Jay Kline

9.7

Poured into a decanter maybe an hour prior to service. The 1970 Tondonia Gran Reserva pours a garnet color with a transparent core, moving towards a slightly orange rim. Medium viscosity with light staining of the tears and some signs of fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous and absolutely brilliant with a mix of desiccated and ripe fruits: dried Morello and Montmorency cherry, cocoa powder, mushrooms, old leather bound books, an entire cabinet full of dried herbs and spices, a memory of barnyard and a deciduous forest floor. On the palate, the wine is dry with good structure still: medium tannin (fully integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and makes me believe there is something bigger than us in this life. This bottle, on this afternoon, gives the confidence to embrace the mystery. Drink now with an hour of air but I get the sense this is one of those Energizer Bunny wines… — 19 days ago

Bill Sweeney

9.0

Spicy red fruit, mostly cherry. Still quite a few tannins for a 10 year old. — 20 days ago

MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET

Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com

9.3

Coffee, butterscotch and caramel nose. Old woods, cedar complex and evolved — 15 days ago

Kristen Grimes

10

Bilbao Duty Free purchase

Exclusively in great vintages, this Gran Reserva reflects the elegance and classicism of the finest Rioja tradition. An extraordinarily complex and expressive wine that brims with different nuances. With at least two years' aging in French oak barrels and more than 40 months in the bottle, it is subtle and silky, with polished, velvety tannins and notes of resin and candied fruit.

Candied fruit aromas for sure... it smells like Isobel's Christmas Cake. So soft and velvety on the palate after 10 years... ripe black cherry, leather, a hint of baking spices. — a month ago

John W

10

Dark ruby coloration. On the nose, dark cherry , ripe plum, vanilla, forest floor, oak, leather, truffle, spice, chocolate. On the palate, full bodied and elegant. Complex with an Extensive finish. Cherry, dark berry, vanilla, balsamic, spice, oak, gravel/minerals/forest floor then chocolate takes over. Long finish. — a day ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2011 vintage. Last tasted 7.23.24 (9.4). Really starting to get its' groove thang on. Picked up 8 cases at the beginning of this 2025 year to pour by the glass (btg) via Coravin until the onset of summer or so. 01.04.25. — a month ago

Scott Koles

9.2

A bit past its prime but otherwise still smooth, earthy, and delicious. — 8 days ago

Riccardo L.

9.0

Always a banger but lost to a 2016 reserva in a blind taste. Probably because this vintage scored 90, while that one was a 94. Doesn’t make this any less of a super star though. Great wine, great house. — 12 days ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.3

Vintage 2008 | Reliable old school Rioja, well balanced with vanilla, mocca, cedar — 20 days ago

MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET

Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com

9.2

I was impressed. It’s still very youthful for a 2016 and has more years to come. Soft tannins. Rich. — a month ago