Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva 2004 White

Christmas is just around the corner, wine lovers! This week, all of us who have contributed to SWL in 2025 are revealing the wines we are giving as gifts this festive season, as well as the ones we would like to receive. This Tondonia is not on anyone’s list, but it could easily have been. The Tondonia White Gran Reserva is a wine that everyone should enjoy at least once in their lifetime.

For a time during the 1990s —a decade that ushered in a wave of modernity in Rioja— and much of the 2000s, these wines kept a low profile. Today, however, they are highly sought after. Scarcity plays a role: they are produced in limited quantities and only in exceptional vintages —10,000 bottles in the case of this 2004 vintage. But their singularity matters too. No other historic Rioja producer has consistently aged white wines for such long periods. This wine was initially matured in large wooden vats before being transferred to American oak barrels, where it remained for over 10 years. The 2004 vintage was bottled in 2018 and left to rest for a few more years in the old cellars of this legendary winery in Haro's Barrio de la Estación before finally being released.

The magic in the bottle is the result of an excellent vintage, generations of expertise, and once crucial additional factor: time. Who else would wait 20 years to release a wine? R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia keeps its own rhythm. It is remarkable that the estate has managed to maintain this pace in an increasingly frenetic world.

I have had the opportunity to try the 2004 Gran Reserva twice this year: first at a tasting celebrating the centenary of DOCa Rioja, and again a few days ago, courtesy of Primeras Marcas, Viña Tondonia's national distributor. On both occasions, it was served alongside notable wines from Rioja and other regions, and each time it made quite an impression. Its character is simply overwhelming.

It benefits from a slightly higher serving temperature than a standard white wine. Served too cold, it will struggle to express its full aromatic register and feel tight on the palate. Once in the glass, its complexity unforld: toasted notes give way to dried herbs, a hint of petrol, beeswax, spices (nutmeg) and candied citrus fruit. The palate is defined by acidity, delivering great freshness and remarkable purity. It is an intense, lingering white with moderate alcohol (12.5% ABV). In my notes from May, I found more sapidity and salinity, whereas the bottle I tasted days ago had an irresistibly nutty quality. How long will it continue to deliver pleasure? Stored well, it is likely to have a drinking window of 30 to 40 years. Historic Riojas with excellent ageing potential can remain virtually unchanged for decades.

This wine is in high demand from top restaurants, so it's not easy to find. Its popularity has fuelled speculation, pushing prices upwards. Under these circumstances, it is best to split the bill between several people.

10,000 bottles
12.5% abv
€295 to €350 
Score: 98