R. Lopez de Heredia, Tondonia Rosado Gran Reserva, Rioja 2012

A beautiful and extremely complex rosé with a sanguine hue. Deep and complex with subtle aromas of savory plums, caramel, resin, dried strawberries, blood oranges and exotic herbs. Full-bodied and comfortably chewy, with amazing, zesty acidity cutting it through. Long and savoury, but bright, with some walnut in the finish. This almost has an Oloroso feel. Goes on and on.

Drink or hold

It's only 12.5% alcohol and has a pH of 3.3. 15,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in April 2018.

I love the rosé 2012 Viña Tondonia Rosado Gran Reserva, perhaps the finest vintage together with the 2010) of the modern releases produced again since 2008. It's a textbook example of this unusual rosé a blend of 60% Garnacho they use the masculine form of the name of the grape), 30% Tempranillo and 10% Viura that matured in American oak barrels for four years, during which time the wine acquired an orange colour and a nutty nose with notes of candied orange peel, mushroom and forest floor.

Drink 2022 - 2035