Victorino 2007

Founder of successful project Numanthia-Termes in Toro, my favorite Rioja’s winemaker Marcos Eguren came back with yet another promising project in Toro – Bodegas Teso la Monja. He just released his first 2007 vintage of 3 wines: Almirez, Victorino and Alabaster.The grapes for this wine came from Eguren vineyard in Valdefinjas, in Zamora province of Toro and Villabuena del Puente. The vines are planted in 2,300 ft above the sea level and are 45 years old.

Thanks to sandy soils of Toro, the growth of phylloxera that devastated so many wine-growing regions throughout the world, didn’t stand much chance here. Therefore Marcos was able to cultivate ungrafted Tinta de Toro vines with yields about 15 Hl per hectare.

The grapes for Victorino were harvested by hand (only perfectly mature clusters are picked), brought to the winery to sorting tables where an additional careful selection was made. Bunches were de-stemmed by hand where the staff examined berry by berry to eliminate any imperfections. The grape must was macerated for 14 days. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in new French oak barrels.

Victorino aged 18 months in new French oak. 2007 is the first vintage of this wine and there was only 350 cases made. Eduardo Eguren (Marcos’s son) told me that this is a first wine project that he is personally committed to (obviously, with Marcos’s hands on approach and TLC). So, Eguren family could be proud of yet another generation of passionate ‘vino entusiasta’. Very proud!

Just like the bull on its beautiful label indicates, this is a serious Toro wine. The best selection of old vines gave it more focus, deep color and beautiful aroma of mature dark fruit and spices. This is one of those do-not-spill-any-on-you-because-it’s-never-gonna-go-away kind of red wines.