Rioja Reserva Tondonia Lopez de Heredia 2013 (750ML)

Calcareous soils in the Tondonia meander of Rioja Alta supply the fruit for López de Heredia's 2013 Reserva Viña Tondonia. It is 70% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha, with Graciano and Mazuelo together making up the last 10%, and it saw extended aging in American oak. The style is quiet and savory rather than showy. Dark berries sit beneath wild herbs, a balsamic tang and warm spice, while the barrels add cedar and a faint vanilla sweetness. Medium in body, it has a fine, dusty grip on the palate and a finish that has already traded primary fruit for developed, tertiary notes. There is still a long road ahead: critics give it a window reaching all the way to 2055. Bring it out for roast suckling pig, jamón ibérico or a smoky Idiazabal.