Viña Tondonia Blanco Reserva 2013

The 2013 vintage was a lot more successful for whites than it was for reds, as demonstrated by the quality of this cuvée of Viura with 10% Malvasía. Subtle aromas of almond paste and saffron segue into a palate of sourdough bread, beeswax and citrus peel, supported by vivid, beautifully balancing acidity. Remarkable stuff from one of Spain's greatest white wine producers. 2024-35

An open, balsamic expression of Tondonia. It’s charming and complex, with white truffles, biscuits, roasted macadamia nuts and a touch of Parmesan cheese. Bright and expressive, with a medium body and a long, fluid finish. Beautiful now, but should hold well for the next few years. Drink or hold.

We talked a lot about the challenging 2013, but they defended the wines. "There was a big crop, and it was not easy, but it was possible to make great wines." The 2013 Viña Tondonia Blanco Reserva has nutty aromas, perhaps showing a little more development, but according to Mercedes López de Heredia, "[With] the old vines with the right rootstock, in the right soils, you can have more or less quality, but you're not going to have a disaster." It's a wine that has to have aging potential, and they need to start with good grapes, so they harvested earlier, as their grapes were riper because they had lowered their yields. They took risks, and I think they got it right. The palate has intense and pungent flavors, a velvety mouthfeel and a vibrant core of acidity, with a fine thread and a chalky finish. But it's a slightly weaker year. 14,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in April 2022.