Our Wines
For a hundred and thirty one years, three generations of the López de Heredia family have devoted themselves to producing exceptional and uniques wines. Masterpieces that have achieved that which the founder of the firm, Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta, defined in the late nineteenth century the "Supreme Rioja".
Care of the vineyards, a scrupulous selection of the grapes, elaboration in oak barrels in the heart of the deep underground galleries and the later ageing in bottles produce these illustrious wines with their quite exceptional bouquet.
For a long time, the López de Heredia wines received different names depending on the style of their elaboration but today "Tondonia" is famous the world over, just as the founder had envisioned in his earliest quest for perfection.
Special mention is required for white wines. If there is one house experienced in producing old white wines, that is López de Heredia. To talk here of white as brief, young uncomplicated wines is asking for trouble. We have never been averse to ageing white wines in oak for as long as reds. The result is much more surprising that might be expected. When this type of wine spends a long time in the wood, then, naturally, the oaky tastes and aromas are most noticeable and even unbalanced. Perhaps after cask ageing is not the best time to try them. Nonetheless, when bottle ageing has managed to polish the rough edges of the wood and create seductive aromas of spice, bitter almonds, vanilla and walnut, which is called the "bouquet", we are presented with the majestic and opulent Viña Tondonia.
In the elaboration of these wines, a single grape from other wine regions has never been used, even when the Consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen Calificada Rioja once admitted wines from other regions, under certain terms and circumstances. This house has never made use of these provisions since it was founded in 1877. This was acknowledge by the Consejo Regulador with a "Diploma de Garantía" (Guarantee Diploma) awarded solely to López de Heredia Viña Tondonia, S. A. and that´s why it is proudly reproduced on the reverse label of all our bottles.