservant une structure ferme.
Robert Parker (100)
I was very much looking forward to the 2004 Viña Tondonia Blanco Gran Reserva, the next vintage of this wine after the spectacular 2001. 2004 was a perfect climate year. This is a developed white that was matured in well-seasoned, neutral American oak barrels for 10 years in their old caves, where the wine gets pungent aromas of mushrooms, pollen, beeswax, white pepper, kerosene, cereals and something herbal (celery and even asparagus) that reminded me of the 1964. The palate is velvety and dry and super tasty, with a salty twist in the finish. It's still a baby even after years in bottle. This should age superbly in bottle. I think this is slightly better than the 2001, one of the freshest and most elegant vintages for this bottling. Bravo! 10,000 bottles were filled in November 2018. Before and after aging in barrel, the Gran Reserva wines also spend some time in oak vats.
James Suckling (99)
What a vinous white that’s reticent and full of power and depth. Aromas of butterscotch, waxed lemons, macadamia nuts, saffron and honey, and there is also something intricately smoky with roasted sweet potato. Full-bodied but there is no heft, with lots of brightness. I like the phenolic twist at the end, before a persistent finish that goes on for almost a minute. Incredible. A true beauty. This was aged for 10 years in old barrels before bottling. Drinkable now, but will age really beautifully over the next 10 to 20 years.
Vinous (96)
The 2004 Blanco Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia is a delicate, unique white wine crafted in the old-school Rioja style. It showcases the enduring legacy of the Tondonia Vineyard, situated along the meander of the Ebro River. Aged for a remarkable ten years in oak barrels before being bottled in 2014 and held in the catacomb-like cellar of López de Heredia, this amber-hued wine reveals a complex array of aromas. Notes of hops, honey and hazelnut intertwine with hints of resin, dried apricot and tangerine. On the palate, it offers a dry, silky texture with a chalky undertone, delivering a slightly concentrated character reminiscent of sherry. This wine is a delicious oddity, seamlessly blending the past and present of white winemaking in Rioja.
Tim Atkin (100)