R. López de Heredia Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia 2015

Tondonia blanc at its most austere and distinctive. Six years in the estate's own American oak, bottled in 2023, Viura and Malvasía that bear no resemblance to anything else in Rioja. Acacia flower, dried chamomile, and white peach sit alongside a gentle oxidative nuttiness, with a faint raisin thread and chalky finish that is very much the house signature. Acidity is high and a touch unresolved at present; three to five years should bring everything into line.