Produced: Bodegas Numanthia – Termes 
Grape: Tinta de Toro (local clone of Tempranillo)
Region: Toro, Spain
Founded by Rioja’s family Eguren back in 1998 – this estate is situated in a small village in the Zamora province. My favorite Spanish winemaker Marcos Eguren knew the potential of Toro’s distinctive viticultural area. His goal was to produce the best possible wine of the Toro appellation.
Few years later, Numanthia and Thermanthia became a phenomenon and some of the highest rated Spanish wines in the history of Parker’s rating system. Numanthia was called “perhaps the most perfectionist wine of the appellation”. Numanthia quickly became an iconic wine and Toro established as a new star of Spanish appellations.
Few years ago was Numanthia, one of the most successful wine projects in the last several decades, purchased by Moët & Hennessy. The high standards for the quality of wine, set up in Numanthia, stayed firmly in place. Unlike their signature and award winning wines Numanthia and Termanthia, produced from very old vines and the best fruit of the appellation, Termes (could be called a baby Numanthia) doesn’t cost hundreds of dollars. It is also not defined for the top 2% of the most powerful wine collectors only.
Enjoying the same excellent quality of fruit, soil and winemaker’s skills, Termes is an affordable, great bottle of red, that reflects the Toro’s outstanding fruit. Still, this wine continuously receives high ratings (I don’t believe it ever scored bellow 90). That’s also one of the reasons, why there isn’t plenty of Termes sitting around. Low yields of its 30-year-old ungrafted vines are one of the most important attributes to high quality of this wine.
Dark ruby red color. Very aromatic wine, with a lot of ripe dark fruit on the nose. On the palate this is a powerful wine that makes a statement. Impressive but not overpowering, fruity up front with soft tannins and well balanced acidity.Concentrated flavors of dark berries, notes of dark chocolate, spice and dust of cocoa, so typical for Toro, and the never ending finish. Lovely wine, that deserves a steak to go with it. This wine always over-delivers and I believe it is an exceptional value for the quality in the bottle.Dry – Off dry – Medium sweet – Sweet
Light – Medium – Full body
No oak – Aged in oak
Retail price: under $ 24.00
Ideal food pairing:
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