A Dark Spaniard

Buil and Giné
Toro DO
2004
Price: $24

The Toro Denominación de Origen is located along Spain's Duero river valley, where the stony soils and relatively high altitudes produce concentrated, high-alcohol wines. This one's 15% alcohol, but it goes down easily, so pace yourself. Made from 100% Tinta de Toro, a regional cultivar of Tempranillo.

Brilliant ruby-purple, it looks like a much younger wine. It has a nose of licorice and black cherry, a bit like warm black raspberries, with a little spice adding high notes. Surprisingly supple on the palate, smooth and even, with bright fruit sliding easily into dark, and a little astringent bite at the end. Smoky, sultry, plummy, luscious.

Pues, entonces?  Buy it, drink it, love it.

Comments

[Jennifer J]

This is indeed a tempting Tinta de Toro. Great find!

[Meg Houston Maker]

Hi, Jennifer. This is indeed a worthy find. We purchased it a while ago from Gary's (http://www.garyswine.com/), and I just re-discovered some information about it (see http://www.thinkglobalwines.com/bodega03/bodega03.html). The vines are about forty years old and very low-yield, with only two or three bunches per vine. The fruit is hand-harvested, sorted and de-stemmed, then placed whole, without pressing, in 7,000 litre stainless tanks. The winemaker keeps the fermentation temperatures low using dry ice. It goes through malolactic fermentation in French oak, then is aged in French oak for a year.