Wine

Published: Sunday, Nov. 01, 2009

The Grapevine: Toro, Spain, offers some strong reds

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Not long ago, the powerful red wines of Toro, Spain, were incredible bargains. As the region has been discovered in recent years—both by winemakers from other parts of Spain and by consumers—some pricey new wines have emerged. But there are still some very good wines to be found for $20-$25.

Vines have been planted in Toro, about 100 miles northwest of Madrid, for hundreds of years; winemaking has been documented since the first century B.C. But the region was recognized as a Denominación de Origen only in 1987. The primary grape is a local version of tempranillo known as tinta de Toro, and many of the small, impossibly gnarled bush vines are quite old — sometimes 100 years or more.

Summers are very hot in Toro, but because the vineyards are at elevations ranging from 2,000 to 2,400 feet, the nights are cool, which helps preserve some freshness in the grapes. It’s also extremely dry, resulting in wines with a lot of concentration.

Winemakers here talk a lot about the high alcohol content of Toro’s wines— usually over 14 percent — but to someone accustomed to California wines, they don’t seem all that excessive. Tannins can be a challenge to winemakers, but modern winemaking techniques, including micro-oxygenation, have helped produce wines that aren’t overly aggressive or astringent.

At Maurodos, Eduardo Garcia also works with garnacha (also known as grenache), which is permitted in wines labeled with the Toro appellation, as well as with syrah and touriga nacional. It’s a component in the wine called Prima. The 2007 Maurodos Prima ($24) is quite ripe but still lively, with black fruit, notes of roasted coffee and a drying finish. The winery’s flagship is San Roman, which is 100 percent tinta de Toro; the 2005 ($67) is dark and dense, with lively black fruit, tremendous concentration, notes of spice, mineral, tar and roasted coffee and firm but approachable tannins.

At Bodegas Elias Mora, proprietor Victoria Benavides says she tries to craft wines of elegance. The 2007 Elias Mora Toro ($28), made from younger vines, offers ripe, dense red fruit with a hint of earthiness and medium tannins. The 2006 Elias Mora Crianza ($41) displays lively raspberry and strawberry and a little more structure. Benavides calls the 2005 Gran Elias Mora ($90) “my more personal wine.” It’s dense and full-bodied, yet lively and well-balanced, with flavors of berry, spice and roasted coffee, supported by fine tannins.

Another top Toro producer, Bodega Numanthia, produces the 2006 Termes ($27), a wine that’s concentrated and quite tannic, with ripe black fruit and a note of tar.

At Finca Sobreno, I tasted some upcoming vintages. The 2006 Finca Sobreno Crianza (the ’05 is $19) is lively and structured, with blackberry and a hint of chocolate, while the 2005 Finca Sobreno Seleccion Especial ($35) is inky, dense and fragrant, with black raspberry, a hint of licorice and firm structure.