1964 R. López de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva

Amber-red color. Herb- and floral-accented aromas of dried red fruits, with a hint of pipe tobacco in the background. The driest and least sweet of these older releases, offering tightly focused redcurrant and bitter cherry flavors and a touch of oxidative nuttiness. An exotic orange peel quality adds lift and cut to the mineral-driven, very long finish. This wine is ready to drink.

The red wines began with two 1964s, a vintage widely thought to be one of the great years of the 20th century in Rioja. The 1964 Vina Tondonia is cherry red in color with fragrant spice and cassis notes in the complex perfume. Sweet, savory, elegant and impeccably balanced, it is a wine of great finesse and character. A visit to the venerable Bodega Lopez de Heredia, located in the Rioja Alta capital of Haro, is akin to entering a time machine taking you back 100 years. Construction of the Bodega began in 1877 and continues without any apparent changes to the present day. The winery is operated by the voluble Maria Jose Lopez de Heredia, her sister Mercedes, and their father Pedro, still active into his 80s. All of the wines are produced from estate grown bush vines. Tondonia and Bosconia are two different vineyards; Bosconia has a larger percentage of Tempranillo and a different orientation. For an excellent overview of the estate, read Eric Asimov’s blog in the New York Times dated August 11, 2009. Importers: Think Global, Santa Barbara, CA and Polaner Selections, Mt. Kisco, NY; tel. (914) 244-0404