Exciting things are happening in Toro. Located in the northwestern provinces of Zamora and Valladolid with the Rio Duero flowing through the region (just down river from the now well known Ribera del Duero) Toro is hot. If the plethora of positive articles coming from Wine Spectator and the likes and the growing number of famous winemakers and prestigious estates flocking to the area mean anything, then Toro seems poised to become one of Spain's major sources for top notch reds. When you see the superstar lineup, including Vega Sicilia, Marques de Riscal, Miguel Torres, Telmo Rodriguez, the Lurtons and Michel Rolland, all with their hands in the soil of Toro, something must be going on. However, you don't need international press and jet-set oenologists to believe in these wines. The proof is in the bottle.
When searching for a producer in this region, we were hoping to find a smaller-sized family bodega with roots in the region. We found this much harder than expected as nearly all of the new Toro projects have been founded by outsiders. There are numerous new projects sprouting up, but we were looking to work with someone from the area, someone who was cognizant of the past but moving into the future. The Viñalcasta wines of Maria Teresa (Maite) Geijo seemed to fit the bill. After spending time with Maite, getting to know her and tasting her wines, we were convinced that Viñalcasta had great potential.
Much like ourselves here at VinLozano Imports, Maite's original roots are in the restaurant business, presiding over the wildly popular Cervantes in Valladolid. The progression from restaurant to winery was a successful one, and aided by 90 acres of beautiful vines (many over 60 years old), her wines have recently received a number of prestigious international awards. Located between the villages of Morales de Toro and San Román de Hornija, very near Vega Sicilia's new project, Viñalcasta's vineyards grow at an altitude of around 750 meters or 2460 feet above sea level. The old vines are adequately stressed and produce a relatively small 1.5 to 2 tons of fruit per acre. All work in the vineyard is carried out by hand, including harvest which sees the grapes going into small 5 kg boxes on their way to the bodega. Low yields, meticulous pruning, natural fertilizers, native yeasts and very light filtration are all key in producing wines of exceptional purity and personality.
Maite's line-up of Viñalcasta wines represents solid value across the board. With prices for wines from this region escalating, we think Viñalcasta is priced for drinking and hope spirited wine lovers will welcome the chance to explore this exciting region with minimal wallet stress.
The Wines
VinLozano Imports is currently importing all three of the Viñalcasta wines, a Joven, Crianza, and Reserva. The principle differences between these wines are fruit & vineyard selection, age of oak and time in barrels and bottle aging.
Viñalcasta Joven Produced from 100% hand harvested Tinta de Toro, the Joven is like eye candy in the glass, showing a brilliant cherry-red color with bluish, purple edges. Aromas of wild raspberries and blackberries, lead to a lively, medium body, with ample soft fruits, balanced acidity and fine tannins. Hand harvested and destemmed the wine undergoes a 22 day maceration, temperature controlled fermentation with daily cap punch downs, and sees three months in 2-3 year old American Oak barriques and a very gentle filtering just prior to bottling. Perfect for every day drinking, Viñalcasta Joven pairs nicely with all sorts of cheeses, grilled meats and roasts. Or try it with Pizza and a friend.
Viñalcasta Crianza Viñalcasta Crianza, begins with select parcels of 100% Tinta de Toro, hand harvested and destemmed. Following a gentle crush, long 21-day maceration and temperature-controlled fermentation with daily cap punch downs, the wine is aged in year-old American oak for 11 months and lightly filtered prior to bottling. In the glass a bright, clean ruby color leads to aromas of dark fruits, cherries and blackberries with just a hint of leather and spice. Medium to full bodied, Viñalcasta Crianza possesses a great fleshy, fruity personality with well-balanced tannins and a persistent finish. This complex red will drink well now and should hold nicely for a number of years.
Viñalcasta Reserva Produced from 100% Tinta de Toro, Viñalcasta Reserva is sourced from select bunches from the finest low-yielding vineyard parcels (under 1.5 tons per acre). After hand harvesting, destemming and a gentle crush, the wine undergoes a long maceration of 25 days and temperature-controlled fermentation with daily cap punch-downs. Following 18 months in new American barriques, the wine is racked and aged for another 12 months in bottle. Viñalcasta Reserva shows a dark cherry color in the glass with brick red edging. Full bodied, velvety and sumptuous on the palate, flavors of dark, sweet cherries, cassis and smoky licorice balance effortlessly with the oak, acidity and tannins. Viñalcasta Reserva reveals the epitome of what the Toro region is capable of producing.
