90-points, James Suckling (under the original label)
I've long been a fan of the Toro region of Spain for turning out the powerful, richer, riper-style reds.
In the case of today's offering, you get power but also compellingly juicy succulence, great backbone, excellent structure, and gobs of complexity. I can still recall the moment I stuck my nose in the glass (again, this is another ProWein gem) and was immediately smitten. Produced from organically-farmed, 30-80 year-old, head-pruned Tempranillo (known regionally as Tinto de Toro), this Toro drinks great now and will age nicely over the next 7-10 years. Rock-solid cellar defender to boot.
The original wine scored 90-points from James Suckling; however, it has an importer here so we're bringing the same wine in under the "Pago del Oro" label to protect the producer.
Beautifully dark of the pour; a sign of a solid Toro offering. The nose is complex with ripe blackberry, toasted anise, dried figs, cedar, and tobacco accented by strawberry coulis and rose petals. The entry is just now shaking off its baby fat and comes across as ripe and succulent but also shows lots of rustic umami characteristics with volcanic rock, cured meat, and sour cherry interwoven with medium+ acidity and small, plentiful, polished, and perfectly integrated tannins. The finish is dry with redolent cigar box and further dried figs over a medium length finish. There's still lots more to come here for the patient amongst us, mind you.
Toro is a small, but mighty DO in the Northwestern region of Spain with a winemaking history established by the Greeks (teaching local tribes) as early as the 1st century BC. Sliced through by the river Duero, it was one of the first regions to trade wine along the river's path. With such a deep history in winemaking it's almost criminal that the region had to wait until 1987 to be recognized. But, criminality aside, in a very short time, it's become a globally recognized DO, in part from Toro's inclusion in Robert Parker's 1999 new millennium predictions for the world's top emerging wine regions, and the main reason any global appellation gets merit: unmistakably excellent wines.
Today's offering comes from the San Ildefonso family's 4 hectare organic plot, where the fruit grows on old vines ranging 30-80 years in age; I'll let them tell you a bit more about it:
For centuries the best area in Toro DO to plant vineyards has been known as "El Oro." Its privileged situation - close to the river Duero on the southern part of the town Toro - is perfect to avoid the early spring frosts. The Pago del Oro vineyard is characterized by its sandy textured soils; composed of clay in the subsoil and big pebbles covering the surface acting as a temperature controller by taking on the heat of the day and releasing it at night. This combination of elements helps the Tempranillo (Tinta de Toro) reach perfect, and slow, maturation. The unique location and vineyard orientation has its own microclimate that makes for great phenolic ripeness with fantastic fresh fruit aromas and smooth, elegant tannins.
In 1999, the San Ildefonso family carried out a selection of parcels around this privileged location to produce their Pago del Oro wines. Thanks to a consistent and careful terroir selection, the family is at the forefront of Toro wines that offer great fruit concentration and structure.
100% Organic Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo) 100% American Oak14.5% alc. 200 cases available
