R. Lopez de Heredia Rioja Reserva Vina Tondonia 2013
(Rioja, Spain) - [VM 97] [JS 96] [TA 96] [WA 95]

About the Wine:
Viña Tondonia is the estate red that made R. López de Heredia famous. Don Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta, who founded the bodega in Haro in 1877, created the Viña Tondonia vineyard in 1913-14: more than 100 hectares on the right bank of the Ebro, on alluvial clay soil with a high proportion of limestone. Every grape comes from the family's own vineyards, and the bodega has never used fruit or wine from anywhere else.

The 2013 Vintage:
2013 was a rainy, cooler year in Haro, with slow ripening and hail in July that cut the crop; picking did not begin until October 7th. The blend is 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo, fermented in old oak vats with indigenous yeasts, then aged for no less than six years in old American oak barrels in the bodega's cellars, racked twice a year and fined with fresh egg whites. It was bottled unfiltered in November 2021 at 13% alcohol with 6.6 g/l total acidity, and 190,000 bottles were produced.

Winery Tasting Note:
Color: Vibrant red leading slightly towards amber. Nose: Light fresh texture with notes of vanilla and dried berry aromas. Taste: Rich, very dry, smooth, developed. Firm tannins and good balance. 

Pairing & Service:
Goes well with all meat dishes however prepared. The bodega suggests a leg of new-season Welsh lamb stuffed with wild garlic, rosemary and anchovies. Serve at 64.5° to 68°F (18° to 20°C).

Ratings & Reviews

97 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2013 Reserva Viña Tondonia is a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and 10% Graciano and Mazuelo, grown in the calcareous soils of the Tondonia meander in Rioja Alta. Aged extensively in American oak, it offers restrained black fruit, wild herbs, balsamic hints and sweet spices with gentle cedar and vanilla notes. Medium-bodied with chalky grip and a layered, tertiary finish, this is a benchmark classic—refined, enduring and unmistakably Tondonia. (Drink between 2025-2055)" - Joaquín Hidalgo (May 2025)

96 Points - James Suckling:
"Aromas of rust, game and dried flowers, with a fresh, fleshy quality that is very appealing. The tannins are highly polished, supple and enveloping, supported by lively acidity. Nervy, with delicate, ethereal fruit. Drinkable now, yet with the structure to evolve beautifully." (May 2026)

96 Points - Tim Atkin:
"Patrician is the word that springs to mind when you taste a Viña Tondonia red. A wine that often benefits from decanting, this is a seamless cuvée of Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and 5% each of Mazuelo and Graciano, with impressive focus and freshness, savoury, sinewy tannins and a red-fruited, earthy palate that flirts between sweetness and sourness. Gloriously unique." (Mar 2026)

95 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The canonical red 2013 Viña Tondonia Reserva has a developed nose of dried roses and tar that transported me to Piemonte but soon took me back to the López de Heredia cellars in Haro with the mixture of mushrooms, truffles, damp earth and decayed leaves, hints of brick dust and spice. The breakdown in 2013 comes to 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho and 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo that fermented in old oak vats with indigenous yeasts. All the wines age in old American oak barrels in their caves, in this case for no less than six years. It comes in at 13% alcohol with a pH of 3.4 and 6.6 grams of acidity, perhaps a lighter vintage with higher acidity that translates into a lot of energy, a fine-boned palate and very fine tannins with a vibrant finish. 190,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2021. It should be released in the spring of 2025, almost 12 years after the harvest. And look at the price… Drinking Window: 2025-2040." - Luis Gutiérrez (Feb 2025)