Vina Tondonia Rioja Reserva Blanco 1992

R. López de Heredia

Rioja, Spain
$56-60 +633578  available at BC Liquor Stores & private liquor stores
www.tondonia.com

When was the last time you picked up a bottle off the liquor store shelves that was nearly 2 decades old? And under $60? And incredibly rich, textured and delicious?

Yup – today sounds like a good day for all of that.

Over 130 years of winemaking tradition have gone into the wines of Rioja’s Vina Tondonia. Old vines, low yields, minimal handling, estate fruit, local grapes and the practice of cellaring wines for lengthy periods before release are all part of their philosophy. This white Rioja for example – matured for 7 years in cask, and another 14 in bottle. This blend of 90% Viura and 10% Malvasia is burnished golden with age, but still vibrant in flavour. Gracious cider apple, beeswax and mild almond bouquet. Lean and elegant on the palate, but rich with woven and developed flavours of honey, bitter almond, lemon peel, mellow marmalade, dried quince and minerality. The acid is almost pulsating, it’s so bright and alive, and the finish runs beyond count. This wine is a glorious treat – and – you can buy it on the shelf RIGHT NOW. This is the current release. If you haven’t tasted a lot of older wines, especially very well made, classic wines, here’s your chance. When you think about how long it’s been cellared, the tender care with which it’s been treated, and how old you were in 1992, this wine is a steal at $56.

The wire cage over the seal and cork was originally adopted as an anti-fraud measure, so unscrupulous merchants couldn’t refill expensive bottles with cheap plonk.

*Since the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival starts in two short weeks, and Spain is the theme region, DRINK will be profiling exclusively Spanish wines in the weeks leading up to the festival. Watch for tweets, postings, photos, tasting notes and features posted from the week-long festival. There are still tickets available to some events – and as one of the top wine festivals in the world, this is an opportunity you don’t want to miss. Ciao!

Rating:  (click here to see what our wine ratings mean)

EATrecommends

Vina Tondonia Rioja Reserva Blanco 1992

This blend of 90% Viura and 10% Malvasia has been matured for 7 years in cask and another 14 in bottle, and is burnished golden with age, but still vibrant in flavour. Gracious cider apple, beeswax and mild almond bouquet. Lean and elegant on the palate, but rich with woven and developed flavours of honey, bitter almond, lemon peel, mellow marmalade, dried quince and minerality. The acid is almost pulsating, it’s so bright and alive, and the finish runs beyond count. This wine is a glorious treat.