2015 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia "Vina Gravonia" Crianza Blanco, Rioja, Spain
About This Wine:
Vintage rated as VERY GOOD by the DOC Rioja Board. The 2012 vintage was constrained by the scarce pluviometry, 25% lower than usual in our region. It was an especially dry year until well into the Fall. 35% of the total precipitation was concentrated in the last three months of the year. This low pluviometry and the spring and summer high temperatures, entailed a very important brought forward of the harvest, similar to the previous year. Although the rains that started the 11th of October meant that the harvest continued until the 18th of October, five days later than the 2011 harvest, however this is still an early date for what is usual in Haro. Harvest started on the 4th of October with the white varieties. These same conditions caused a significant reduction in the number and weight of the bunches and therefore, the final production of our cultivation was lower than expected in a normal year. This year quality of wines of our House, both whites and reds, was very good due to a magnificent healthy stage and a good balance between the alcohol content and the polyphenols. The wines continue to develop favourably in terms of freshness and fineness for its good aptitude to ageing in barrel and long age-worthy.
About This Producer:
To consistently produce high quality wines it is necessary to own vineyards, where constant care can ensure a consistent quality of grapes – something which cannot be guaranteed when buying from other growers.
For this reason, Don Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta founded Viña Tondonia in the years 1913-14. Tondonia was to become the bodega´s most famous vineyard and product. Viña Tondonia is a beautiful vineyard of over 100 hectares, situated on the right bank of the river Ebro, where the most typical Rioja wines are grown. Apart from Tondonia, López de Heredia owns three more vineyards also set in the Rioja Alta region. These are the "Viña Cubillo", "Viña Bosconia" and "Viña Zaconia". These vineyards are planted to ensure that maximum quality starts in the vines themselves, forming the basis of the reputation of our wines.
The Tondonia vineyard has to be is the most spectacular in Haro. Situated in a shell-like depression next to the River Ebro which serves as a border with Rioja Alavesa (the part of the Rioja appellation region belonging to the Basque Country), it is characterised by poplar trees. The soil is alluvial clay with a high proportion of limestone. The vineyards, cared for with enthusiasm and love, cover a total area of 170 hectares and produce an average annual yield of some 800,000 kg of grapes. Grapes from Viña Tondonia are always used in making our highest quality wines, and naturally, with truly exceptional vintages, becoming "Gran Reservas" if the vintage is truly exceptional - as was the case in 1976, 1973, 1970, 1968, 1964, 1961 and 1954. The first "Reserva" was bottled by the founder as long ago as 1890. A few bottles of this are still kept in the family wine museum.